The Legislature had cut VWU's base budget the past three years, but this year WVU broke about even, said Narvel Weese, vice president for administration and finance.
"Quite frankly, we're very grateful we have not had to experience another base budget cut," Weese said. "We are happy that the Legislature recognizes the university's contribution."
WVU did not receive any additional discretionary funding, but did get extra funds earmarked for salary increases for faculty, for two months of staff salary increases left over from last year, and some money for specific projects, Weese said.
Delegate Charlene Marshall, DMonongalia, said, "We tried to do everything we could to avoid having those cuts, and make sure that WVU is well taken care of; and we're always on the lookout and hope to do the most for WVU."
WVU's line-item appropriation in the just-passed state budget — not including money for regional campuses and other programs — was $105.3 million; Marshall University received $45.4 million. Those figures don't include tuition and fees, or private donations.
Those numbers represent about a 10-percent increase for Marshall compared to last year, said Delegate Cindy Frich, R-Monongalia.
But Delegate Harold Michael, D-Hardy, House finance chairman, said percent increases aren't what's important.
"Frankly, I don't get too bogged down in those," he said. "WVU gets such a huge percentage anyway."
Michael said a peer equity model was used to bring Marshall up to par. Schools are placed in peer groups with similar schools nationwide, and those comparisons are used to determine funding levels.
"Historically, Marshall is one of the schools that were underfunded according to the peer equity model," Michael said. "In the overall scheme of things, that's not a huge number to higher education — not to WVU for example."
West Virginia's peer equity model will be revised next year to reflect changes in each schools' status, Michael said.
Marshall President Stephen J. Kopp said the increase amounted to a little more than $1 million over last year's budget.
Marshall would have gotten much less from the original House and Senate budget bills. After those passed, legislative leaders went into conference committee to hammer out the details. At that point, an additional $3 million was given to Marshall and $50,000 to WVU, Frich said. That budget was given legislative approval March 19, and Gov. Joe Manchin III signed that bill Friday.
"Based on the last peer data that the (Higher Education Policy Commission) staff provided, Marshall was well below other West Virginia institutions, which is why there was such a large adjustment," Kopp said. "However, Marshall remains more underfunded than most other higher education institutions in West Virginia, including WVU."
But Weese said WVU is also offbase with its national peers.
"In order for us to get to 100 percent of our peer target, West Virginia University would need an additional $80 million," Weese said. That money would have to come from some combination of state appropriations and tuition and fees.
Frich said she thought there may have been one legislator pulling a little more for Marshall than for WVU.
"Sen. (Robert) Plymale does work on Marshall's campus," Frich said. "He's the head of the Rahall Transportation campus on Marshall University, so he might have a little bit of bias toward Marshall."
Plymale, D-Wayne and house education chair, was in the budget conference committee, Frich said. Plymale did not return phone calls made to the transportation institute Friday or Monday.
Also included in the final budget bill was language noting that the WVU College of Law "shall continue to operate as the state's exclusive public college of law."
Marshall is working on a study on the feasibility of founding a law school there.
"We take this language from West Virginia's Legislature as important information about their interest in funding a law school at Marshall," Kopp said. "However, we plan to continue the feasibility study in order to do our due diligence in completing the Strategic Vision process."
As part of that process, Marshall sought comment about what the university's future priorities should be, and a law school was a top request.
"With the vast majority of responses from alumni, students and community members asking us to explore the idea of a Marshall Law School, we believe there is an obligation to examine this possibility," Kopp said.