Members Present: Sen. Robert Montgomery, Committee Co-Chair
Rep. Afton Bradshaw, Committee Co-Chair
Sen. Paula Julander
Sen. Millie Peterson
Rep. Patrice M. Arent
Rep. Melvin R. Brown
Rep. Mary Carlson
Rep. Margaret Dayton
Rep. Carl. R. Saunders
Rep. Jack E. Seitz
Rep. Richard M. Siddoway
Rep. LaWanna "Lou" Shurtliff
Rep. Gordon E. Snow
Members Excused: Sen. Leonard Blackham
Members Absent: Sen. Terry Spencer
Staff Present: Boyd A. Garriott, Senior Legislative Fiscal Analyst
Debra Headden, Legislative Fiscal Analyst
Rolayne Day, Secretary
Others Present: Commissioner Cecelia Foxley
Chalmers Gail Norris, Associate Commissioner, USHE
Robby Schow, Student
Kim McKay, Bennion Volunteer Center, UU
Steve Nelson, Westminster Student Body President & UCSBP Representative
Regent Pamela Atkinson
Stephen Hess, UEN Director
President Paul Thompson, WSU
Vice President Ann Milner, WSU
Provost David Eisler, WSU
James Battam, WSU Student
Stephanie Escland, WSU Student
President Steven Bennion, SUU
President Robert Huddleston, Dixie
Loren Spendlove, Dixie Faculty Senate President
Linda Rogers, Dixie Staff Association President
List of Others Present on File:
Committee Co-Chair Bradshaw called the meeting to order at 2:10 p.m.
1. Financial Aid_Analyst Debra Headden said that if additional funding becomes available, the Analyst recommends funding $371,900 to replace lost Federal Funds for Perkins Capital Contributions as an addition to the funds available for UCOPE. They also recommend, if funding becomes available, $34,400 for the State match on the Federal Work Study program.
2. UCOPE_Ms. Headden said UCOPE provides state-funded, need-based financial aid for Utah resident students attending public and private universities and colleges in Utah. If funding becomes available, the Analyst recommends that $500,000 be appropriated from the General Fund to maintain the UCOPE program.
Chalmers Gail Norris, Associate Commissioner, USHE, distributed a handout on the funding regarding student financial aid. With the number of students going to college in Utah and the size of families, some students and families are hurting. As tuition has gone up, so has the amount of loans students need to get through college. Mr. Norris expressed thanks to the Legislature for being able to do whatever they can to fund financial aid. Federal funding has not kept pace with rising costs and cost of living increases.
Robby Schow, financial aid recipient and work study program participant, expressed gratitude and hope for increased funding because it makes a lot of difference to students. Kim McKay, UU Bennion Volunteer Center. and expressed support for the volunteer funding request. Steve Nelson, Westminister Student Body President and representative of the Utah Association of Student Body Presidents, spoke in support of UCOPE funding. He said students need financial aid to keep up with the rising cost of tuition.
Mr. Norris distributed and briefly discussed a handout detailing student loan investments, repayment options, and the annual report. Sen. Peterson asked Mr. Norris to explain private school use of State funds. Mr. Norris said Utah has a universal program available to citizens of the State regardless of the institution they attend. Regent Pamela Atkinson spoke in support of financial aid funding.
3. Utah Education Network_Analyst Boyd Garriott distributed a handout outlining the unfunded items for each institution. He discussed funding available by institution if a 4% tuition hike were passed by the Board of Regents. Page 6 of the Analysts' budget book shows two alternatives for distribution.
Last year the total budget presentation for UEN was consolidated under one committee. The UEN is an umbrella organization governing KUED, KULC, EDNET, and UtahLINK. The analysts' recommendations are detailed in Table 22 on Page 45 of the Analyst's budget. Digital transmission would allow the UEN to multicast the equivalent of four standard definition programs on a single frequency. To make the conversion and to save money, the UEN and commercial broadcasters formed a union to build the necessary building and tower. UEN's share is $15 million with $9 million of that coming from federal funds; they are asking for $6 million for the State. The analysts have three alternatives discussed on pages 47 and 48 of their budget book. Mr. Garriott said the best alternative is to pay for it over three years as detailed on Table 24, Page 48.
If additional money is found, the analysts recommend appropriating $360,000 from the Uniform School Fund to convert one-time funding to ongoing base support for EDNET and to cover O & M. In addition, if additional revenue becomes available, the analysts recommend funding $1,287,400 from the Uniform School Fund to meet the expanding needs of UtahLINK in FY 2000. It is critical that it be funded and it is now on the unfunded list.
UEN Director Steven Hess said UEN links all secondary schools and the ATCs to the Internet and to each other. They have seen an alarming growth and require an update to an OC3 bandwidth that costs $55,000 per month to operate; Dr. Hess asked for help funding this expanding service. They also need funding for the digital TV conversion or they will miss the opportunity to get in on this new technology. Dr. Hess read from and distributed a letter in support of their requests from the State Board of Education.
Sen. Montgomery said the institutional wish list is about $17 million dollars and there are about $9.9 million in the Regents' request that are also unfunded. Some of these are critical needs.
Rep. Siddoway declared a conflict of interest because the Utah Electronic High School uses EDNET for delivery of their courseware. If funding weren't found, it would harm their efforts to get courses around the State and the world.
4. Presentation by Weber State University_President Paul Thompson introduced faculty, staff, and administration present in support of WSU. WSU focuses on quality undergraduate education. They offer a wide variety of programs and are the only school that has a large number of students graduating with associate and bachelor degrees. WSU works hard to be integrated into the community and has many co-op and internship opportunities for students. A majority of the students work while going to school. WSU works hard to meet students' needs and to provide flexible schedules in a variety of venues.
