During the 2015 General Session, the Legislature appropriated for Fiscal Year 2016, $1,698,895,900 from all sources for Higher Education. This is a 7.5 percent increase from Fiscal Year 2015 revised estimated amounts from all sources. The total includes $921,338,200 from the General/Education Funds, an increase of 5.3 percent from revised Fiscal Year 2015 estimates.

The following is a list of the institutions in the Utah System of Higher Education, by type:

Research Universities

The University of Utah (U of U) is considered the flagship institution of the USHE. The University focuses on instruction, research, and innovation, particularly at the graduate level. The University's mission is to disseminate knowledge through teaching, publication, artistic presentation, and community engagement. Through its research functions, it emphasizes innovations, technology transfer, and commercialization. The University is also a primary provider of trained professionals in medicine, pharmacy, law, and engineering.

Utah State University (USU) serves as the State's land-grant university, providing research, public services, and education throughout the state. In addition to its extension services, the University also provides access to higher education through its community college role at its regional campuses and other areas of the state. USU's research focuses on aerospace, agriculture, life sciences, energy, and engineering. USU's regional campuses were expanded in 2010 to include Utah State University - Eastern (formerly College of Eastern Utah) with campuses in Price and Blanding.

Regional/Comprehensive Universities

Weber State University (WSU) is a comprehensive regional state university that also retains a community college mission. Weber State University serves as an educational, cultural and economic center for its region, offering associate, baccalaureate and selected master degree programs in a broad variety of liberal arts, sciences, technical and professional fields. To accomplish its mission, the university, in partnership with the broader community, engages in research, artistic expression, public service, economic development, and community-based learning experiences.

Southern Utah University (SUU) is the state's designated liberal arts and sciences university. It provides a broad-based college experience, stressing experiential, integrative and personalized learning in a residential setting. SUU provides programs to meet unique regional needs and concerns. SUU is a destination for students interested in the kinds of educational experiences typically found at a private university with the affordability of a public institution, with particular focus on high quality programs in the arts, sciences, pre-professional, professional and graduate fields.

Utah Valley University (UVU) is a comprehensive regional university dedicated to student success through certificates, associate and baccalaureate degrees, and a targeted number of master's degrees. UVU emphasizes engaged learning and participation in serving the needs of the local community through the development of productive partnerships with government, civic associations, and private industry.

Dixie State University (DSU) is an open access, comprehensive regional institution with a mission of providing general and liberal education, as well as applied technology programs. Students may earn certificates, associates, and baccalaureate degrees. DSU is an open enrollment institution whose mission is focused on educational access for all students. The university promotes cultural and demographic diversity. DSU transitioned to a university on July 1, 2013, following the passage of House Bill 61, which was approved during the 2013 General Session.

Community Colleges

Snow College (SC) is the state's rural, residential two-year college, providing students with the opportunity for a higher education experience in a small, personalized, residential campus setting. In addition to providing general education courses, the college provides career and technical education, primarily at its Richfield campus. Snow offers a broad range of general/liberal education and vocational/technical programs leading to Associate of Arts, Science or Applied Science degrees, in addition to numerous specialized, short-term vocational training certificates and diplomas.

Salt Lake Community College (SLCC) is an open access, comprehensive community college, offering a full range of academic programs and economic development opportunities. SLCC specializes in career and technical education, as well as general education for transfer to four-year institutions. SLCC is a leader in the translation of occupational competencies into college credit and small business innovation, growth and sustainability through training and access to business development infrastructure.

Career and Technical College

Utah College of Applied Technology (UCAT) with its eight regional applied technology college campuses located throughout the State provides market-driven career and technical education (CTE) to meet the needs of Utah's employers for technically-skilled workers to promote local and statewide economic development. It strives to do so efficiently and effectively through collaborative partnerships with business and industry between the educational systems. UCAT offers quality educational programs and innovative delivery systems to ensure a skilled and educated workforce. The delivering institutions offer open-entry/open-exit, high quality, competency-based training for secondary and post-secondary students. All eight UCAT campuses are accredited by the Council on Occupational Education.

Some of the issues that the Higher Education Appropriations Subcommittee has discussed over the past few years include: Mission-Based Funding, Performance-Based Funding, Equity, Completion Rates, Using Technology to Improve Results, and College Preparedness.

Mission-Based Funding has provided direction (through SB 97, 2011 General Session) and funding to encourage institutions to emphasize their specific mission and become more effective in providing educational programs that fit that mission.

Performance-Based Funding has been discussed for a couple of years, but funding was first approved during the 2013 General Session for FY 2014. The Legislature approved $1 million (one-time) for institutions that show improvements in one or more of six specific areas. During the 2014 General Session, $1.5 million (one-time) was approved to continue this effort. Additional detail is found in the Board of Regents' line item.

Equity funding is in response to an independent study which determined that USHE institutions should be less reliant on tuition funding and receive additional state support. Funding was approved for FY 2013, FY 2014, and FY 2015 and was distributed according to the study's recommendation to the eight USHE institutions.

Completion rates look at how many first-time, full-time students complete their degree in a given time period. Discussions have centered on how to increase this rate by having more students graduate and achieve this more quickly. Many factors affect whether a student will graduate and if they are able to do so in a timely manner. Reports indicate that the longer a student takes to graduate, the less likely that student is to complete the graduation requirements. One way to increase the completion rates uses technology, such as the Technology-Intensive Concurrent Enrollment core courses developed by the Board of Regents to help high school students complete requirements prior to entering college.

The Subcommittee has discussed college readiness. Studies prove that high school students who are prepared for higher education are more successful than students who are not as prepared. The Legislature approved the development of an online tool to assist high school students to determine their readiness and provide resources in areas where the student may need remediation assistance.