Janet Murguia had hoped for a smoother transition from federal to state politics.
Instead, she enters her first year leading Kansas University’s legislative lobbying as the state faces one of its bleakest budget outlooks in years.
“It’s not anything I would’ve chosen,” Murguia said. “I would’ve rather been back here a few years ago when we had to advocate how to use those resources. It’s not much fun to protect what you have and protect from further cuts. This is going to be very, very difficult.”
Murguia began as KU’s executive vice chancellor for university relations last summer. She previously had worked for President Clinton’s administration and Al Gore’s presidential campaign.
Her arrival coincides with a restructuring in the way KU lobbies and prepares its budget.
Marlin Rein, who had served as director of governmental relations and budget since 1995 and had worked at KU since 1983, retired in December. Murguia said she’s planning to divide Rein’s former duties until after this session.
Murguia will work with Theresa Klinkenberg, director of administration, on developing next year’s budget. She’ll share lobbying duties with Jon Josserand, assistant for governmental relations.
“I’ll probably use this session to determine what kind of needs and background will be necessary to have” in the department, Murguia said. “We’re going to experiment to see if with Theresa and I working together (on the budget) and Jon on the ground in Topeka, if we can, in this tight budget year … get by without replacing that (Rein’s) slot right now.”
Murguia said Josserand will do day-to-day monitoring of legislative hearings, while she holds one-on-one meetings with legislators.
Higher education officials likely will spend much of their time trying to coax more money from legislators. Gov. Bill Graves’ submitted budget includes a 3.8 percent or $27 million cut for higher education.
A counterproposal by Senate President Dave Kerr, R-Hutchinson, and Sen. Steve Morris, R-Hugoton, would cut higher education by 1.2 percent, or $8.5 million.
And it’s likely that almost $25 million in salary increases and “performance grants” promised by the 1999 Legislature won’t be funded this year.
“As dark and as bleak as it sounds the budget’s going to be, we want to hold the Legislature to commitments they’ve made to higher education,” Murguia said. “If they can’t honor those commitments this year, then we want to make sure it’s there for next year.”
KU Chancellor Robert Hemenway directed Provost David Shulenburger and Donald Hagen, executive vice chancellor for the Kansas University Medical Center, to prepare for a 5 percent cut in their budgets for the 2003 fiscal year. However, Murguia said no decisions would be made until the budget becomes clearer.
“It’s still too early,” she said. “We’re going to be looking for a lot more specifics from the governor and his proposal. … I’m not sure we have a handle on the magnitude of the problem of the budget situation.”
The budget situation also may hinder proposals for new research facilities at KU (life sciences), Kansas State (food safety) and Wichita State (aviation). Legislators will meet Thursday in Manhattan to hear proposals on the facilities, which would be funded with a combined $115 million in bonds.
Rep. Kenny Wilk, R-Lansing, said he thought the state wouldn’t begin payments on the bonds until 2004. The current budget challenges could jeopardize their approval.
“Legislators are going to ask the questions,” he said. “I think that’s the kind of investment you can’t afford not to look at. I think the potential payout (of federal grants) on that is just tremendous. It would be real easy in this budget situation to say, ‘Let’s put it on the back burner.'”
Proposed tuition hikes at state universities also may play a role in the session. The Board of Regents has asked schools to propose tuition increases that would bring their funding closer to their peers in other states.
“We would hope the Legislature wouldn’t look to tuition to offset funding,” Murguia said. “I don’t think that’s the answer. It’s hard to know exactly how people feel about this, but I don’t think the general public would see that as a positive step in dealing with the budget problem.”
The budget could help the Board of Regents in their goal to unify higher education lobbying.
Murguia and Regents President Kim Wilcox said they expect more collaboration among the Regents and universities during this session than in the past.
“(The budget) is the motivation, but I think everyone recognized a collective effort will be better than individual ones,” Wilcox said.
Wilcox said officials also plan to push a proposal that would expand the university and Regent accountability measures established by the 1999 legislature. Those policies offered an additional 2 percent of a university’s budget if the institution met certain goals.
