[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6637679,"mediaKeyId","2580101-8280d0ab8b9abcbf1b5b612b710b939e","parentId",2580101,"title","Students cite Kansas Promise scholarship and tech‑college partnerships as pathways to careers","audioSeconds",1473,"startMs",1371000,"endMs",2844000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2580101-8280d0ab8b9abcbf1b5b612b710b939e&start=1371&end=2844","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2580101-8280d0ab8b9abcbf1b5b612b710b939e/thumbnail_1371000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6637679/Kansas/Students-cite-Kansas-Promise-scholarship-and-techcollege-partnerships-as-pathways-to-careers","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6637679-1be5a00aefa7fd932aabc0fc6932d4e4/orig.mp4?Expires=1770686677&Signature=cav6e9KPrB3Z1Ti2JuAsqria6Io8rLFzcJplzFRyA504EYi4KXYMOsESGwRiSds3fp29iwPDjcx5KneRj4vKGAz8ZJvYf3X1KUSQvNO~Uz0g4z6kYnRZXm-9RTvR7i0O8BDPBgSh5y9AqxL4F157NzAb3biL4q86-Bg0ZRUhFpK15O1EmBYn8WEwyuhqUWK5~LsmmNb5R9drkhtNh3X2IVW9aVDULNxg0GUuAPq-lKK0ytYw0AhMXzIiJqTf7felT3vkxjbM9MrLaSr0nIU7rgaXoWfNNx3QpJ~1ECa-YGuXI6RCQq1Q91JPrUdU0uSgD4Kf9bOGw-INaOcD7V59HA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Committee on Higher Education Budget ","date","2025-03-12T20:43:17.427Z","article","Students representing technical, community and four‑year colleges described how the Kansas Promise scholarship and interinstitutional partnerships support career pathways and degree completion.

Johnny Reeves, a nursing student at Salina Area Technical College, said he learned about the Kansas Promise scholarship during Salina Tech orientation and that it \"has paid for my schooling in its entirety.\" Reeves said the scholarship and other institutional aid allowed him to pursue an LPN‑to‑RN transition while working and caring for family. Liam Corral, a welding student at Salina Area Technical College, and other technical college speakers described strong faculty support and training that led them to recommend technical careers to peers.

Four‑year university representatives raised similar themes about transfer and partnership agreements. Paige Volgamore, student body president at Kansas State University, described expanding partnerships with Garden City Community College and said such collaborations make education more accessible to students who need to stay close to home.

Fort Hays State highlighted a cooperative relationship with Washburn Law; Ella Burrows said Fort Hays offers visits and scholarships that helped her plan for law school. She told the committee she will attend Washburn University School of Law with no student loan debt because of institutional scholarships and transfer options.

Why it matters: students said financial aid programs like the Kansas Promise scholarship and clearer pathways between technical and four‑year institutions can expand access, reduce debt and meet workforce needs. Panelists asked lawmakers to promote technical‑career options and ensure high school students hear about technical college pathways.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","House Committee on Higher Education Budget 03/12/2025","oneSentenceSummary","Technical college students and others told the Committee on Higher Education Budget that the Kansas Promise scholarship and transfer partnerships expand access and support workforce development; speakers urged broader awareness of technical programs and noted successful transfer arrangements.","taxTitle","Committee on Higher Education Budget , Standing, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Committees, Legislative, Kansas","taxId",19123,"location","Kansas","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6637682,"Students press for a nonvoting student seat on Kansas Board of Regents; student advisory council not unanimous",3205,680000,3885000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2580101-8280d0ab8b9abcbf1b5b612b710b939e&start=680&end=3885","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2580101-8280d0ab8b9abcbf1b5b612b710b939e/thumbnail_680000.jpg","/articles/6637682/Kansas/Students-press-for-a-nonvoting-student-seat-on-Kansas-Board-of-Regents-student-advisory-council-not-unanimous","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6637682-93e0963a32733d9835ce219ba8ce1ae7/orig.mp4?Expires=1770686677&Signature=jTGo2tdz1p6vJd4CGxeifYY9eIg715-vfb4NODqD9C2x2Gic3C9XUHdhh6pNvUnVncQM3u3jJGL3yf6k-lQg22azAGjvvCPLMbh18twY3wqMAH0cOv-hIVGeT~bohgrnvPqXAVsQPKnzLsAgfXucBKTQMbAg1R2jFbXKkFNR7dkfIKJ928sOGyykOZ9I0np70yHM0hlY-UX9CsIkIYr1Du75suocXP4PbbiO1GsrIhDQ3teieUvkGtJ6iM0zE6Pa0NB6luk8oOjAwtfUuG~xYfNnoVCDl9XHG-8TayVnHwabAzc~V2Elhkp91kT1Taiwd7ixcEswTGjw9MV2w2kllA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Student leaders told the Committee on Higher Education Budget they want a standing student presence on the Kansas Board of Regents to improve student access to the system's decisionmakers.

