USHE Weekly Legislative Report

Seventh Week: March 10 - March 13, 2014

Prepared by David L. B h!er "#$$i%%i#ner #& 'i(her )d cati#n
March 17, 2014

This is the seventh and final weekly report for 2014 on the legislative session from the perspective of the Utah System of igher !d"cation, for distri#"tion to $egents, %residents, and Tr"stees& ' final comprehensive report will #e prepared for the (oard of $egents meeting on March 2), 2014& *verall, it is a remarka#le year for higher ed"cation, the work and "nity of the instit"tions, their presidents, and the legislative liaisons helped reinforce the system+s #"dget priorities& 2014-201* B d(et. 'fter a weekend of e,tended meetings #y legislative leadership, the 20141. #"dget took shape early this week& The /egislat"re made a significant commitment in s"pport of p"#lic higher ed"cation& 0e are gratef"l that long-standing ac"te e1"ity and capacity iss"es at several instit"tions were addressed with ma2or new f"nding& The 3o-3hairs of the igher !d"cation 'ppropriations 3ommittee were instr"mental in advocating the US ! #"dget priorities d"ring the final days of the legislative session& US ! received a compensation increase of 1&2.4, along with additional f"nding to help cover healthcare and retirement cost increases& 5or mission-#ased f"nding, 6.0 million of the $egents+ 678&7 million re1"est was f"nded for 'c"te !1"ity, which goes to U9U, S/33, 0SU, :SU and the $egional 3amp"ses of USU& Mission (ased 5"nding :istinctive Mission, which goes to each instit"tion, was f"nded at 67 million& This will help with initiatives to increase participation, completion, and regional economic development& 5inally 61&. million in one-time f"nds was appropriated to contin"e the performance-#ased f"nding initiative started last year& *ther appropriations incl"de one-time f"nding to f"nding the pop"lar $egents+ Scholarship ;6<& million= as well as >ew 3ent"ry Scholarship ;6.00,000= s"fficient to f"nd the f"ll award amo"nts& *ngoing f"nds were approved for the second part of f"nding for the 9eterinary Science program at Utah State ;61&. million=, f"nding for grad"ate programs at Utah State University ;67.0,000, and 6.00,000 one-time f"nds=, implementation of the "niversity mission at :i,ie State ;62 million=, and the Snow 3ollege 3onc"rrent !nrollment %rogram ;61&< million=& 'dditional ongoing appropriations incl"de the :i,ie 3rime /a# ;62.0,000=, US ! college readiness program ;61 million=, and 9eterans T"ition ?ap 3overage ;612.,000=& *ther one-time appropriations incl"de 6.00,000 for the USU 0ater 3onservation program and 61.0,000 for the University of Utah >"rsing %rogram& Significant f"nding was also provided for capital improvements, incl"ding for infrastr"ct"re at the University of Utah& These increase amo"nt to an overall #"dget increase of 11&24 for US !& 5or comparison, the original US ! #"dget priorities approved #y the (oard of $egents, with the s"pport of instit"tion presidents, is availa#le here& "apita! B d(et. 5"nding for two of the $egents+ top capital development priorities were approved #y the /egislat"re@ .7&46 million for a new science #"ilding at 0e#er State University, and 627&. million for instr"ctional #"ildings on the (righam 3ity and %rice ;USU !astern= 3amp"ses of Utah State University&

+ey Le(i%!ati#n #& ,ntere%t t# -S') .ppr#ved by the Le(i%!at re: 'B /2, 'i(her )d cati#n 0rievance Pr#ced re #y $ep& Mark 0heatley, re1"ires the (oard of $egents to enact reg"lations pertaining to an employee grievance& The legislation re1"ires sworn testimony for hearings related to employee demotions and terminations& The #ill was amended to e,cl"de fac"lty& The #ill was approved #y the f"ll Senate& 1%t S b. 'B 40*, P#%t%ec#ndary Sch##! State . th#ri1ati#n2 #y $ep& Aames :"nnigan, modifies re1"irements for proprietary colleges and "niversities and allows the :ept& of 3ommerce to enter into interstate reciprocity agreements on #ehalf of US !, alleviating the re1"irement for instit"tions to individ"ally enter into s"ch agreements& This provides a more efficient and coordinated process for instit"tions to offer services in other states ;e&g& distance ed"cation=& The #ill "nanimo"sly passed the f"ll Senate& 'B 423, 4etire$ent Participati#n .$end$ent% #y $ep& :on Bpson, re1"ires an entity to contin"e participation or withdraw in the Utah $etirement System #y Aan"ary 1, 201.& Bf an entity withdraws, it wo"ld #e re1"ired to pay the act"arial and administrative costs& The sponsor amended the #ill e,empting higher ed"cation instit"tions and the #ill "nanimo"sly passed the o"se $etirement !ntities 3ommittee& SB 13, 5eteran% 6 iti#n 0ap "#vera(e2 #y Sen& /"C $o#les, provides state f"nded grants to 1"alifying military veterans who have ma,imiCed federal financial aid #enefits& The #ill passed the f"ll o"se& 2nd S b. SB 22, W#rk&#rce Service% 7#b Li%tin( .$end$ent%2, #y Sen& %eter Dn"dson, re1"ires government entities advertise 2o# openings on the state we#site, jobs.utah.gov& The s"#stit"te #ill e,cl"des 2o# postings for US ! fac"lty and st"dent-related positions& The #ill was approved #y the f"ll o"se& SB 34, 0#vernance #& the -tah )d cati#n and W#rk&#rce .!!iance #y Sen& oward Stephenson, proposed a m"lti-agency governing #oard for the Utah 5"t"res and Utah :ata 'lliance initiatives, to #e administered #y the Utah !d"cation >etwork& The #ill failed in the o"se& SB 38 91%t S b:, Sn#; "#!!e(e "#nc rrent )d cati#n Pr#(ra$2 #y Sen& $alph *kerl"nd, !sta#lishes a program that re1"ires Snow 3ollege to provide conc"rrent enrollments co"rses via interactive video to r"ral school districts "nder direction of the (oard of $egents& The s"#stit"te #ill was passed "nanimo"sly #y the f"ll o"se& SB 38, 5eteran% "enter%2 #y Sen& %eter Dn"dson, re1"ires the State (oard of $egents to st"dy the feasi#ility of providing a veterans center or veterans services at each US ! instit"tion as well as develop a plan for implementing those services& The #ill passed the f"ll o"se& SB 80 91%t S b.:, State;ide <n!ine )d cati#n .$end$ent% #y Sen& oward Stephenson, allows a US ! instit"tions to offer a secondary school level co"rse or a conc"rrent enrollment co"rse thro"gh the Statewide *nline !d"cation %rogram operated #y the Utah State *ffice of !d"cation& The #ill passed the Senate #"t failed passage in the o"se& SB 1/0 91%t S b.:, )d cati#n L#an .$end$ent% #y Senator %eter Dn"dson, modifies the Utah 3ons"mer 3ode in relation to st"dent loans limiting garnishments related to st"dent loans provided #y private lenders& This #ill replaces a previo"s version that wo"ld have negatively impacted US ! instit"tions as well as the Utah igher !d"cation 'ssistance '"thority ;U !''=& The #ill passed the f"ll o"se&
US ! has taken an official position in s"pportE FF US ! has taken an official position in opposition& 5or more information on legislation, committee agendas, or to view or listen to floor de#ates, see@ http@GGle&"tah&govG 'ssistant 3ommissioner for %"#lic 'ffairs Spencer Aenkins contri#"ted to this report&