Janet Murguia had hoped for a smoother transition from federal to state politics.
Instead, she enters her first year leading Kansas University’s legislative lobbying as the state faces one of its bleakest budget outlooks in years.
“It’s not anything I would’ve chosen,” Murguia said. “I would’ve rather been back here a few years ago when we had to advocate how to use those resources. It’s not much fun to protect what you have and protect from further cuts. This is going to be very, very difficult.”
Murguia began as KU’s executive vice chancellor for university relations last summer. She previously had worked for President Clinton’s administration and Al Gore’s presidential campaign.
Her arrival coincides with a restructuring in the way KU lobbies and prepares its budget.
Marlin Rein, who had served as director of governmental relations and budget since 1995 and had worked at KU since 1983, retired in December. Murguia said she’s planning to divide Rein’s former duties until after this session.
Murguia will work with Theresa Klinkenberg, director of administration, on developing next year’s budget. She’ll share lobbying duties with Jon Josserand, assistant for governmental relations.
“I’ll probably use this session to determine what kind of needs and background will be necessary to have” in the department, Murguia said. “We’re going to experiment to see if with Theresa and I working together (on the budget) and Jon on the ground in Topeka, if we can, in this tight budget year … get by without replacing that (Rein’s) slot right now.”
Murguia said Josserand will do day-to-day monitoring of legislative hearings, while she holds one-on-one meetings with legislators.
Higher education officials likely will spend much of their time trying to coax more money from legislators. Gov. Bill Graves’ submitted budget includes a 3.8 percent or $27 million cut for higher education.
A counterproposal by Senate President Dave Kerr, R-Hutchinson, and Sen. Steve Morris, R-Hugoton, would cut higher education by 1.2 percent, or $8.5 million.
And it’s likely that almost $25 million in salary increases and “performance grants” promised by the 1999 Legislature won’t be funded this year.
“As dark and as bleak as it sounds the budget’s going to be, we want to hold the Legislature to commitments they’ve made to higher education,” Murguia said. “If they can’t honor those commitments this year, then we want to make sure it’s there for next year.”
KU Chancellor Robert Hemenway directed Provost David Shulenburger and Donald Hagen, executive vice chancellor for the Kansas University Medical Center, to prepare for a 5 percent cut in their budgets for the 2003 fiscal year. However, Murguia said no decisions would be made until the budget becomes clearer.
“It’s still too early,” she said. “We’re going to be looking for a lot more specifics from the governor and his proposal. … I’m not sure we have a handle on the magnitude of the problem of the budget situation.”
The budget situation also may hinder proposals for new research facilities at KU (life sciences), Kansas State (food safety) and Wichita State (aviation). Legislators will meet Thursday in Manhattan to hear proposals on the facilities, which would be funded with a combined $115 million in bonds.
Rep. Kenny Wilk, R-Lansing, said he thought the state wouldn’t begin payments on the bonds until 2004. The current budget challenges could jeopardize their approval.
“Legislators are going to ask the questions,” he said. “I think that’s the kind of investment you can’t afford not to look at. I think the potential payout (of federal grants) on that is just tremendous. It would be real easy in this budget situation to say, ‘Let’s put it on the back burner.'”
Proposed tuition hikes at state universities also may play a role in the session. The Board of Regents has asked schools to propose tuition increases that would bring their funding closer to their peers in other states.
“We would hope the Legislature wouldn’t look to tuition to offset funding,” Murguia said. “I don’t think that’s the answer. It’s hard to know exactly how people feel about this, but I don’t think the general public would see that as a positive step in dealing with the budget problem.”
The budget could help the Board of Regents in their goal to unify higher education lobbying.
Murguia and Regents President Kim Wilcox said they expect more collaboration among the Regents and universities during this session than in the past.
“(The budget) is the motivation, but I think everyone recognized a collective effort will be better than individual ones,” Wilcox said.
Wilcox said officials also plan to push a proposal that would expand the university and Regent accountability measures established by the 1999 legislature. Those policies offered an additional 2 percent of a university’s budget if the institution met certain goals.
