The University of Delaware (UD) and Delaware State University (DSU) are seeking multi-million dollar budget increases left out of the former governor’s spending proposal.
This year, UD President Dennis Assanis is requesting just over an additional $8 million — adding to a $144 million base budget from the state — to bolster scholarship funding, expand the associate to bachelor’s program and support the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources and the College of Earth, Ocean and Environment.
“The previous administration did not fund any of these requests in this year's recommended budget, but this gives this committee and the General Assembly the opportunity to invest in these critical areas for the benefit of Delawareans," Assanis said during his presentation before the Joint Finance Committee (JFC).
$4.5 million would be for UD's First State Promise scholarship program, which provides total coverage of tuition costs for students whose family income is $75,000 or less.
UD currently allocates $15 million annually for the program while the state provides $7.5 million. The state did increase its contribution by $2.5 million last fiscal year.
"We ask for another $4.5 million to be more equitable partners. It wouldn't be equal partners, but more equitable with that support," Assanis said. "This would help us cover transfer students as well as the increased cost associated with students' greater financial need. Because of the growing financial needs and interest in the enrollment of Delawareans, the present state funding has not been adequate to cover the First State Promise course."
$1.7 million would be used to expand the university's associate to bachelor's program, which enables students to earn two-year degrees with the option to continue on to a bachelor's degree.
$1.325 million would go to the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources to provide Delaware with livestock and farming resources and bolster the workforce pipeline, while $615,000 would head to the College of Earth, Ocean and Environment to support Delaware Communities with research, training and planning services.
Former Gov. John Carney only recommended an additional $2.8 million for UD’s personnel contingencies.
At DSU, Carney’s plan called for $5 million in operations support, but did not recommend funding a new Master in Physician Assistant Studies or Master of Clinical and School Psychology program, costing close to a combined $2 million.
The state currently funds around 20% of DSU’s core revenues, which DSU President Tony Allen explains is on the low end for public Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).
With a 25% enrollment growth over the past five years, Allen hopes the state will eventually fund between 30-33% of DSU’s operating budget.
DSU requested $10 million be added to the university’s base budget, and while Allen says he is grateful for the $5 million Carney recommended, he says falling short of the remaining amount could come with consequences.
“If that doesn't happen, it forces us to do other things that we believe could hurt our students, like continuing to increase tuition and housing costs. So it's really important that that come to the fore," Allen said.
DSU's base budget from the state is only around $52 million. Enrollment is about one fourth of that of UD's, but Allen expressed the need for equitable funding as the university works to support marginalized students.
"I do believe equity is probably the name of the game. I think it's something [JFC] should consider in earnest as you move forward with low-resource institutions like ours. We've done more with less, we just don't think less is acceptable anymore," Allen said.
Some members of JFC did express interest in finding a way to fund the $896,000 Master of Clinical and School Psychology program due to the state's dire psychologist shortage.
DSU is also planning a $125 million multi-year effort to bolster its athletic programming — those requests will be up to the Joint Capital Improvement Committee to approve.
Carney recommended Delaware Technical Community College (DelTech) receive its full request of $500,000 to lease the new Seaford Innovation Center and the Office of Management and Budget will be funding close to $800,000 worth of salary step increases.
DTCC President Mark Brainard says the Seaford Innovation Center is in progress, but it's been a priority to bring vocational education to that part of Sussex County for over a decade.
"We're hoping that not only will open enrollment training occur here in areas like welding, advanced manufacturing and a number of healthcare programs on the second floor, but we're hoping that we can revitalize the high school pathways program there as well," Brainard said.
DelTech's current base budget from the state is just over $100 million.
Gov. Matt Meyer is expected to release his own recommended budget next month, and the General Assembly has the final say on which requests are ultimately funded.
