Kansas Association of Community College Trustees
700 SW Jackson, Suite 1000 • Topeka, KS 66603-3757 • 785-357-5156 • FAX 785-357-5157
• 19cc@kacct.org
Sheila Frahm, Executive Director
Policy
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700 S. W. Jackson, Ste. 1000, Topeka, Kansas 66603 - (785)-357-5156 |
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Three More Rounds with House Appropriations….Representatives on the Appropriations have heard a lot about community colleges and their funding needs this week. On Monday, the Education Budget Subcommittee made their report to the full committee concerning funding for the Kansas Board of Regents and colleges and universities who are governed or coordinated under their auspices. There were not enough votes to reinstate the $5.4 million for the community college and Washburn University operating grant, but a compromise was adopted which removed the "delete SB 345 funding" from the committee report and require that the decisions be made with the omnibus funding bill. On Thursday, Sheila
Frahm appeared before the committee in support of HB 2502 which calls for a
one-year delay in reducing out-district tuition from $12 per credit hour to
$6. She used this opportunity to
once again share community college funding sources --
student, Federal, state, county, local and other sources -- a
concept which, because it differs from universities, is difficult for
many to grasp. She also updated
the committee on where we are today with SB 345 funding.
Joining her in support of delaying the out-district buy-down were
Washburn University and the Topeka Chamber of Commerce.
Speaking in opposition were representatives from the Kansas
Association of Counties, Wichita Area Technical School and county
commissioners from Douglas and Sedgwick Counties.
The importance of the issue was underscored
with a great deal of media attention.
Sheila is pictured on the front page of today’s, Friday, March 11, Topeka
Capital-Journal, and is quoted in an article about funding issues
for higher education. This morning, the
Appropriations Committee met to consider the adjusted FY 2005 appropriations
bill as well as the FY 2006-07 bill.
Dean Newton, R-Prairie Village, made an amendment to the FY 2006
appropriation which called for reinstating the SB 345 funding, $8.9 million,
for community colleges, Washburn and the six universities and removing $4.9
million in block grant funding for the universities.
Bonnie Sharp, D-Kansas City tried to amend the motion to fund both SB
345 and keep the block funding in tact; however, her motion was defeated.
The committee went on to approve the Newton amendment.
Just a little past noon,
the committee passed the Appropriations’ bill for FY 2006-07.
There will be time for further discussion -- and possible amendments
-- when the funding bill, HB 2482, moves to the floor and again when it goes
to conference with the Senate proposal.
Behind the Scenes….On
paper, the daily meetings of the Appropriations Committee -- and, for that
matter, any committee -- seem almost routine.
The committee members sometimes straggle in,, exchange greetings with
each other and those in the audience who are observing the process.
There is usually one or two missing from the committee.
Those attending may confer with staff assigned to the committee, a
legislative researcher, revisor or budget analyst and may even stop to
answer a question for a reporter who has dropped in.
When it is time for the hard decisions like today‘s final action on
the House budget, the pace picks up. There
is more energy in the process. The
legislators arrive in a more timely fashion with notes about the proposed
legislation and they huddle in pairs trying to pick up votes for their
viewpoint. Instead of
conversation about last night’s basketball game or plans for the weekend,
they are more likely to double-check procedures
with legal advisors in the room. Often
their body language gives you a hint of what is to come.
A nervous “hello” as they move swiftly to another part of the
room is not a positive indicator; a better response can be anticipated if
they look you in the eye when you exchange greetings.
This year’s Appropriations’ deliberations have moved up a notch
with a great deal of the committee action scripted in advance .
Newcomers are reticent to ask
questions. Two committee
members were absent but their places at the table were replaced with two
more experienced legislators. There
is more staff on hand to be ready for anticipated procedural questions or to
provide background on a specific budget request.
Everyone in the room is aware of this year’s legislative mantra,
“how will we fund K-12?” Today
was a good day for community colleges as evidenced by one legislator’s
greeting to Sheila Frahm, “You’re going to be alright” but it is
important to remember: It’s
not over yet. Higher Education
Caucus Is Growing…. The Higher
Education Caucus met again this week and, with assistance from Citizen’s
for Higher Education, have agreed to formalize their group with a mission
statement and strategic plan. Rep.
Jeff Jack, D-Parsons, who is also legal counsel to Labette Community
College, chaired the meeting along with co-facilitators Senators Janis Lee,
D-Kensington, and Roger Reitz, R-Manhattan.
They plan to expand the caucus to all legislators who support higher
education and are preparing a letter signed by the entire caucus to
encourage support of higher education funding.
They will meet again on March 24th. School Contract Bill
May Be Expanded to Include Community Colleges….The House Education Committee held a hearing this week on two related
bills, SB 48 and SB 49, previously passed by the Senate.
According to their respective supplemental notes, SB 48 would place
in statute that it is the policy of the State of Kansas that a school
board’s actions relating to a contract are the sole responsibility of the
district. SB 49 states that it
is the policy of the State of Kansas that all contracts entered into by a
local school board will be governed by and interpreted in accordance with
the laws of Kansas. Senator Ward
Loyd, R- Garden City, and legal counsel to Garden City Community College,
testified in support of both bills and suggested amending the bills to
include community colleges. The
Education Committee also heard testimony from the bills’ sponsor, Senator
John Vratil, R-Leawood, and a representative of the Kansas Association of
School Boards. The committee was
receptive to Rep. Loyd’s recommendations.
They will work the bill at a future meeting. Pared Down TB Bill
Moves On….Congratulating the
Kansas Department of Health and Environment and representatives of the
Kansas Board of Regents’ colleges and universities for their cooperative
effort, the Senate Public Health and Welfare Committee unanimously passed on
Tuesday SB 217 , a bill aimed at reducing tuberculosis cases in Kansas.
In its final form, the bill calls for tuberculosis screening of only
“certain students who enter college of university classrooms in Kansas
having been born in or lived or traveled in countries identified by the
centers for disease control as areas where tuberculosis is a health risk.”
The bill exempts those enrolled in on-line classes.
KDHE has indicated it would be their intent to solicit college and
university input on developing rules and regulations and has offered the
assistance of local health departments if this bill moves on to final
passage. The next step is
approval by the Senate as a whole. Coming Next Week….
Monday, March 14:
House Higher Education Tuesday, March 15:
Health and Human Services Wednesday, March 16
House Higher Education Friday, March 18:
Senate Ways & Means 10:30
a.m., Rm. 123-S
Important Resources to gather legislative and budget
information:
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