Fort Hays State University President Edward Hammond is pleased that the bill approved by a Kansas House committee this week keeps higher education funding flat as opposed to the 10% cut facing other agencies.

Hammond explains that the state needs help from the universities to complete the Governor’s economic plan by providing trained employees for the jobs that are supposed to be created.

Hammond says the flat budget is the best the schools could expect, and the across the board cuts are driven by concern that revenues won’t be adequate.

Many new legislators were elected in November, and Hammond made it a point to meet with each of them.