The four year universities in the state all saw an increase of around 4% in their requests. Boise State asked for over 1 million to cover pay raises. They said, "Boise State has struggled to retain qualified staff who are frequently recruited by other employers that pay higher salaries for equivalent positions."
The University of Idaho had a similar request, citing salary competitiveness as a long-term issue.
Idaho State University is one with a different approach, asking not only nearly 1 million for salaries and inflation coverage, but $988,000 for "high demand health programs across the state and statewide recruiting efforts."
Now, these budget requests will go to Governor Brad Little and his budgeting team. They are set to make their decisions on January 6th, 2025. Higher education budgets are usually one of the last budget bills lawmakers consider each session, with the community college bills being generally less controversial.
