Committee restores medical scholarships, adds Alzheimer's research funding and requires admissions reporting at KU

The Committee on Higher Education Budget took several votes affecting the University of Kansas and KU Medical Center: restoring $3.7 million to the specialty medical student loan account, adding $5 million for Alzheimer's research with a required 2027 expenditure report, placing an $11 million placeholder for VetMed debt service in the budget, and adopting a language proviso requiring universities to report the numbers of in‑state and out‑of‑state students and the number of in‑state applicants denied admission for the most recent FY27 admission cycle.

Chair described the restoration of $3.7 million as a targeted action to move previously lapsed reappropriations back to the specialty medical student loan account so 40 applicants on a wait list for four‑year scholarships can proceed. Dayton explained the original reappropriation had been moved between accounts and lapsed during SBC actions; the committee approved a substitute motion to restore the funds to the specialty account.

On research, the committee approved a motion to add $5,000,000 SGF to Alzheimer's research at KU and included language requiring a report on expenditures by 2027; the chair said the funding would accelerate training for clinicians and expand applied, community‑facing work. Chair also explained an $11,000,000 placeholder for debt service tied to the VetMed animal diagnostic lab approved by the 2025 legislature; the placeholder creates a budget 'bucket' that will be moved to the appropriate line in subsequent steps.

Members debated whether admissions reporting would impose an undue reporting burden or duplicate KBOR functions; the chair described the proviso as informational and intended to provide situational awareness about whether Kansas students are being displaced by nonresidents. The language motion passed by voice vote.