Janet Murguia had hoped for a smoother transition from federal to state politics.
Instead, she enters her first year leading Kansas University’s legislative lobbying as the state faces one of its bleakest budget outlooks in years.
“It’s not anything I would’ve chosen,” Murguia said. “I would’ve rather been back here a few years ago when we had to advocate how to use those resources. It’s not much fun to protect what you have and protect from further cuts. This is going to be very, very difficult.”
Murguia began as KU’s executive vice chancellor for university relations last summer. She previously had worked for President Clinton’s administration and Al Gore’s presidential campaign.
Her arrival coincides with a restructuring in the way KU lobbies and prepares its budget.
Marlin Rein, who had served as director of governmental relations and budget since 1995 and had worked at KU since 1983, retired in December. Murguia said she’s planning to divide Rein’s former duties until after this session.
Murguia will work with Theresa Klinkenberg, director of administration, on developing next year’s budget. She’ll share lobbying duties with Jon Josserand, assistant for governmental relations.
“I’ll probably use this session to determine what kind of needs and background will be necessary to have” in the department, Murguia said. “We’re going to experiment to see if with Theresa and I working together (on the budget) and Jon on the ground in Topeka, if we can, in this tight budget year … get by without replacing that (Rein’s) slot right now.”
Murguia said Josserand will do day-to-day monitoring of legislative hearings, while she holds one-on-one meetings with legislators.
Higher education officials likely will spend much of their time trying to coax more money from legislators. Gov. Bill Graves’ submitted budget includes a 3.8 percent or $27 million cut for higher education.
A counterproposal by Senate President Dave Kerr, R-Hutchinson, and Sen. Steve Morris, R-Hugoton, would cut higher education by 1.2 percent, or $8.5 million.
And it’s likely that almost $25 million in salary increases and “performance grants” promised by the 1999 Legislature won’t be funded this year.
“As dark and as bleak as it sounds the budget’s going to be, we want to hold the Legislature to commitments they’ve made to higher education,” Murguia said. “If they can’t honor those commitments this year, then we want to make sure it’s there for next year.”
KU Chancellor Robert Hemenway directed Provost David Shulenburger and Donald Hagen, executive vice chancellor for the Kansas University Medical Center, to prepare for a 5 percent cut in their budgets for the 2003 fiscal year. However, Murguia said no decisions would be made until the budget becomes clearer.
“It’s still too early,” she said. “We’re going to be looking for a lot more specifics from the governor and his proposal. … I’m not sure we have a handle on the magnitude of the problem of the budget situation.”
The budget situation also may hinder proposals for new research facilities at KU (life sciences), Kansas State (food safety) and Wichita State (aviation). Legislators will meet Thursday in Manhattan to hear proposals on the facilities, which would be funded with a combined $115 million in bonds.
Rep. Kenny Wilk, R-Lansing, said he thought the state wouldn’t begin payments on the bonds until 2004. The current budget challenges could jeopardize their approval.
“Legislators are going to ask the questions,” he said. “I think that’s the kind of investment you can’t afford not to look at. I think the potential payout (of federal grants) on that is just tremendous. It would be real easy in this budget situation to say, ‘Let’s put it on the back burner.'”
Proposed tuition hikes at state universities also may play a role in the session. The Board of Regents has asked schools to propose tuition increases that would bring their funding closer to their peers in other states.
“We would hope the Legislature wouldn’t look to tuition to offset funding,” Murguia said. “I don’t think that’s the answer. It’s hard to know exactly how people feel about this, but I don’t think the general public would see that as a positive step in dealing with the budget problem.”
The budget could help the Board of Regents in their goal to unify higher education lobbying.
Murguia and Regents President Kim Wilcox said they expect more collaboration among the Regents and universities during this session than in the past.
“(The budget) is the motivation, but I think everyone recognized a collective effort will be better than individual ones,” Wilcox said.
Wilcox said officials also plan to push a proposal that would expand the university and Regent accountability measures established by the 1999 legislature. Those policies offered an additional 2 percent of a university’s budget if the institution met certain goals.
