UW President Mark Emmert was more than an hour late to yesterday’s special session of the UW Board of Regents.

He was behind schedule because he was making his way back from meeting with Gov. Chris Gregoire in Olympia regarding issues of higher educating funding — a topic creating tension between the university and the state.

Despite lobbying efforts by members of the university community, the proposed budget from the House of Representatives still threatens to cut nearly a third of the UW’s general operating budget. The Senate budget, which passed out of the Ways and Means Committee yesterday, included cuts of 23 percent.

“No states are looking at anything remotely close to that,” Emmert told the board. “[But] I’m not wringing my hands and crying about this.”

Emmert estimated that cuts from the higher education budget would put Washington state between 40th and 42nd place when it comes to money spent on state colleges and universities. That would mean the UW would receive less funding than state schools in Louisiana, the third poorest state in the country.

“There’s absolutely no logic left in the Legislature,” said Regent Jeff Brotman.

Emmert expressed his frustration with the priorities of the state Legislature, saying the decisions being made in the budget dramatically shift the school’s relationship with the state.

“This is the first time in history that the university is being funded more by private dollars than it is by public dollars,” Emmert said.

The board also addressed the fact that the UW would have a very limited capacity for capital projects with the state absorbing a portion of student building fees, leaving a looming question mark about where funds will come from to complete several shovel-ready projects.

“Washington state and UW are pretty well-known for quality education,” said Chair Craig Cole. “It would seem that the state would want to protect that.”

Reach news editor Casey Smith at news@dailyuw.com.