Interim Commissioner of Higher Education Dave Buhler and the state Board of Regents are expecting 2008 to be a "socks and underwear year for higher education."

Leaders of Utah's System of Higher Education decided during a Board of Regents meeting held at Salt Lake Community College on Friday that they're going into the session fighting for an increase and funding for all of their priorities but will take what they can get — even if it just covers the bare necessities.

"Last year was a record year, but not only was it a record-level increase but we got more that we even asked for," Buhler said.

The 12.6 percent increase higher education received in 2007 was unprecedented and Sen. Lyle Hillyard, R-Logan, who's supporting a base budget bill carrying $5 billion, has told Buhler that "higher education was treated very well last year," he said.

In addition to a competitive increase in compensation for college and university employees, higher education officials are asking for money to support specific initiatives, including teacher education and science and technology programming, as well as funding to support student success, institutional priorities and system viability.

"Even higher education faces inflation," Buhler said.

Bills of importance include HB284, which seeks to consolidate Salt Lake Community College and the Salt Lake Tooele Applied Technology College due to what regents have found to be "unnecessary duplication."

Hillyard is also supporting a bill for higher education that would put a $1,000 scholarship in the pockets of high school students who agree to take a more rigorous course of study to better prepare for college.

"We have an ambitious agenda this year," Buhler said. He encouraged regents and the presidents of the 10 public colleges and universities alike to petition their respective lawmakers to support their cause.

"We are focused on our message of investing in higher education as the best way for the state to help produce self-sustaining adults who will contribute, rather than be dependent on society as a whole," Buhler said.

USHE is asking for a 13.5 percent increase this year, which is approximately $68.8 million in addition to similar compensation increases given to public education and other public employees. The regents as a whole, as well as the various presidents of institutions, will be championing capital facilities and building project requests as well.

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