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Frequently Asked Questions About The Triangle.
Where did the idea for the Triangle come from?
The Greater Kansas City Community Foundation commissioned a study of the state of higher education and research in Kansas City. As a result, Dr. Benno Schmidt, former President of Yale University, released "Time To Get It Right". The study highlighted the coming of the knowledge based economy in the areas of life sciences, animal health, science, and the urgent need for a higher education strategy. Several community leaders began exploring what goals Johnson County might pursue to enhance our higher education and scientific opportunities.
Johnson County has always supported quality education at the K-12 level as well as the nationally recognized Johnson County Community College. The Triangle seemed like a logical next step for a county that values education and economic development.
What is the Education Research Triangle?
The triangle is a partnership between KU and KSU to bring the finest expanded higher education degrees and research to Johnson County. If supported by the voters, three new facilities will be constructed in Johnson County: The University of Kansas Edwards Campus Business, Engineering, Science and Technology Center in Overland Park, The Kansas State University Innovation Campus National Food and Animal Health Institute in Olathe and the University of Kansas Cancer Clinical Research Center in Fairway.
How would the Triangle happen?
Enabling legislation was passed last year in Topeka to allow the voters of Johnson County to vote on a tax to fund the Triangle. The Johnson County Commission will be asked to put the tax on the ballot for the November 2008 general election. And the voters will then decide.
What and how much tax will the Triangle need?
The voters will be asked to support a 1/8th cent sales tax to raise approximately $15 million per year to support the construction of the facilities and provide the ongoing operations and maintenance, as well as the degrees and the research for the facilities. Sales tax was selected as the vehicle for raising the money because much of it comes from people outside of the county.
The revenues will be equally divided among the three facilities.
The tax must be permanent in order to guarantee that the ongoing operations, maintenance and degrees and research will be provided into the future.
Today, Johnson Countians support K-12 education with hundreds of millions of dollars per year, and Johnson County Community College with about $80 million per year. The Triangle's $15 million investment will leverage hundreds of millions in economic impact.
How will the Triangle impact Johnson County Community College?
The Triangle will enhance the Community College. The addition of degrees into Johnson County means more courses and students for JCCC. Partnerships with KU and K-State will ensure that JCCC continues to expand and provide excellent education and training to Johnson Countians.
Additionally, the Community College will be able to assist KU and KSU to provide trained lab techs and research assistants for the research portion of the project.
The Triangle will diversify the economy of Johnson County by providing new jobs at varying skill levels from hourly to certified to associate degrees to bachelor degrees to master degrees.
How will the Triangle impact the economy of Johnson County and Kansas?
The County Economic Research Institute conducted an in depth analysis of the proposed Triangle and concluded that over the first two decades of the Triangle there would be about $1.4 billion in economic impact.
This comes from the increase in wage rates that occurs with higher education degrees as well as the additional research dollars that come to a community that invests in research. These are conservative estimates and do not include new companies and jobs that can result from cancer research and food safety research.
Who will oversee the projects?
The Kansas Board of Regents will maintain its constitutional authority over the universities.
A new Johnson County Education Research Triangle Authority will be formed. It will have seven members who must be elected officials in Johnson County. They will be appointed by the Governor, the Board of Regents, the County Commission, KU, KSU and the Community College.
The Authority will ensure that the monies are divided equally, that the three facilities, degrees and research promised are delivered to the citizens of Johnson County and that the funds are managed correctly.
The state of Kansas and Johnson County both have the authority to audit the Triangle Authority at any time. However, the Triangle Authority will also have a regular independent audit to ensure credibility, efficiency and public confidence.
For more information regarding governance click here
Shouldn't higher education be the state's responsibility?
Traditionally, higher education funding has come from the state. However in recent years the amount of state support has declined annually. In 1986, the State of Kansas contributed 47.6% (KU) and 49.8% (KSU) of their total funding. In 2008, the state contribution was 23.6% (KU) and 28.3% (KSU). It has been especially difficult for the state to fund what has become an over $670 million shortfall needed for just the deferred maintenance at our six universities.
Local support for higher education is not new. Today Wichita citizens pay a local property tax as part of the funding for Wichita State University. Topeka has a local sales tax to help fund Washburn University.
Other examples include both Cincinnati and Phoenix who have recently added a local tax effort to help enhance their higher education and research activities.
