Higher Education Budget Panel Replaces Temporary Stabilization With Smaller Ongoing Operations Funding; Restores Key Reappropriations

The Committee on Higher Education Budget voted on a package of adjustments that shifts some one-time regional stabilization dollars into smaller, ongoing operations funding and restored several committed reappropriations.

Chair opened the meeting saying the panel would focus on "budget recommendations for the 3 regionals and WSU" and moved a motion to reinsert a $1.7 million FY2026 reappropriation for Emporia State University that the special budget committee (SBC) had deleted. Dayton, the committee staff presenter, told members the SBC had removed $1,700,000 in reappropriated funding for Emporia State as part of a global motion. The reinsert motion passed after committee discussion.

The committee then considered FY2027 changes for Emporia State that would add $2,000,000 in operations while deleting $3,800,000 in SGF regional stabilization funds. Staff member Jill explained the proviso would require a program review to "analyze courses, programs, and degrees" and report findings to the appropriations committees and this committee, with the first report due on the opening day of the next session. Representative Haskins raised concerns that the review language could pressure reductions in liberal-arts offerings and warned of student impacts if total funding is reduced; Haskins summarized the arithmetic by saying, "So if I'm doing the math, we're gonna give them 2,000,000, but…