LAWRENCE — The University of Kansas’ chancellor is putting pressure on gubernatorial candidates and lawmakers to provide more funding to higher education.
The Lawrence Journal-World reports that KU Chancellor Douglas Girod has been holding meetings to push the Legislature to approve the Kansas Board of Regents’ $85 million budget request. University of Kansas campuses would receive about $33 million if the budget is approved.
Girod says the state’s new governor in January will define what this legislative session will look like. He says Kansas education officials are simply asking for the restoration of funding the Legislature cut in 2008.
Girod says the university has faced challenges since announcing plans to cut $20 million from its budget by leaving many vacant faculty positions unfilled and implementing a buyout program for older faculty members.
