| At a Glance | |
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Higher education in Alaska received a 1 percent increase in general fund appropriations, but its share of the total state budget remained unchanged. Tuition increased 3 percent for all students. Failed legislation from the 1998 session concerning the university’s operating budget is expected to resurface in the 1999 session. Current and anticipated revenue projection shortfalls mean that budget discussions will lead the agenda during the next session. Legislation from the 1998 session promotes performance-based budgeting for all state agencies. |
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California higher education benefited from budget negotiations with nearly $900 million in new general fund support, fueling a 14 percent increase in the appropriation. Higher education’s share of the budget went from 12.3 percent in 1997-98 to 13.2 percent this year. Budget growth was designed to help offset revenue declines from a fee reduction for undergraduates. Students will enjoy a 20 percent increase in state-administered financial aid funding. Lawmakers also gave significant financial support to expand college preparation activities with K-12. |
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Colorado students saw tuition increases of 1.3 percent for residents and 3.3 percent for nonresidents. General fund appropriations increased by 3.8 percent but higher education’s share of the budget declined from 14.6 percent to 14.3 percent. Issues of coordination of technology and a statewide multiuse network that failed in the 1998 session will reemerge in 1999. A general election ballot initiative to allow revenue surpluses to be spent on education and other areas also failed. Teacher education reform is expected to be an issue next session. |
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Hawaii’s higher education community experienced a decline in state appropriations of 4.6 percent over 1997-98 levels. Tuition for undergraduate residents at two-year colleges increased by 5.1 percent; the increase was 3.4 percent for University of Hawaii (Manoa) students. The University of Hawaii has sought and been granted more autonomy from legislative and executive oversight as funding has declined. Legislation from the 1998 session allows the university, among other things, to develop an optional retirement system for faculty, broader authority to raise revenues, and to expend beyond appropriations when revenues are available. |
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Tuition increases at Montana institutions amounted to 5.6 percent for resident community college students and 6.6 percent for resident university undergraduates. Higher education’s appropriation increased by 1.3 percent, but its state budget share declined from 11.7 to 11.5 percent. New State Board of Education policy requires campuses to establish operating agreements with their foundations and seek regental approval of these agreements. The board is developing a strategic plan as a follow- up to the state’s roundtable. |
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Nevada’s tuition increased 4 percent for resident community college students and 4 percent for university students. Nonresident tuition increased by 9.1 percent at two-year colleges and 6.2 percent at four-year institutions. The Board of Higher Education initiated a feasibility study to allow one community college to add selected four-year programs and strengthened articulation for community college students. The regents also endorsed performance indicators to enable the system to measure progress. |
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North Dakota is in the second year of a biennial budget. Tuition rose by 5.6 percent for students at four-year institutions (residents and nonresidents), while two-year college students saw no change in tuition charges. The Board of Higher Education formed a Teacher Education Council and Welfare Reform Task Force. The university system implemented legislation requiring institutional technology plans and continues efforts to coordinate distance education delivery in the state. The board also developed a new six-year strategic plan for higher education and a model for reporting progress annually. |
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Oregon residents are paying 3.7 percent more to attend two-year colleges and 3.4 percent more at four-year institutions. Nonresident tuition declined by 1.3 percent at two-year colleges but rose by 3.8 percent at public universities. The Oregon State University board adopted a new revenue-based, student-centered budget model and the outline of a governance structure giving the campuses greater autonomy to seek students and revenue for the 1999-2001 budget. The Community College Board continued efforts to get all counties into a community college district and focused on workforce, deployment of technology, and adult literacy issues. |
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