\"What we're asking for is an ex officio non‑voting seat to allow students the voice constantly on the board,\" Danae Estebine, student vice president at the University of Kansas, said during testimony. Estebine told legislators that the Student Advisory Council (SAC), which brings together student body presidents from KBOR institutions, meets the regents only once per year and lacks the regular access she said students need to influence policy.

Not all student representatives supported adding a student regent. Ella Burrows, who identified herself as a member of SAC, clarified to the committee that \"the entirety of the Student Advisory Council is not in support of the addition of a student regent.\" Burrows said the council supports increased availability and more time with the regents, but the group voted against adding a student regent as a council change.

Why it matters: proponents said a student seat would make student perspectives more consistently available during board deliberations; opponents warned that SAC did not back the proposal and that students disagree about the best mechanism for input. Committee members asked students for more detail and documentation; Estebine said she provided research and example regent practices from other states in a packet distributed to lawmakers.

No formal change to KBOR membership was proposed or adopted at the hearing; the testimony is part of an ongoing conversation about student representation and regents' engagement with campus leaders.","Student leaders asked the Committee on Higher Education Budget to support an ex officio, nonvoting student seat on the Kansas Board of Regents to provide continuous student input; a members' caveat: the statewide Student Advisory Council voted against adding a student regent.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6637687,"Students urge Kansas to expand Open Educational Resources as textbook costs rise",248,2128000,2376000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2580101-8280d0ab8b9abcbf1b5b612b710b939e&start=2128&end=2376","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2580101-8280d0ab8b9abcbf1b5b612b710b939e/thumbnail_2128000.jpg","/articles/6637687/Kansas/Students-urge-Kansas-to-expand-Open-Educational-Resources-as-textbook-costs-rise","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6637687-c5822b7e7e26220f0fa4f30419303204/orig.mp4?Expires=1770686677&Signature=eudGTIxGVG3IwvI~Q9~GRScMd3lwJmQKh79Mfbj0kZYZX5zZySEoosQ8-YJlUtdl7RyC0zjJ6mWFuYGCRnuxnnF1DtX3XFwOKc7RAEv-wkWD0tMp2Rdp196S0hRR7EJbyeyOhenos~jDESPPQKlEMtnKI9QnmihuNvu0zGiLZWqDF5N1ksnk1egESXjjoUe4PO-X23zqh5sCMi8m5uvhDz2s4RiRMghIXZ4cWqfbmGVt~FPnRcujEFzB9z1D~XtYfb2z9Ivx8H~v-lSpe0WZyRNPNJOXkpMwOfJil7ghRZnwajB7qb6UMCuvhKYpYVtUmbjGhH~AmqwNsuY3vlzZSw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Student witnesses told the Committee on Higher Education Budget that Open Educational Resources (OER) funded for Kansas institutions are infrequently used and that some instructors assign costly, temporary online textbooks.

\"None of the courses that I have ever taken over the past 4 years have used resources from this,\" Danae Estebine, student vice president at the University of Kansas, told the committee. Estebine described professors assigning commercial materials—often from a supplier she identified as McGraw Hill—that bundle readings with automatically graded online homework and require students to pay hundreds of dollars for temporary access. \"I paid about $200 for access this semester, and I'll lose access to it in like May, June ish,\" she said.

Estebine recommended broader OER adoption, particularly for general‑education courses, saying that would lower costs and improve access. She also said some faculty assign textbooks they authored, forcing students to buy material tied to a professor's personal research rather than a general course textbook.

