By Amelia Arvesen
KU Statehouse Wire Service
TOPEKA — A Johnson County senator backed legislation in a hearing Tuesday that would require postsecondary schools to produce a financial analysis of degree programs offered, costing institutions $6.6 million for the first year.
Senate Bill 193 would require 32 Kansas Board of Regents universities, community colleges and technical colleges to summarize information and statistics including expenses, salary percentages, average amount of time between graduation and full-time employment, and average amount of time to repay loans.
Sen. Jeff Melcher (R-Leawood) said the bill would provide prospective students and parents a tool to compare costs and information not compiled by a school’s marketing department.
“Across the board they can make a comparison that is considered to be non-biased in just factual information,” Melcher said.
No one testified against the bill, but Sen. Marci Francisco (D-Lawrence) and Sen. Laura Kelly (D-Topeka) wondered if presenting the total expenses and time to repay a loan might deter prospective students from considering certain institutions.
“That cost is still there whether you borrowed the money or whether you paid cash for it,” Melcher said.
In 2014, 43,394 degrees were awarded from state universities, Washburn University, community colleges and technical colleges. Andy Tompkins, president and chief executive officer of KBOR, said the bill would require a major investment of time to collect the information.
The fiscal impact totals an estimated $6.6 million. Of that, $2.3 million includes operating costs and additional staff needed to update the data each year. The other $4.3 million would come from institutions offering each graduate $100 as an incentive to provide information needed for the prospectus.
Data would also come straight from the institutions -such as calculated tuition, room and board, and books- and from KBOR research such as labor statistics.
Dave Trabert, president of the Kansas Policy Institute, a conservative think tank located in Wichita, said it is worth the investment because the documents would become useful tools for students and parents to determine what school fits their financial means.
“You can get the same degree from one university to another,” Trabert said. “One is going to cost you a great deal more.”
The bill requires the compiled information to be made readily available on the institution’s website homepage, titled “Degree Prospectus” and provided to each student who requests a electronic or hard copy.
No action was taken on the bill.
Amelia Arvesen is a University of Kansas senior from San Ramon, Calif. studying journalism.