Wichita State President John Bardo says budget cuts are hurting the university’s plans to become a technology center for south-central Kansas.

The Wichita Eagle reports that Bardo told members of the House and Senate budget committees he had to choose between a $1.8 million innovation fund and making deep cuts in the budgets for existing departments or tuition hikes.

Bardo made his remarks to lawmakers Wednesday when they were touring state colleges, universities and technical schools. Lawmakers have chopped $33 million for higher education from this year’s budget and $32.8 million from next year’s.

Bardo says funding is needed to help turn a significant portion of the campus into a technology park where the university can expand its ongoing program of transferring WSU-developed research to the private sector.
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Information from: The Wichita (Kan.) Eagle