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The FY 2008-09 higher education funding bill, SB 1099, has been presented to Governor Jennifer Granholm for her approval. While last year's state budget process required the patience of Job, this year the majority of the state budget was completed prior to the beginning of July.
OPERATING FUNDING
The higher education budget began in February with the Governor recommending a 3% increase in funding for state universities using a formula approach that provided WMU with a 2.1% increase. The House considered the bill and provided a 2.7% increase for each university, scrapping the formula recommended by the Governor. The Senate followed suit and provided each university with 3% increase, again without the recommended formula. With the news that the May revenue forecast of 2009 state revenues was less than that forecast in January, the Governor and legislative leadership looked for places to trim the state budget. Again, the result was similar to what state universities have seen the last few years; the budget cutters came to higher education to help balance the state budget. Event with inflation moving beyond 3%, the final agreement provides every state university with a 1% increase in funding. A comparison of the state funding by universities can be viewed by clicking here.
SANGREN HALL
Also in the mix of the state budget process is a bill to provide funding for building projects on several university and community college campuses. Known as the Capital Outlay bill, SB 511, has been approved by a conference committee of House and Senate members and awaits approval when the state legislature returns. In this bill, $10.7 million is provided for "phase 1" of the renovation of Sangren Hall, the most heavily used classroom building on WMU's campus. This is a $56 million project in its entirety. Only six of the fifteen state universities have building projects contained in SB 511.
Please contact your legislator and urge their approval of the conference report for SB 511, the Capital Outlay appropriations bill.
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