Governor proposes 9.7 percent funding increase for higher education

The fiscal year 2018-19 state budget request that Gov. John Hickenlooper released late Wednesday calls for an $86.9 million increase for higher education, the largest portion of which will go to governing boards. The request represents a 9.7 percent increase over the previous year.

“This is great news and we appreciate Gov. Hickenlooper’s prioritizing higher education in his budget request,” said CU President Bruce D. Benson. “If approved by the Legislature, it will invest more funding in higher education, which will generate substantial returns for our students and our state.”

CU’s share would be an estimated $18.9 million, or about a 10 percent increase.

The request to the Joint Budget Committee also includes funding for CU’s top capital construction priority, The Center for Personalized Medicine and Behavioral Health at the CU Anschutz Medical Campus. Campus officials say the building will help expand and enhance medical services to tens of thousands of Coloradans in the years to come.

Besides the significant increases for the coming year, Hickenlooper’s request also recommends automatic base-building increases in the three subsequent fiscal years – a first.

The governor recommends that tuition for resident undergraduate students at all state institutions of higher education increase by no more than 3 percent next year.

He also recommends a 3 percent salary pool for state employees.

The Legislature’s Joint Budget Committee now begins reviewing the governor’s proposal. The committee will start meeting later this month.

Click here for the full budget request.