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 take 1.8 so they get $200,000." Chair described the approach as a compromise to "soften the fall." The motion to reallocate for FY2027 carried; the committee then closed Emporia State's budgets for FY2026 and FY2027 with amendments.

Pittsburg State (Pitt State) required no SBC adjustments for FY2026, and the committee applied the same FY2027 reallocation pattern discussed for the other regionals (add $2,000,000 operations, delete regional stabilization dollars) and closed Pitt State's items without further amendment.

Fort Hays State University drew debate over a $339,295 reappropriation requested for a professional workforce-development and continuing-education program. Representative Amex moved to restore the $339,295; Dayton responded that the agency reported the funds were committed and planned to be spent in the current or a future year. Chair offered a substitute motion to follow the SBC recommendation and lapse the reappropriation; the substitute motion passed on a voice vote. Representative Haskins later moved to reinstate 18 FTE positions for FY2027, but that motion failed on a voice vote. For FY2027 the committee approved adding $2,000,000 to FHSU operations and deleting $4,400,000 in regional stabilization funding.

Wichita State University had several reappropriations the committee considered. Dayton said the SBC's global motion deleted 21.9 FTEs and lapsed $3,400,000 in SGF reappropriations for cybersecurity, aviation research and business partnerships. Committee members noted much of the FY2026 reappropriated money was already committed: Dayton said about $2,000,000 of the $3.4 million was committed to aviation research projects, $817,000 was committed to applied learning projects, and roughly $238,000 had already been spent on IT projects with the remainder committed to contracts in review. Representative Amex moved to restore the $3,400,000 for FY2026; the motion passed. For FY2027 the committee considered a proviso and additional pipeline dollars; a substitute motion to continue $5,000,000 for ongoing aviation research (previously approved as one-time funding) passed, keeping the $5 million in place for WSU in 2027.

Votes at a glance: - Emporia State University (FY2026): Motion to reinsert $1,700,000 reappropriation — approved. - Emporia State University (FY2027): Add $2,000,000 operations; delete $3,800,000 regional stabilization; require program review and reporting — approved. - Pittsburg State University (FY2026–FY2027): No SBC adjustments for FY2026; FY2027 reallocation matching other regionals — approved. - Fort Hays State University (FY2026): Motion to restore $339,295 reappropriation — substitute motion to follow SBC (lapse item) approved. - Fort Hays State University (FY2027): Add $2,000,000 operations; delete $4,400,000 regional stabilization — approved; motion to reinstate 18 FTEs for FY2027 — failed. - Wichita State University (FY2026): Restore $3,400,000 in reappropriations (cybersecurity, aviation research, business partnerships) — approved. - Wichita State University (FY2027): Substitute motion to continue $5,000,000 for aviation research (Textron/public-private project) — approved.

What members said: Representative Haskins pressed the committee on student impacts and whether reducing regional stabilization while adding smaller operations funds simply shifts costs to students: "So if I'm doing the math, we're gonna give them 2,000,000, but take 1.8 so they get $200,000." Dayton, summarizing agency responses, repeatedly told the committee which FY2026 reappropriations were already committed and which amounts had been spent or earmarked for contracts.

What happens next: The chair closed the session and said committee staff will continue to track spending and follow up as the budgets move to the next stages of the process. Dayton noted the committee will resume the next day with K-State, K-State eSTAR, K-State Veterinary Medicine, the University of Kansas and the KU Medical Center.

(Reporting based on committee proceedings; procedural language and exact vote tallies were recorded as voice votes and "ayes/nays" in the transcript. Individual yes/no tallies were not provided for every motion. )