Tuesday, January 24, 2017

Oklahoma State Regents seek $149 million extra for higher ed - Adam Troxtell, Transcript

Higher education officials made their first move Friday to claw back the $153 million in state appropriations that were cut from the budget last year. Glen D. Johnson, chancellor of the State Regents for Higher Education, presented this year's budget request to any state representative who wanted to listen at a hearing. The request, more than $810 million in state appropriations, does not cover the entire amount cut in 2016. It is an increase of $149 million, and since the state is facing a $900 million budget hole for the upcoming year, it is also a big ask. "It's going to be very challenging to fill that request," Scott Martin, R-Norman, who moderated the hearing, said. "Their ask is very large. They know we're in a difficult climate. They just wanted to be reasonable. I want to make sure we're passing a budget that's fair to everyone." http://www.normantranscript.com/news/education/state-regents-seek-million-extra-for-higher-ed/article_57478831-93ba-59e1-aee7-59b4e83d1fe3.html