House reaction to KU’s out-of-state bonding petty, vengeful

The University of Kansas should not have bypassed the Legislature’s authority last month by using a Wisconsin agency to issue nearly $330 million in bonds to fund campus construction projects, especially as lawmakers’ qualms about KU’s building plans were well-known. But the legislative reaction so far seems petty and vengeful – a House Appropriations Committee budget amendment to restrict the ability of KU, and just KU, to spend money including tuition funds. The relationship between state leaders and the state universities needs more trust. But what are institutions to do when they need more money to serve students and Topeka says it has no more to give? The punitive House measure doesn’t answer that. – Rhonda Holman

This story was originally published February 5, 2016 at 6:06 PM.