ND Governor's proposed 2013-15 budget

[The Sicatoka]

Higher Education

Our budget proposal for higher education is based on a new model for distributing state funds to North Dakota's 11 campuses. The new model would fund campuses based on the courses that students complete, rather than class enrollments. The formula, based on student credit hours completed, takes into account the varying costs of educational instruction, including advanced levels of study.

We are recommending an increase of $89 million in funding for higher education, with $12 million required to cover the increased costs to continue current operations. We also recommend providing $30 million to create Education Challenge, a matching-grant fund designed to stimulate the spirit of philanthropy for our colleges and universities. Every $2 in eligible, private donations will be matched with $1 in state funding.

The Executive Budget also includes $21 million to transition to the new funding formula and $6 million to increase the state's merit-based scholarship program and needs-based scholarship program. In addition, our budget provides one-time funding for capital improvements that include, but are not limited to the following:

• $68 million to expand and improve the University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences.
  
• $6 million to expand the Erlandson Technical Center at Lake Region State College.
  
• $29 million for a new building dedicated to the fields of science, technology, engineering and math at North Dakota State University.
  
• $12 million for a complete renovation of the UND School of Law.
  
• $13.3 million to build a new library/instructional center at Bismarck State College.
  
• $12.2 million to renovate Stevens Hall at Williston State College.
  
• $8.5 million to renovate Old Main at North Dakota State College of Science.
  

http://www.governor.nd.gov/media-center/news/dalrymple-delivers-2013-2015-budget-address

[fightingsioux4life]

Overall, it's a pretty good budget. Too bad Carlson and Company will slice and dice it.

[jodcon]

How does this compare to budgets in the past?

Just curious if the oil money windfall has affected their education budgeting.

[UNDBIZ]

Overall, it's a pretty good budget. Too bad Carlson and Company will slice and dice it.

It probably should be sliced and diced.

- The proposed new Higher Ed funding model suggests funding should be based on credits completed at each institution. How will next semester's funding be awarded when they don't know how many credits will be completed at each institution next semester? Think there's fraud in the reporting of enrollment/credit numbers now?? Just wait until the funding model is based on reported credits completed.

- $30 million to create Education Challenge?? Why would tax $$ go towards philanthropy? Is that even constitutional in ND? It wouldn't be the first time an unconstitutional law was passed.

- $13 million for a new library at BSC?? To be used by who? Serious question regarding the funding of all these capital projects, why are some buildings (UND's Gamble Hall/Business School) required to secure donations to build/expand and others just get the money from the state?

- $12 million to create Research ND?? Most of the Centers of Excellence are failing/have failed and are only operating thanks to state $$ support, so let's change the name of the program and throw more money at it?

- $62 million for housing development incentives?? Housing prices in North Dakota are at an all-time high, if that's not enough incentive I don't know what is. I was under the impression they already admitted this didn't do anything to stimulate housing when they tried it 2 years ago. It just thickened the lining of the pockets of the housing developers who were already building.

If I'm way off-base with any of these please correct me, as I'd love to feel better about the OMB/Governor's Office proposal.

[watchmaker49]

It probably should be sliced and diced.

- The proposed new Higher Ed funding model suggests funding should be based on credits completed at each institution. How will next semester's funding be awarded when they don't know how many credits will be completed at each institution next semester? Think there's fraud in the reporting of enrollment/credit numbers now?? Just wait until the funding model is based on reported credits completed.

- $30 million to create Education Challenge?? Why would tax $$ go towards philanthropy? Is that even constitutional in ND? It wouldn't be the first time an unconstitutional law was passed.

- $13 million for a new library at BSC?? To be used by who? Serious question regarding the funding of all these capital projects, why are some buildings (UND's Gamble Hall/Business School) required to secure donations to build/expand and others just get the money from the state?

- $12 million to create Research ND?? Most of the Centers of Excellence are failing/have failed and are only operating thanks to state $$ support, so let's change the name of the program and throw more money at it?

- $62 million for housing development incentives?? Housing prices in North Dakota are at an all-time high, if that's not enough incentive I don't know what is. I was under the impression they already admitted this didn't do anything to stimulate housing when they tried it 2 years ago. It just thickened the lining of the pockets of the housing developers who were already building.

If I'm way off-base with any of these please correct me, as I'd love to feel better about the OMB/Governor's Office proposal.

Great responce.

[UNDBIZ]

How does this compare to budgets in the past?

Just curious if the oil money windfall has affected their education budgeting.

PDF page 77 (report page 57) shows overall funding and page 75 (55) shows funding from the general fund.

http://www.nd.gov/fi...mary2013-15.pdf

This site includes past budgets (those proposed by the governor and approved by the legislature both).

http://www.nd.gov/fiscal/budget/state/

Edit: Looking at those numbers, Higher Ed funding from the general fund increased nearly 70% from the 2005-07 biennium to the 2011-13 biennium (21% increase for 07-09, 27% increase for 09-11, and an 11% increase for 11-13). The governor proposed a biennial general fund increase of nearly 40% for the 2013-15 biennium. This results in an increase in funding from the general fund of nearly 136% since the 2005-07 biennium. However, I'd expect the legislature to trim this biennium's proposed increase by quite a bit.

Total funding for Higher Ed increased about 40% from the 2005-07 biennium to the 2009-11 biennium (12% increase for 07-09 and a 26% increase for 09-11), but then actually dropped 4% in the 2011-13 biennium. I'd guess the drop was probably due to fewer/cheaper capital projects, but I don't know. The governor's proposed 2013-15 budget is an increase of 37% in total funding over the 2011-13 approved budget.

[Fetch]

Just get rid of property taxes - maybe State taxes & how about a rebate check every year (like Alaska) as long as the Bakken lasts

[UNDBIZ]

Just get rid of property taxes - maybe State taxes & how about a rebate check every year (like Alaska) as long as the Bakken lasts

From what I've read Alaska has fund reserves of around $40 Billion while North Dakota's are closer to $3 Billion. We're not quite on par with Alaska because most of North Dakota's land/mineral rights are owned by corporations/private citizens, whereas Alaska's were in large part owned by the government. It'd be nice to drop taxes and get a rebate check, but I wouldn't expect it unless you move to Alaska. Also, I believe they still pay property taxes in Alaska, I remember the news saying North Dakota would be the first state to drop property taxes had Measure 2 passed.