Update

Gov. John Kasich released his budget for Ohio Tuesday at 1 p.m. The proposal will keep tuition increase caps at 3.5 percent over the next two years, and increase Ohio’s contribution to the State Share of Instruction by 2.7 percent for the next fiscal year, and then by just less than 1 percent for fiscal year 2013. However, federal contributions to SSI will no longer be coming.

“If you look at the way the state treated the stimulus they are counting that in Ohio as part of the state share of instruction and of course that is being zeroed out,” Rudy Fichtenbaum, an economics professor from Wright State University, said in a phone interview.

Fichtenbaum said the summary or total number results in a loss in funding to Ohio’s public universities of about 10.5 percent.

He said given the rumors of a potential 20 percent budget cut, the numbers are not as bad as had been feared.

“Wright State is pretty much in the same boat as Kent State, and we’ve figured out if enrollment goes up by 2 percent, then we will basically break even.”

At the Faculty Senate meeting last night President Lester Lefton said preliminary application numbers were up. This means more students have applied to come to Kent State next year, then applied to come for this year.

The Ohio College Opportunity Grant is being reduced by five percent. The fund was reduced in the last budget, but offset by the a Pell First initiative, that had eligible students first seek federal Pell Grants before applying for OCOG. However, the current federal budget decreases Pell Grants funding. It is unclear at this time if there will be any offsetting measures for OCOG.

Multiple Prime contracting is being removed as a regulation on Ohio public universities. Lefton said at yesterday’s Faculty Senate meeting that eliminating this provision could save Kent State 15 to 20 percent in construction costs.

Tonight, a limited number of ticket holders will attend a town hall meeting where the governor will be taking questions on his budget. The town hall starts at 6 pm. And can be viewed online through www.OhioChannel.org.

Students and faculty wishing to ask questions to be read during the meeting can leave them on the governor’s Facebook page, or send a tweet via Twitter with the hashtag #FixOhio.

Check back throughout the day for continuing updates.

-Anna Staver

Original

Gov. John Kasich released his budget today at 1p.m. The proposal will keep former Gov. Ted Strickland’s tuition increase cap of 3.5 percent over the next two years, and increase Ohio’s contribution to the State Share of Instruction.

However federal contributions to SSI will no longer be coming. This results in a drop to higher education funding in Ohio from $2.6 billion to $2.3 billion. The Ohio College Opportunity Grant is being reduced by five percent.

Tuesday night, a limited number of ticket holders will attend a town hall meeting where the governor will be taking questions on his budget. Students and faculty wishing to ask questions can leave them on the governor’s Facebook page, or send a tweet via Twitter with the hashtag #FixOhio.

Check back throughout the day for continuing updates.

-Anna Staver