Senate passes higher ed budgets

BOISE — Amid mostly reluctant support, the Senate overwhelmingly approved the budget for colleges and universities Tuesday evening.

All of the debate bemoaned that the budget included of a $2 million cut each to the University of Idaho and Boise State University over alleged DEI practices — which stands for diversity, equity and inclusion.

Bill sponsor Sen. Cindy Carlson, R-Riggins, told members that the budget writers on the Joint Finance and Appropriations Committee did not take the decision lightly and that the $4 million cut was not a “rash decision.”

“The work group looked at alternative options and deliberated at length about possible reductions,” Carlson said. “In the end, we concluded that these cuts, even though they may be objectionable to some members, are politically necessary at the current moment.”

She said that the decision "was made in order to get this budget across both chambers."  

Both of the Senate Democrats who serve on JFAC spoke in reluctant support of the bill, while bemoaning the cuts to the state’s two largest universities. JFAC has repeatedly questioned university presidents, especially of UI and Boise State, about positions, courses and programs related to DEI, and has included language in budget bills that prohibit funds from going toward them.

“These are universities that do great things for our students and for the kids of Idaho,” Sen. Janie Ward-Engelking, D-Boise, said. “They’ve done everything we’ve asked them to do. They've closed their DEI centers. They are offering tremendous education to the students there. We have increased enrollment and increased graduation rate. So I’m disappointed to see that reduction, because I see it as punishment for something that just isn’t there.”

She said that she would support the bill because, "there's some good things in it," which she said included language that requires the State Board of Education to create a proposal to consider moving the funding model for higher education to an "outcomes-based funding model." 

Her sentiments were largely echoed by all the senators who debated during the evening floor session.

Sen. Treg Bernt, R-Meridian, said he thought the cut was “not right.”

“And I don’t like it, and I think it’s politics,” Bernt said. “I think politics has its place, but sometimes in these situations, I think we need to give kudos where kudos are deserved. And I think our higher ed universities are doing a damn good job.”

Sen. Jim Guthrie, R-McCammon, said he was frustrated with the targeting of Boise State in particular.

“I’ve noticed, for several years now, for whatever reason, Boise State’s an easy target to pick on, and I just don’t get it,” Guthrie said. “Academically and athletically, Boise State has put this state on the map nationally, and I just don't understand why we nitpick at every turn on what they’re doing or what we think they’re teaching.”

Sen. Ben Adams, R-Nampa, said that while he had previously had concerns about DEI based on his experience going to BSU, he had felt the school had been responsive to the state’s questioning on it.

“I want to say on the record that I’m proud of our universities and all the steps that they have taken to align with the will of this Legislature,” Adams said.

The Legislature already passed a maintenance budget that included no new spending. This budget, SB 1209, included new requests totaling $3.1 million. The other requests include $1 million for the UI Idaho Water Resources Research Institute, and $387,00 for salary adjustments for Lewis-Clark State College to bring up its faculty salaries to have more parity with K-12 teachers.

Senators voted 32-2, with Sens. Glenneda Zuiderveld, R-Twin Falls, and Codi Galloway, R-Boise, voting against.

Galloway opposed making the cuts, and during the JFAC budget hearing last week tried to propose a motion that would have passed a budget without cutting the $4 million, Idaho Education News reported.

Zuiderveld, who also sits on JFAC, has voted against nearly every budget this session.

The bill now goes to the House for consideration.