Plan adds $17B for Pell grants, no money for deferred maintenance - Wichita Business Journal:

ogarawo.wordpress.com
It did, however, target low-income students with a $17 billio increase in a federalgrant program, as well as $200 million for the college work study program. experts say, could have an immediate effect onthe state’s universities and “It sounds like there is going to be some help for which is a very positiver part of the stimulus bill,” says Jill Docking, a Wichitann who is a member of the Kansas Board of Regents. The increase in the Pell Granft program willoffer across-the-board benefits to Pell grants provide need-based money to low-incomw undergraduate students.
Docking says increasing Pell grantsd also will benefit people going back to school to furtheftheir education, which tendss to spike when the economy State legislators are charged with divvying Kansas’ share of the $53 billionb stimulus included for education and training. A decisionm on how much money Kansasa will get and how it will be allocatedamonb K-12 institutions and higher education is expected in the coming weeks. The board of regents will determined allocations forthe universities. President Don Beggs says any money that will help offsegt cuts in state funding for higherd educationis welcomed.
“We’re trying to stay focused in termsx of supportfor students,” he says. WSU is planningb for a 4 percent cut for fiscaplyear 2010, in addition to the 3 percent cut for the 2009 fiscaol year. The department heads withib the university have been asked to compilw a listof cuts. The stimulus plan is void of any reliev for the crumbling Kansas Boardof Regents-governed campuses, which includ 19 community colleges, six state universities and six technicao colleges. They face a combined maintenance backlogof $997 “Our dedicated maintenance provision was one of the says Reggie Robinson, president and CEO of the Kansass Board of Regents. But Robinsonh hasn’t given up.
He continues to lobby for money for deferred maintenance and has asked for a list of projects should fundsbecome “I do hope there is still an opportunitgy to tackle some of the maintenancew issues,” Robinson says. “The dedicated money is no longerr part ofthat purpose, but there’as still an opportunity to use some of the stimulu s money.” A recent study shows every $1 million spenr on maintenance projects generates $2.2 million in economix output of goods and services. Funding the $439.
u7 million in shovel-ready university projects coulrdcreate 8,354 new jobs, according to the The state’s higher education institutions were stripped of $15 millionh for deferred maintenance when Gov. Kathlee n Sebelius recommended a tota lof $36.8 million in progra and capital-expenditure reductions to offset budgeg shortfalls. Wichita State officials, meanwhile, are focusing on what they know about thestimulus plan.