President Thompson said they lose a lot of potential faculty and staff because of low salaries and there is a high turnover in staff positions. When they have a vacancy, they have a hard time filling it. They encourage funding for increased compensation.
WSU's institutional priorities include library funding to ensure a favorable accreditation in the Fall of 1999. They need hardware, software and the staff support. It is hard to keep up when there is no base budget for operating costs. They request funding for one position to expand the Emergency Care and Rescue Program and to expand the Computer Science Degree and Certificate Program.
Provost Dave Eisler discussed Weber's First Year Experience (FYE) that helps entering freshman become successful. Participating in the program results in a 7% increase in those staying in college. Stephanie Escland, WSU student, discussed her experience with FYE that helped her to succeed as a student, establish goals and find direction. Stephanie will graduate this Spring and plans to go on to graduate school. Dr. Eisler said FYE helps disadvantaged and disabled students to stay in college. They are asking for support to expand the program to help more of their students stay in school.
Vice President Ann Milner discussed WSU Online that provides courses and services students need as a part of the educational experience. Forty-six percent of Weber's full-time students work and 85% of that number work more than 30 hours per week. WSU Online helps them get services at their convenience. Weber faculty restructured their courses in an on-line format and committed to provide the support necessary for on-line implementation. Faculty report that they are providing more individual and one-on-one attention to the students in the online environment. Weber offers 90 courses, up from 19 courses two years ago, with over 2,000 course enrollments this semester. James Battam, WSU Online student, discussed his experiences. He is married with three children and works full-time.
5. Presentation by Southern Utah University_President Stephen Bennion distributed a handout detailing their budget presentation. SUU tries to create a personal learning environment for students. They want to strengthen student and employee retention, keep students current with today's technology, have flexibility to administer with limited resources, and provide regional and State services. President Bennion said one of their main goals is to provide superior teaching and quality service to students. They provide baccalaureate, applied technology programs and also two master's degree programs.
President Bennion introduced those present in support of SUU. Their top priority is to lower the student/faculty ratio because access to faculty is seriously threatened. They request funding for 7.5 new faculty in subject majors with the greatest need. President Bennion read a letter from a former SUU student who is now applying to medical school who expressed thanks and appreciation to have been able to go to a school where students are a top priority.
President Bennion said SUU is 15% to 20% behind peer institutions in compensation for both faculty and staff and falling further behind each year. Their students deserve the best people and they cannot get them to come. Many faculty and staff didn't want to leave the institution, but the economic discrepancy was so great they didn't really have a choice. SUU's request only deals with some of the most compelling cases.
President Bennion discussed SUU's original budget request and what the Regents and then the Governor recommend. Students are expressing a great need for better library resources and for more student computers. SUU also needs to complete the campus fiber network to link a remaining 65 people to the network.
Retention of employees and students is a major focus of SUU's budget request. The student hourly wage request is a form of work study. They request educationally disadvantaged funding, funding to offset lower enrollment tuition loss, funding for unfunded existing students, base adjustments in O & M, funding for Federal mandates.
President Bennion asked for support for a new P.E. building. They are seeking about 10% of the total cost of the Utah Summer Games. They also request funding for the Shakespearian Festival, the Utah Rural Summit, and the Head Start Program, all important services to their region and to the State.
6. Presentation by Dixie College_President Huddleston introduced those present in support of Dixie and distributed their budget request handout. Dixie is requesting funding for 66 new FTE students, base support for existing students, O&M for the Avenna Center (formerly the Dixie Center), Harmons property funding, standard mandated water cost increases, federal mandates for ADA programmatic items, FCC Universal Access and hazardous waste.
System initiatives include funding requests for ATE equipment, a computer network, and money to support the new Hurricane Valley Center where adult education, credit and non-credit courses, and GED preparation will be offered. They need a full-time coordinator and secretarial support at the Hurricane Valley Center who will also go to Kane County one day a week to coordinate courses and programs in that area.
Dixie requests funding for program advisors, additional counselors, two instructors in composition to replace adjunct faculty, faculty in the dance program, funding for the educationally disadvantaged and for Y2K conversion. President Huddleston said compensation is critical. People want to come to Dixie to teach, but they have a hard time hiring them at the salary that is offered.
Loren Spendlove, Faculty Senate President, discussed faculty salaries, a very significant issue among faculty at Dixie. Most faculty are there because they love teaching, but because of the salaries, many are seeking employment elsewhere. The highest paid faculty member at Dixie was once the school's president and he doesn't make more than $52,000. Mr. Spendlove said these are not situations he wants to aspire to. Compensation is a crisis at all community colleges. In other western states, similar faculty make $10,000 more a year. When Mr. Spendlove receives his doctorate, he will only receive an increase of $2000 per year.
Linda Rogers, Staff Association President, said compensation and benefits are a major concern. When staff members go to conferences where salaries are discussed, they feel like they are in trouble. Ms. Rogers discussed individuals and their experiences with such low salaries. Many must have their spouses work or they work another job to make ends meet. Although the employees are doing a great job, they are asked to do more and more and they are reaching a burnout status. Ms. Rogers noted that higher education must take benefits out of the compensation raise; higher education is dealing with compensation in a crisis management mode.
MOTION: Rep. Carlson moved to accept minutes of the February 1, 1999, meeting.
The motion passed unanimously.
Co-Chair Bradshaw adjourned the meeting at 4:02 p.m.
Minutes were reported by Rolayne Day, Secretary.