It’s hard to know what the best strategy is when requesting funds from state government, but the approach taken last week by the Kansas Board of Regents seems to have some merit.
The regents took about $60 million in requests for additional funding from the state’s universities, community colleges and vocational-technical schools and whittled it down to $31.8 million. The trimming was an effort to send a message of austerity to Kansas legislators and the governor, who will have the final say on the regents budget. The hope is that those who are crafting the state budget will appreciate the regents’ budget-cutting efforts and be more inclined to fund the proposals that the regents put forward.
It’s a collegial approach that is worth a try. Traditionally, the regents — and just about every other state-funded operation — tend to ask for more than they think they can get so that they have room to negotiate for a more acceptable sum. The idea is that you won’t get what you don’t ask for.
It’s a valid strategy, but the regents decided to take a different tack this year. Studies indicated that workforce-related training in Kansas is underfunded by about $60 million. This obviously is a high priority for a state that is trying to create new jobs, but, given the current tight economic times, the regents staff proposed a $20 million increase for workforce training. The regents voted to reduce that amount to $8 million.
Regent Fred Logan Jr. of Leawood predicted that the $20 million request would be greeted by “eye-rolling” from state leaders. On the other hand, Regent Tim Emert, a former Senate majority leader from Independence, said the regents would have a better chance of getting $8 million if they employed the traditional psychology and asked for more. Regent Christine Downey-Schmidt of Inman apparently summed up the consensus of the board by saying she was willing to gamble that the governor’s stated support of technical education would result in the schools receiving the full $8 million request.
She’s right. It’s a gamble, but a calculated one. Maybe the governor and legislators will look more favorably on that and other requests if they believe regents are making an effort to keep higher education costs down.
Community colleges weren’t the only target of cuts. The regents also put off requests for a new medical building at Kansas University and a proposed expansion of the veterinary medicine program at Kansas State University. On the other side of the ledger, the regents included in the budget $3 million to hire top research professors and $1.9 million for a medical scholarship program — efforts that should feed the state’s economic development efforts and help meet its need for more physicians.
It will be interesting to follow the regents budget proposal as it moves through the Legislature and see how the strategy works. The regents are trying to do their part to use limited state funds to target key state needs. Hopefully, lawmakers will appreciate that and return the favor.
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63BC (anonymous) says…
Solid editorial. Please tighten up language on "cuts."
Note these sentences:
"This obviously is a high priority for a state that is trying to create new jobs, but, given the current tight economic times, the regents staff proposed a $20 million increase for workforce training. The regents voted to reduce that amount to $8 million."
Are followed by this sentence:
"Community colleges weren’t the only target of cuts."
Seeking only $8 million of a wished-for $20 million increase is not a "cut." It is a nod to current economic reality.
Perhaps, "Community colleges weren't the only ones to see their requested budget increases scaled back." That would be more accurate.