Why it matters: textbook and online platform costs add to overall student expenses. Committee members asked for clarification on institutional use of OER and whether more policy or incentives are needed to increase adoption. The panel did not vote on a policy change but heard the students' request to require OER in gen‑ed courses as one potential option.","Student representatives told the Committee on Higher Education Budget that state‑funded OER materials are underused and that some professors require costly commercial, time‑limited online textbooks; students asked for mandated OER use in general‑education courses.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6637692,"Kansas student leaders tell committee funding gaps and affordability threaten access",269,1825000,2094000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2580101-8280d0ab8b9abcbf1b5b612b710b939e&start=1825&end=2094","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2580101-8280d0ab8b9abcbf1b5b612b710b939e/thumbnail_1825000.jpg","/articles/6637692/Kansas/Kansas-student-leaders-tell-committee-funding-gaps-and-affordability-threaten-access","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6637692-e863e2acbf7f88f005472c39bd534478/orig.mp4?Expires=1770686677&Signature=Q1PhOzRjnxKz6GqQ8P6V4ZLENE75CuLmut3gmPZEG9SoqxBawDzA67Tdgq-6KguyM1r37nej5BWAXd5demMzgOoewAZH9Us2G9G7v-JZiJ1nuSOzyxg8kWOY3a1Zi~9s513FpndBA2sEd1eTwc-VCIf~AJwXUbIgX7EsIt8DUjQrKjUzetAUhJACvlO-C6uxRxehiaOi6DNs~mhZtl3M6XG-l8~6KShjhaN5NbZp~Dt6Guc0hQThYIDlf55a5C3iUxOjkadeMvsqJlon3nHkVZDfJtUjymlXOQiUO2dtOj~WAUrg8ikvisDOSeTRK8ku3PfI4sKdJqQ0fJuLr7tqMg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Student leaders who testified before the Committee on Higher Education Budget described affordability pressures and uneven state funding that, they said, make college less accessible for many Kansas students.

At a panel hearing, Ella Burrows, student body president of Fort Hays State University, told the committee that regional universities receive far less state funding per student than research universities and urged a targeted funding increase. \"Research universities receive $14,636 per student, while regional institutions like Fort Hays received just $6,339 per student,\" Burrows said, citing Kansas Board of Regents figures. Burrows said Fort Hays is requesting an $8,000,000 increase to the state general fund to support classrooms, laboratories and student success programs.

The testimony underscored the personal impact of cost pressures. George Burdick, president of the Washburn Student Government Association, said many Washburn students rely on grants and scholarships but still carry debt. \"Forty‑two percent of all of our students have federal loans, averaging around $6,700 per year,\" Burdick said, adding that average student debt at graduation \"tends to be around $22,000 to $25,000.\" He also noted that Washburn gives an average of about $8,000 per student in grants and scholarships.

Why it matters: committee members and student leaders said funding differences can force tuition increases and reduce access. Burrows warned that rising tuition to cover shortfalls risks making higher education less affordable and could erode enrollment at regional campuses. Student speakers tied funding to campus services and recruitment: they said insufficient state support can push institutions to raise fees and limit programming that supports retention and student engagement.

Committee members acknowledged the concerns. The students' accounts drew attention to two policy questions that state lawmakers often weigh together: how to allocate limited state dollars across different types of institutions, and how to target aid to preserve affordability for lower‑income and regional students.

Student testimony also noted campus impacts beyond tuition. Burdick told the committee that student organizations lost membership during the COVID‑19 pandemic and that many student leaders juggle multiple roles while working to stay enrolled. Burrows said Fort Hays has historically provided an affordable option for many families and that continuing that affordability depended on restoring equitable funding.

The committee did not take a formal vote on funding at the hearing; members invited continued engagement and noted that broader budget deliberations would occur in upcoming appropriations work.","Student leaders told the Committee on Higher Education Budget that affordability, uneven per‑student state funding and cuts to need‑based aid are undermining campus access and vibrancy; Fort Hays State sought an $8 million increase to close a funding gap, students said.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Students cite Kansas Promise scholarship and tech‑college partnerships as pathways to careers

Students press for a nonvoting student seat on Kansas Board of Regents; student advisory council not unanimous

Students urge Kansas to expand Open Educational Resources as textbook costs rise

Kansas student leaders tell committee funding gaps and affordability threaten access