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A promise last year is turning into struggle this year for UVSC's transition to a university.
The college was given $8 million to begin the transition, with $2 million promised in 2008 to finish the job.
But last week the higher education appropriations subcommittee instead lumped it in with $18 million in other university projects and buried it in the committee's priority list.
"It's causing me major grief right now," said Senate President John Valentine. "We sort of took everybody at their word last year."
The Orem Republican said he thinks people are trying to piggyback his No. 1 priority this year. That could be double trouble depending on how the state's revenue numbers come out next week. Utah's economy bucked a nationwide slowdown last year but will mostly likely show some slowing this year, even with an expected surplus.
"It's going to catch up with us eventually, too," Valentine said.
UVSC is deep into the transition, having hired a number of positions, increased the number of available degrees and recently launched its new Web site, UVU.edu. The $2 million would be for salaries.
UVSC officials are reserving judgment this early in the process.
"To make any predictions at this point is kind of premature," said spokesman Chris Taylor. "We'll leave that to those making the decisions."
He said that with Valentine's support and the school's record at the Legislature, they're optimistic. "The Legislature's been very good to us, very fair to us."
The Legislature's most powerful committee met Monday for the first time to hear requests for money, including higher education.
The executive appropriations committee ultimately handles the state's purse strings for everything from UVSC's university transition to the state's 130 empty corrections positions.
UVSC's millions are tied into Senate Bill 103, which includes million in other higher education projects. The bill, however, was not given high priority by the appropriation subcommittee. Subcommittee members said they are frustrated because of a lack of stability in funding sources.
"We don't know the cap, we don't know the floor," said Sen. Greg Bell, R-Fruit Heights.
The committee's 20 members heard five subcommittees on Monday but didn't take a vote.
The subcommittees heard Monday were:
• Capital Facilities and Government Operations
• Executive Offices and Criminal Justice
• Higher Education
• Health and Human Services
• Transportation, Environmental Quality, and National Guard |
