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Universities tell Ways and Means panel they need stable funding as state trims carryovers
Summary
University leaders told the Higher Education Subcommittee their institutions face enrollment and revenue headwinds, urged lawmakers to preserve need-based aid and campus renewal dollars, and highlighted major capital projects — including ARPA-supported stadium work and biomedical centers — that hinge on continued state support.
Chancellor Douglas Gerard of the University of Kansas told the Higher Education Subcommittee that KU has reduced operating costs aggressively while continuing to deliver statewide services, from law‑enforcement and firefighter training to water‑well monitoring and biomedical outreach. Gerard said the university reappropriated $5.7 million in unspent general funds in FY26, most for capital renewal, and flagged an $85.3 million increase in capital improvements tied to a stadium project supported with ARPA funds.
“Every revenue stream is being challenged,” Gerard said, describing pressures on federal research dollars, student aid flows and enrollment. He…
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