Hemenway blasts House budget plans

Governor backs chancellor during KU day at Capitol

? Gov. Kathleen Sebelius and Kansas University Chancellor Robert Hemenway on Wednesday used the backdrop of KU’s annual day in the Capitol to blast House Republicans for proposing a budget that diverts funds from higher education and delays a state employee pay raise.

In some of his most fiery rhetoric ever at KU, Hemenway said the $11.3 billion state budget that will be debated by the House today “could easily be described as how to cannibalize Kansas education.”

Republicans on the House Appropriations Committee who back the proposal said the reductions were needed to provide enough funds for a $115.9 million increase for public schools and keep the lid on statewide taxes.

But Sebelius and Hemenway said lawmakers shouldn’t pit public schools against higher education and state employees.

“It makes no sense to temporarily prop up our elementary and secondary schools by tearing down colleges and universities, or vice versa,” Sebelius said.

Hemenway added, “This is an obvious strategy to divide and conquer. The proud tradition of the Kansas education system, preschool through graduate school, should not be sacrificed on a hanging tree labeled ‘Fight it out among yourselves.'”

The committee essentially eliminated Sebelius’ proposed $18 million increase in the operating grant to higher education and transferred $14.1 million in fees paid by students from universities to the state general fund.

Sebelius urged students to contact their legislators and tell them to restore those funds.

“If you want scholarships to be available to students who deserve them, you need to speak up. If you want your tuition to go for learning opportunities, not for fixing a budget hole, you need to make your voices heard,” she said.

Baby Jay joins Gov. Kathleen Sebelius during a presentation at Kansas University's day at the Capitol. The governor supported Chancellor Robert Hemenway's call Wednesday for a better House budget plan.

Later, Hemenway said it was important for officials from higher education and public education to work together and avoid being pitted against each other.

The Capitol was filled with tables from various KU departments, providing information to lawmakers and the public. For a while, the crowd was serenaded by the KU Jazz quintet.

Le-Thu Erazmus, coordinator of the department of preventative medicine and public health at Kansas University Medical Center, was helping people calculate their body fat and body mass index.

“It’s nice to have this kind of exposure,” she said.

Nancy Lott, assistant to the dean at the College of Liberal Arts, said she had been handing out information to the general public and legislators.

“We’re just telling them about all the things Kansas University does for Kansas,” she said.