Topeka ? It was almost a love fest Thursday when state legislative leaders met with top Kansas University officials.

The annual KU budget briefing has at times been strained in recent years because of tight budgets and dropping tax revenue.

But with the state’s fiscal house in better shape this year, KU and legislative budget writers seemed more at ease.

After reviewing KU’s recent accomplishments, KU Chancellor Robert Hemenway said, “We think we have a darn good university and we are proud.”

“You have every right to be proud,” said Senate President Steve Morris, R-Hugoton.

KU is riding a record wave of enrollment (29,950), degrees conferred (6,129), retention of freshman class (83 percent) and total research funding ($258 million), Hemenway said.

Hemenway said KU supported Gov. Kathleen Sebelius’ budget proposal that provides for a 2.5 percent salary increase, plus an additional 1 percent pay increase for faculty; funding for the 27-paycheck year, a budgeting anomaly that hits every 11 years; and funds to continue the Kansas Medical Student Loan program.

“We wouldn’t say her (Sebelius’) budget is overly generous, but it is fair and recognizes our needs,” Hemenway said.

Hemenway said KU was pushing for bills that would allow regents institutions to keep the interest earned on tuition and to allow universities to convert their state civil service classified employees to unclassified positions.

The interest on tuition bill would mean an additional $700,000 to $800,000 to KU annually, chief financial officer Theresa Klinkenberg said.

The measures are pending before different legislative committees.

Legislators also praised work at the KU Medical Center and offered to help the university’s efforts to have the Kansas Masonic Cancer Research Institute designated a national cancer institute.