Future state funding for UH Hilo is looking brighter due to action taken at the 2008 legislative session. While House and Senate lawmakers funded numerous health and safety needs deemed critical to the welfare of students, the milestone achievement at this year’s session was passage of legislation that will lead to a new more equitable funding formula for each of the 10 UH campuses.

Presently, UH campus operating budgets are determined each fiscal biennium based on specific program and personnel requests. Additionally, supplemental budget requests are prepared for the second year of each fiscal biennium to address unforeseen issues and funding deficiencies that have arisen after the biennial budget has been approved and funds allocated.

In contrast, the recently passed House Bill 2978 establishes a task force to assist the UH system in developing individual campus budgets for each of the 10 campuses based on an equitable enrollment-based formula.

“This is a welcome development that will benefit the entire university system,” says Chancellor Rose Tseng. “Linking budgetary allocations to enrollment gives all of us an incentive to continue growing, by providing assurances that growth will be supported financially.”

Full press release here.