A South Dakota legislative panel has endorsed a plan aimed at giving state universities and technical schools their fair share of any increases in state revenue.
The proposal, which will be submitted to the full Legislature in January, does not require the governor and the Legislature to fund the schools at any particular level. It instead suggests a formula for funding the schools.
Under the proposed formula, the six universities and four technical schools would first get extra funding to account for inflation. They then could get added funding to account for increased enrollment. Finally, the schools could get added money for producing graduates in math, science, engineering, technology or other critical fields.
The universities are getting $168 million in state funds this year. Technical schools are getting $21.5 million.
