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Kansas student leaders tell committee funding gaps and affordability threaten access
Summary
Student leaders told the Committee on Higher Education Budget that affordability, uneven per‑student state funding and cuts to need‑based aid are undermining campus access and vibrancy; Fort Hays State sought an $8 million increase to close a funding gap, students said.
Student leaders who testified before the Committee on Higher Education Budget described affordability pressures and uneven state funding that, they said, make college less accessible for many Kansas students.
At a panel hearing, Ella Burrows, student body president of Fort Hays State University, told the committee that regional universities receive far less state funding per student than research universities and urged a targeted funding increase. "Research universities receive $14,636 per student, while regional institutions like Fort Hays received just $6,339 per student," Burrows said, citing Kansas Board of Regents figures. Burrows said Fort Hays is requesting an $8,000,000 increase to the state general fund to support classrooms, laboratories and student success programs.
The testimony underscored the personal impact of cost pressures. George Burdick, president of the Washburn Student Government Association, said many Washburn students rely on grants and scholarships but still carry debt. "Forty‑two percent of all of our students have federal loans, averaging around $6,700 per year," Burdick said, adding that average student debt at graduation "tends to be around $22,000 to $25,000." He also noted that Washburn gives an average of about $8,000 per student in grants and scholarships.
Why it matters: committee members and student leaders said funding differences can force tuition increases and reduce access. Burrows warned that rising tuition to cover shortfalls risks making higher education less affordable and could erode enrollment at regional campuses. Student speakers tied funding to campus services and recruitment: they said insufficient state support can push institutions to raise fees and limit programming that supports retention and student engagement.
Committee members acknowledged the concerns. The students' accounts drew attention to two policy questions that state lawmakers often weigh together: how to allocate limited state dollars across different types of institutions, and how to target aid to preserve affordability for lower‑income and regional students.
Student testimony also noted campus impacts beyond tuition. Burdick told the committee that student organizations lost membership during the COVID‑19 pandemic and that many student leaders juggle multiple roles while working to stay enrolled. Burrows said Fort Hays has historically provided an affordable option for many families and that continuing that affordability depended on restoring equitable funding.
The committee did not take a formal vote on funding at the hearing; members invited continued engagement and noted that broader budget deliberations would occur in upcoming appropriations work.
