OREM — William Sederburg knew he'd be compared to his predecessor when he became president of Utah Valley State College.
And Kerry Romesburg, he knew from the outset, would be a hard act to follow.
Romesburg was at the helm of the Orem school for 14 years — and is widely praised for guiding the school's metamorphosis from a 8,000-student trade school into a state college with more than 30 four-year degree programs and an enrollment of 24,000 students.
"Kerry's legacy was so phenomenal in that he was highly respected," Sederburg said in an interview with the Deseret Morning News. "I wish he messed up a bit because it would be easier for me."
Romesburg was known for his political acumen. During his 14-year presidency, UVSC walked away from Capitol Hill after legislative sessions with special-project money in its pocket, even during very lean years.
For example, in 2002, the state government suffered from a massive income tax shortfall. Budgets were slashed and other building projects on college campuses were delayed, but UVSC's proposal to build an $18 million Heber campus survived the close-to-the-bone budget cutting.
During Romesburg's presidency, the school added about a million square feet to house UVSC students and associated campus activitites. UVSC witnessed construction of the McKay Events Center, the college's answer to Brigham Young University's Marriott Center, a technology building, an extra classroom building and the remodeling of the student center.
He may be a hard act to follow, but others — legislators and Romesburg himself — hope Sederburg can continue where Romesburg left off.
"I think initially there was a little bit of caution, in wondering of how he would fit in with what President Romesburg did, but I think that in the end of the year, the president (Sederburg) did a marvelous job," said Marlon Snow, a Romesburg golfing buddy and member of Utah's Board of Regents.
Sederburg, who was inaugurated in October, was acclimated to Utah's political climate this year.
The new president, who is no rookie in the political arena, described the 2004 legislative session as a "pressure-cooker."
In Michigan he served 12 years as a full-time state senator as well as a college president for six years at Ferris State University. But in Michigan, each school had a board of trustees that made the final call on major policy decisions such as tuition. A group of academic officers approved new scholastic endeavors.
Utah, to be sure, is very different.
Utah's public colleges and universities are overseen by the governor-appointed Board of Regents. While all Utah schools have a board of trustees, major policy decisions must receive final approval from the regents, who have the authority to fire and hire college presidents.
Another major change: Utah's legislative session is 45 days.
"If you get 10 minutes (with a legislator) you are thankful," said Sederburg, who was used to Michigan's full-year legislative calendar. The 45-day schedule is difficult and may not serve Utahns well, he said, because legislators must decide a multimillion-dollar budget in a short time.
It also means that people essentially have to do some lobbying before legislative session. "It's a very non-contemplative system," he said. "There is not much deliberation."
Plus, he said, UVSC faced significant budget cuts during the session, held during an election year when up-for-election politicians who would rather trim than tax.
"Before you can bring home the bacon, you have some bacon out there that exists," Sederburg said. "It just takes a while for the economy to go up."
This year, UVSC did not receive a big chunk of change for building projects — but school officials say that's because the college's lobbying priorities did not focus on campus expansion.
UVSC administrators lobbied for an increase in pay and benefits for faculty and staff and more money for enrollment growth.
This is the first time in three years since UVSC faculty had a pay increase, said Val Peterson, a UVSC vice president. Full-time employees will receive an increase of 1 percent from their base pay and a one-time $500 bonus for full-time faculty to be given in December 2004.
UVSC originally wanted a 3 percent raise due to a salary freeze since 2000.
Lawmakers also heard UVSC's pleas for more money to pay for new students. The school was given $592,000 for growth — but the one-time cash infusion doesn't cover all of UVSC's costs to educate students at the open-enrollment school.
But UVSC, in Sederburg's maiden year, was dealt a blow.
For the first time, lawmakers decided not to allocate money to maintain and operate college buildings.
In years previous, the state helped colleges and universities pay for such costs. This year, however, taxpayer money will not be used for maintenance and operation costs. Instead, colleges will be forced to use money earned through tuition to cover campus upkeep.
As a result, students will pay more in tuition. A proposed tuition raise will still be 12.3 percent, the same number presented to students in February.
"I think the state treated us fairly," Sederburg said. "I think we felt equally loved or equally not loved."
UVSC did get one thing — an onramp leading to I-15 from campus. Currently, the only way to the interstate from UVSC was through the main roundabout onto University Parkway.
At one time, a hook ramp shepherded traffic from College Drive to the ramp leading to I-15. It was disconnected during the construction of the University Parkway interchange.
The project, projected to cost $1.6 million, has been in the works for several years because of increased northbound traffic. UVSC wants the project to be done before fall semester ends.
College officials say it may be unfair to compare Sederburg to Romesburg when it comes to legislative funding. This year, few schools were allocated money for items they requested.
Also, the school grew at an amazing rate during Romesburg's 14 years as president.
"I can only remember two years that we did not grow. We usually average 8 percent every year," said Doug Warner, a UVSC administrator who oversaw the school's budget during Romesburg's years. "The institution during Kerry's (Romesburg) period of time grew fantastically."
That, coupled with a booming economy and Utah County legislators with clout on Capitol Hill, worked in Romesburg's favor.
"All the pieces were lined up just right, and everything just falls in," said Sen. John Valentine, R-Orem. "That's what exactly happened for UVSC in the decade of the '90s."
While Romesburg was president, Utah County's elected representatives held key positions.
Consider: Valentine was chairman of the appropriations committee in the House, and former Sen. Lee Ray McCallister was chairman of appropriations in the state Senate.
"We lost some of that for awhile, but we are building back toward that position again," Valentine said.
The Utah economy in the late '90s also worked in Romesburg's favor. Though Warner did not remember it being "robust," the Utah economy was growing during those years.
"In one of those years (when Romesburg was president), we had a $50 million surplus. In these last years, it is not the same," said Rep. Kathy Bryson, R-Orem.
Romesburg benefited from the strong economy, Bryson said.
"Today it doesn't matter who you were or last name was," she said, "the Legislature wouldn't budge."
Romesburg, who left UVSC to become president of Nevada State College at Henderson, attributes his lobbying success to community support. "That drove growth at the institution, and that drove decisions more than the economic climate, more than my aggressive administration or anything you want to put on a list that drove the success of that institution," Romesburg said.
And by most accounts, Sederburg's stock is high in Utah Valley.
"Where Kerry took (the school) to, and where this community took this to, it won't make any difference from where we go from there to the next level," Snow said. "It's like going halfway up Timpanogos, looking out and seeing the valley, but we still have the rest of the climb to make, and we have a new president to help us reach that next climb."
E-mail: jdoria@desnews.com