Under state lawmakers' budget, East Carolina University's academic affairs department would lose $1.1 million -- the largest individual funding reduction to any University of North Carolina school.
Money for a new Brody School of Medicine building wasn't included in the nearly$24 billion budget. Instead, the legislature allocated $3 million to establish a UNC Board of Governors task force that would analyze funding needs for STEM buildings, including ECU's medical school.
State Sens. Don Davis (D-Greenville) and Louis Pate (R-Mt. Olive) introduced legislationearlier this week that would provide ECU with $14.3 million to pay for a new school of medicine building. That bill was sent to the Senate's Rules Committee, where legislative proposals typically die.
ECU officials are declining to comment before the budget is finalized.
The General Assembly passed the budget bill on Friday. Now, Gov. Cooper must consider whether to sign or veto the measure. Republicans have enough votes in the legislature to override Cooper's vetoes.