Higher education breathes a sigh of relief, offers a B+

Despite losing a good slice of state funding this year, Utah's colleges and universities came out fairly unscathed and Higher Education Commissioner William A. Sederburg is handing out a B+ grade for the session.

"We feel good about it," he said, "considering where we thought it would end up."

Nearly all of the Board of Regents' priorities were passed this year, including a provision allowing presidents of Utah's 10 public institutions flexibility to move funding between line items in order to better deal with deep budget cuts.

A fix was applied to concurrent enrollment programs, "to assure the quality and integrity of the program," Sederburg said. The bill made into law will ensure the courses offered to high school students are really college-level courses that will contribute to the success of students in their higher education endeavors. It also ironed out some funding complications when dealing between higher and public education.

One item of legislation that did not pass would have prohibited students who are not U.S. citizens from working while attending school. Those studying in Utah also will not be required to pay out-of-state tuition, which is a "good thing," Sederburg said.

Bonding and economic stimulus money allowed several higher education building requests to go forward unhindered.

A total of $106 million in bonding was approved for various buildings at Salt Lake Community College, the University of Utah and Southern Utah University. Additional design money was approved for Dixie State College, Utah Valley University and two Utah College of Applied Technology projects.

"Clearly our message about the importance of bonding to meet capital needs as well as to spur Utah's economy has been heard," Dave Buhler, associate commissioner for public affairs, said in a report of the final weeks of the Legislature.

Among the key legislation impacting higher education in Utah is HB15, a bill that further defines the relationship of Utah's Colleges of Applied Technology with other schools and resulted from months of study and compromise among various schools offering career and technical education. The existing Salt Lake-Tooele Applied Technology College will be merged with SLCC to better serve the Salt Lake Valley, while a stand-alone UCAT facility in Tooele will continue to serve the surrounding community.

For students, Sederburg said, not much will change, because federal stimulus money that made up for major budget cuts will make it possible to maintain class offerings and the necessary faculty and staff, "at least for this year. There are still too many unknowns for FY11. We just don't know what will happen before then. But at least this gives us the time to prepare for it."

An "honest compromise" between the governor and the Legislature, as well as the governor's advocacy and support of higher education, Sederburg said, is to thank for a "non-dramatic year."

E-MAIL: wleonard@desnews.com