The Utah State Board of Regents approved the Utah System of Higher Education (USHE) budget request and prioritized the USHE capital facilities requests during its meeting on Friday, September 21, 2018 at the University of Utah in preparation for the 2019 Legislative Session.
Each year, the Regents re-evaluate the capital facilities needs of its institutions. This prioritization is conducted after an extensive evaluation process including project site visits by the Regents’ Capital Facilities Committee, space inventories, and various scoring methods.
The Regents prioritized the following state-funded building projects:
1. Dixie State University New Science Building – $59,900,000
2. Weber State University Noorda Engineering Building – $43,937,901
3. Utah Valley University Business School – $56,000,000
4. Southern Utah University Technology Engineering Design Building – $38,373,000 (tie)
5. Salt Lake Community College Herriman Campus General Education Building – $34,279,687 (tie)
6. University of Utah Interdisciplinary Physical Science Building – $60,000,000
7. Snow College Social Science and General Education Building – $17,200,000
8. Utah State University Center for Languages and Cultures – $24,000,000
USHE Operating Budget Request
USHE’s budget request would be a 5.7% total increase in state tax fund support in addition to compensation and internal rate fund increases. The priorities reflect the most pressing needs of USHE institutions as well as the strategic objectives of the Board of Regents.
Affordable Access: $14,430,200
These funds will fund the statewide college advising corps proposal, which would put a permanent, full-time college access advisor in every high school in Utah. This also includes growth in the Regents’ and New Century scholarships as well as funding to expand student employment and internship opportunities.
Timely Completion: $15,711,287
This will help expand a new university-wide 3-year degree pilot program at Southern Utah University. It will also help institutions enhance advising to be more individualized, automated, and real-time.
Workforce and Research: $9,419,800
Institutions intend to expand programs to work with local, regional, and state business and industry partners to meet workforce needs, especially in high-demand, high-wage occupations including:
- Health professions and related programs
- Engineering, IT, and related technologies
- Construction, composites and diesel technologies/technicians
Student Growth and Capacity: $18,651,800
This will help advance classroom technology and enhance business and student services support.