The Greater Kansas City Community Foundation commissioned a study of the state of higher education and research in Kansas City. As a result, Dr. Benno Schmidt, former President of Yale University, released "Time To Get It Right". The study highlighted the coming of the knowledge based economy in the areas of life sciences, animal health, science, and the urgent need for a higher education strategy. Several community leaders began exploring what goals Johnson County might pursue to enhance our higher education and scientific opportunities.
Johnson County has always supported quality education at the K-12 level as well as the nationally recognized Johnson County Community College. The Triangle seemed like a logical next step for a county that values education and economic development.
What is the Education Research Triangle?
The triangle is a partnership between KU and KSU to bring the finest expanded higher education degrees and research to Johnson County. If supported by the voters, three new facilities will be constructed in Johnson County: The University of Kansas Edwards Campus Business, Engineering, Science and Technology Center in Overland Park, The Kansas State University Innovation Campus National Food and Animal Health Institute in Olathe and the University of Kansas Cancer Clinical Research Center in Fairway.
How would the Triangle happen?
Enabling legislation was passed last year in Topeka to allow the voters of Johnson County to vote on a tax to fund the Triangle. The Johnson County Commission will be asked to put the tax on the ballot for the November 2008 general election. And the voters will then decide.
What and how much tax will the Triangle need?
The voters will be asked to support a 1/8th cent sales tax to raise approximately $15 million per year to support the construction of the facilities and provide the ongoing operations and maintenance, as well as the degrees and the research for the facilities. Sales tax was selected as the vehicle for raising the money because much of it comes from people outside of the county.
The revenues will be equally divided among the three facilities.
The tax must be permanent in order to guarantee that the ongoing operations, maintenance and degrees and research will be provided into the future.
Today, Johnson Countians support K-12 education with hundreds of millions of dollars per year, and Johnson County Community College with about $80 million per year. The Triangle's $15 million investment will leverage hundreds of millions in economic impact.
How will the Triangle impact Johnson County Community College?
The Triangle will enhance the Community College. The addition of degrees into Johnson County means more courses and students for JCCC. Partnerships with KU and K-State will ensure that JCCC continues to expand and provide excellent education and training to Johnson Countians.
Additionally, the Community College will be able to assist KU and KSU to provide trained lab techs and research assistants for the research portion of the project.
The Triangle will diversify the economy of Johnson County by providing new jobs at varying skill levels from hourly to certified to associate degrees to bachelor degrees to master degrees.
How will the Triangle impact the economy of Johnson County and Kansas?
The County Economic Research Institute conducted an in depth analysis of the proposed Triangle and concluded that over the first two decades of the Triangle there would be about $1.4 billion in economic impact.
This comes from the increase in wage rates that occurs with higher education degrees as well as the additional research dollars that come to a community that invests in research. These are conservative estimates and do not include new companies and jobs that can result from cancer research and food safety research.
Who will oversee the projects?
The Kansas Board of Regents will maintain its constitutional authority over the universities.
A new Johnson County Education Research Triangle Authority will be formed. It will have seven members who must be elected officials in Johnson County. They will be appointed by the Governor, the Board of Regents, the County Commission, KU, KSU and the Community College.
The Authority will ensure that the monies are divided equally, that the three facilities, degrees and research promised are delivered to the citizens of Johnson County and that the funds are managed correctly.
The state of Kansas and Johnson County both have the authority to audit the Triangle Authority at any time. However, the Triangle Authority will also have a regular independent audit to ensure credibility, efficiency and public confidence.
For more information regarding governance click here
Shouldn't higher education be the state's responsibility?
Traditionally, higher education funding has come from the state. However in recent years the amount of state support has declined annually. In 1986, the State of Kansas contributed 47.6% (KU) and 49.8% (KSU) of their total funding. In 2008, the state contribution was 23.6% (KU) and 28.3% (KSU). It has been especially difficult for the state to fund what has become an over $670 million shortfall needed for just the deferred maintenance at our six universities.
Local support for higher education is not new. Today Wichita citizens pay a local property tax as part of the funding for Wichita State University. Topeka has a local sales tax to help fund Washburn University.
Other examples include both Cincinnati and Phoenix who have recently added a local tax effort to help enhance their higher education and research activities.
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