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Regents briefed on four system initiatives and reminded of 2028 6‑mill levy renewal
Summary
OCHE presented four budget priorities — energy research, campus safety, Apply Montana/dual enrollment enhancements and coordination on the statewide 6‑mill levy — and urged careful legislative and communications planning as the levy comes up for voter renewal in 2028.
OCHE officials on Thursday laid out four proposed system initiatives and urged the Board of Regents to prepare now for the 2028 renewal of Montana’s long‑standing 6‑mill university levy.
The presentation, led by deputy OCHE staff, described a $3 million competitive research fund plus $1.5 million in targeted capacity investments for campuses on energy and critical minerals; a $3 million, systemwide campus‑safety review and remediation effort; $1.3 million to expand Apply Montana and dual‑enrollment supports; and continued coordination around the 6‑mill levy that helps fund instruction and student services across the Montana University System.
“Voters first approved this university levy in 1920… it is important to note that this is not a new tax,” the OCHE presenter said, explaining the levy’s history and mechanics and noting that the current law sunsets on Dec. 31, 2028. He told regents the levy currently supplies about $36 million a year to the system and is intended for instruction, student services, and day‑to‑day operations, not athletics or major construction.
The commissioner and OCHE repeatedly emphasized that work with the governor’s budget office and outside consultants will be necessary to shape any proposal and the public messaging around it, and they flagged legal boundaries for executive‑branch staff participation in ballot initiatives. Regents were asked to consider how to position a renewal and the policy tradeoffs involved amid a tighter projected state revenue outlook.
Board members pressed for clarity about timelines and staging: OCHE staff said agency budget submissions are due in June, the executive budget will emerge in November, and planning for the levy must be aligned with both legal constraints and outreach strategies.
Next steps: OCHE will continue work with campuses and the governor’s office on the four initiatives and provide the board with additional materials and recommended outreach timing as the 2027 legislative cycle approaches.
