UA in store for 2-year budgeting

The UA made out with a modest budget increase during this year's legislative session, and will move to a new biennial budget system starting next year, a UA lobbyist said.

Greg Fahey, vice president of state relations, said the new system, which runs on a two-year cycle instead of the current annual rotation, should streamline the legislative budget process.

"It takes a lot of work to do the budget each year and it would be better to do a big job once every two year," Fahey said. "The theory is that two years is not double the work."

All told, the University of Arizona came out with about $30 million in new money mainly made up of funds for classification salary adjustments and building renewal money, Fahey said. He said he was disappointed that universities didn't get a bigger chunk of the estimated $500 million state budget surplus.

"We can't keep running a first-rate, first-class research institution without getting money for new programs," he said.

Sam Leyvas, the new executive director of the Arizona Students' Association, chose not to reflect on this spring's legislative session but took issue with the 5 percent tuition rate increase and a lack of financial aid programs.

"Five percent was a little high, especially when our economy is doing so well," Leyvas said. "I'm always concerned that the entire cost of education is continually outpacing the national rate."

In addition:

Gov. Jane Hull in late February vetoed the proposed replacement for the much-debated Teaching Incentive Program.

A measure that would further protect state university employees from reprisals if they report illegal activities or wasteful spending died in conference committee in early May. According to Fahey, the bill's prime sponsor, Rep. Marilyn Jarrett, R-Mesa, told Gov. Hull in a memo that the bill had been amended too much.