Janet Murguia had hoped for a smoother transition from federal to state politics.
Instead, she enters her first year leading Kansas University’s legislative lobbying as the state faces one of its bleakest budget outlooks in years.
“It’s not anything I would’ve chosen,” Murguia said. “I would’ve rather been back here a few years ago when we had to advocate how to use those resources. It’s not much fun to protect what you have and protect from further cuts. This is going to be very, very difficult.”
Murguia began as KU’s executive vice chancellor for university relations last summer. She previously had worked for President Clinton’s administration and Al Gore’s presidential campaign.
Her arrival coincides with a restructuring in the way KU lobbies and prepares its budget.
Marlin Rein, who had served as director of governmental relations and budget since 1995 and had worked at KU since 1983, retired in December. Murguia said she’s planning to divide Rein’s former duties until after this session.
Murguia will work with Theresa Klinkenberg, director of administration, on developing next year’s budget. She’ll share lobbying duties with Jon Josserand, assistant for governmental relations.
“I’ll probably use this session to determine what kind of needs and background will be necessary to have” in the department, Murguia said. “We’re going to experiment to see if with Theresa and I working together (on the budget) and Jon on the ground in Topeka, if we can, in this tight budget year … get by without replacing that (Rein’s) slot right now.”
Murguia said Josserand will do day-to-day monitoring of legislative hearings, while she holds one-on-one meetings with legislators.
Higher education officials likely will spend much of their time trying to coax more money from legislators. Gov. Bill Graves’ submitted budget includes a 3.8 percent or $27 million cut for higher education.
A counterproposal by Senate President Dave Kerr, R-Hutchinson, and Sen. Steve Morris, R-Hugoton, would cut higher education by 1.2 percent, or $8.5 million.
And it’s likely that almost $25 million in salary increases and “performance grants” promised by the 1999 Legislature won’t be funded this year.
“As dark and as bleak as it sounds the budget’s going to be, we want to hold the Legislature to commitments they’ve made to higher education,” Murguia said. “If they can’t honor those commitments this year, then we want to make sure it’s there for next year.”
KU Chancellor Robert Hemenway directed Provost David Shulenburger and Donald Hagen, executive vice chancellor for the Kansas University Medical Center, to prepare for a 5 percent cut in their budgets for the 2003 fiscal year. However, Murguia said no decisions would be made until the budget becomes clearer.
“It’s still too early,” she said. “We’re going to be looking for a lot more specifics from the governor and his proposal. … I’m not sure we have a handle on the magnitude of the problem of the budget situation.”
The budget situation also may hinder proposals for new research facilities at KU (life sciences), Kansas State (food safety) and Wichita State (aviation). Legislators will meet Thursday in Manhattan to hear proposals on the facilities, which would be funded with a combined $115 million in bonds.
Rep. Kenny Wilk, R-Lansing, said he thought the state wouldn’t begin payments on the bonds until 2004. The current budget challenges could jeopardize their approval.
“Legislators are going to ask the questions,” he said. “I think that’s the kind of investment you can’t afford not to look at. I think the potential payout (of federal grants) on that is just tremendous. It would be real easy in this budget situation to say, ‘Let’s put it on the back burner.'”
Proposed tuition hikes at state universities also may play a role in the session. The Board of Regents has asked schools to propose tuition increases that would bring their funding closer to their peers in other states.
“We would hope the Legislature wouldn’t look to tuition to offset funding,” Murguia said. “I don’t think that’s the answer. It’s hard to know exactly how people feel about this, but I don’t think the general public would see that as a positive step in dealing with the budget problem.”
The budget could help the Board of Regents in their goal to unify higher education lobbying.
Murguia and Regents President Kim Wilcox said they expect more collaboration among the Regents and universities during this session than in the past.
“(The budget) is the motivation, but I think everyone recognized a collective effort will be better than individual ones,” Wilcox said.
Wilcox said officials also plan to push a proposal that would expand the university and Regent accountability measures established by the 1999 legislature. Those policies offered an additional 2 percent of a university’s budget if the institution met certain goals.
