Utah Legislature 2010: Lawmakers to tackle higher ed issues

Utah's public colleges and universities are entering this session with a deficit, having lost more than 17 percent of operating budgets statewide. As enrollment numbers continue to grow, per pupil spending is inching lower and lower, sometimes inhibiting the student experience on campus, in the form of crowded classrooms and fewer course options.

Commissioner of Higher Education William Sederburg has said he supports the governor's budget recommendations, which level out this year's finances with a 3 percent cost-of-living reduction, and imposes no additional cuts to higher education for fiscal year 2011. However, Utah's executive appropriations committee has mandated an immediate 4 percent budget cut, with an additional 5 percent cut pending.

Students have emphasized that they don't necessarily have the resources to make up for budget shortfalls in the form of higher tuition, but Utah already boasts some of the lowest tuition rates in the nation, thereby paving the way for at least a 9.5 percent tuition increase.

Lawmakers will address issues surrounding the New Century and Regent scholarships, which have had trouble meeting the demand of top-performing students in high schools across the state. While awards were originally intended to wholly fund at least two years of college for eligible students, increased demand has cut recipient earnings to 75 percent. Eligibility requirements might end up being tightened this year, as the state is running out of money to fund the growing number of interested students.

Aside from financing higher education, the issue of merging the College of Eastern Utah with the efforts of Utah State University will be one that lawmakers struggle over, as USU would have to take on several challenges in adopting the functions of the two-year school in southeastern Utah.

— Wendy Leonard