College engineering deans and industry representatives on Friday lobbied lawmakers to increase funding by $15 million per year to boost the number of engineers, which are currently in short supply and great demand.

“Our goal is to help the Kansas economy,” said Stuart Bell, Kansas University’s dean of engineering.

The three engineering schools in Kansas – KU, Kansas State University and Wichita State University – have proposed a major expansion to increase the number of undergraduate degrees in engineering programs.

Under a five-year plan, the number of engineering graduates would increase from 875 per year to 1,365 per year, an increase of 490 annually.

The deans told the House-Senate Committee on Economic Development that the proposal would require an additional $6 million in the first year, and then increase to $15 million over the next four years, and stay at $15 million ongoing after that.

Representatives of several major companies, including Cessna Aircraft Co., Hawker Beechcraft Corp., Garmin International Inc. and HNTB Corp., said more engineers are needed to replace retiring baby boomers and to take care of rising demands in research and production.

Lawmakers appeared sympathetic to the need, but said the current economic downturn was not a good time to be asking for more money. In preparation for the 2009 legislative session that starts in January, Gov. Kathleen Sebelius has signaled to state agencies that budget cuts may be on the horizon.

State Sen. Karin Brownlee, R-Olathe, said the $15 million request “is daunting for us to consider.”

But the deans and industry representatives said increasing the number of engineers would help the economy and by producing the kinds of projects that are needed to boost society.

“I understand it’s an investment,” Brownlee said. “It’s just hard to meet that investment right now.”

Several lawmakers asked if industry was participating enough to solving the engineering shortage.

Bell said companies were, by funding professorships, scholarships and facilities. He noted KU’s engineering building – Eaton Hall, which opened in 2003 at a cost of $15 million – was funded through private donations, and that approximately one-third of the KU engineering students are benefiting from privately funded scholarships.

“The companies and our donors have been stepping up to the plate,” he said.

He said the $15 million requested would be used to leverage more funds from private companies and donors to build more facilities and hire more faculty.