Your Online ASU Legislative Connection
Volume 4 Issue 3

Sun Devil Advocates:

Attached is a wrap-up of the recently concluded 48th Session of the Arizona Legislature, prepared by Steve Miller, Deputy Vice President of Public Affairs and ASU’s liaison with the Legislature. Please note that the Legislature fully funded enrollment growth and supported many other ASU investments in the 2008 budget.

FY 08 Legislative Budget Wrap Up

The Arizona Legislature just concluded the First Regular Session of the 48th Legislature. The session lasted 164 days, well beyond the lawmakers’ self-imposed 100-day deadline. The lengthy session was due in large part to the challenges of enacting the state’s fiscal year 2008 budget.

From ASU’s perspective, the long session was worth the wait. The state budget, approved by the Arizona Legislature and to be signed into law by Governor Janet Napolitano, makes significant investments in Arizona State University. We thank Governor Napolitano and the Arizona Legislature for their public service, hard work and commitment to Arizona’s higher education system.

We also want to thank the members of the Sun Devil Advocates Network for their efforts which contributed to this favorable outcome. The Sun Devil Advocates Network continues to play a pivotal role in the evolution of Arizona State University.

Heading into the legislative session ASU’s legislative priorities for increased investments, in order of priority, were as follows:

* $16.7 million in enrollment growth from the legislature for additional faculty and staff positions in order to meet the demands resulting from student enrollment increases and maintaining academic quality.

* $15 million investment to continue qualitative improvements in undergraduate learning.

* $2 million to augment the state’s initial investment in ASU’s
Department of Biomedical Informatics.

* $25.2 million for building renewal investment to allow the university to address only its most urgent building needs, partially reduce the deferred maintenance backlog, and lessen the need to fund interim repairs with long-term debt accompanied by substantial interest.

* $1.5 million investment to finance the new facility for the Del E. Webb School of Construction. The state’s investment would provide up to $20 million for the cost of construction.

* $2 million investment for the establishment of an Autism Intervention Program.

* $1 million to enable the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice to respond to the many challenges faced by the criminal justice system in your border state with rapid growth and changing population.

* $5.25 million request for the Phoenix Biomedical Campus to cover the costs of programming, conceptual and schematic design for buildings.

We are pleased that the recently approved fiscal year 2008 state budget continues the state’s recent trend of investing in higher education. The Legislature continues to fully fund enrollment growth at the level requested by the Arizona Board of Regents. The enrollment growth investment is crucial to enhancing ASU’s accessibility and the quality of the undergraduate academic experience.

The fiscal year 2008 state budget includes the following ASU investments:

* $16.1 million in enrollment growth from the legislature for additional faculty and staff positions in order to meet the demands resulting from student enrollment increases and maintaining academic quality.

* $15.1 million investment to continue qualitative improvements in undergraduate learning.

* $2 million to augment the state’s initial investment in ASU’s Department of Biomedical Informatics.

* $1 million to enable the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice to respond to the many challenges faced by the criminal justice system in your border state with rapid growth and changing population.

* $5.25 million for the Phoenix Biomedical Campus to cover the costs of programming, conceptual and schematic design for buildings.

* $14.5M for debt service payments on the State’s investment in research facilities at ASU.

Note: Just before adjournment of the session, there was a big push for capital funding for the School of Construction. The late push was unsuccessful in that it was outside of the budget process but it left the door open for consideration during the next regular legislative session.

The budget also provides an increase for an ASU employee compensation plan (effective July 1, 2007) to be developed by the President and approved by the Arizona Board of Regents and includes an increase for employee health insurance and retirement contribution expenses.

Again, these increased investments would not have been possible without Governor Napolitano’s and the Arizona Legislature’s commitment to advancing Arizona’s higher education system. We are very grateful and appreciate their hard work and dedicated public service.

Development of the 2007 Legislative Report is in progress and will be completed in a few weeks. This report will give a more comprehensive review of the legislative session.

Once again, the ASU Alumni Association thanks you all for your involvement in and commitment to the Sun Devil Advocacy Network this year. We truly look forward to your continued support during the 49th Session!

Jennifer Holsman
Executive Director of Operations
ASU Alumni Association
Arizona State University

P.S. Proudly declare yourself a Sun Devil by becoming a member of the ASU Alumni Association. The annual dues of $45 helps you join the ranks of today’s dynamic ASU community — students, alumni, professors and researchers — making an impact in our world. Visit www.asu.edu/alumni/membership or call 1-800-ALUMNUS for more information.

P.P.S. We need your help in building the Sun Devil Advocacy Network. Please encourage your friends, family and colleagues to become a member at http://capwiz.com/azsu/mlm/signup/

P.P.P.S. If you have a different email address you would prefer us to use, please send us an email at advoteam@sundeviladvocates.org with your new email address and we will promptly make the change.

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