The University of Hawaii faces a session-long challenge in its latest effort to secure supplemental funding for athletics from the state Legislature, lawmakers suggested Tuesday.

UH President David Lassner said in a joint Capitol briefing before the Senate Ways and Means Committee and House Finance Committee the school is seeking $3.5 million for its financially challenged athletic programs — $3 million for Manoa and $560,000 for UH-Hilo — in the session that starts Jan. 20.

It is the same request that Gov. David Ige turned down last month, shutting athletics out of the $9.8 million earmarked for the school in his supplemental executive budget.

The UH system is budgeted to receive about $428 million in general funds this year as part of the state’s biennial budget, less than 1 percent of which is scheduled to go directly to Manoa athletics. Ige has said it is up to UH how it prioritizes the funds.

Sen. Jill Tokuda (D, Kailua-Kaneohe) said, “Obviously there are some differences between what UH wanted and what the Governor proposed, so I think it is going to be hotbed of discussion.”

Sen. Brian Taniguchi (D, Makiki-Tantalus-Manoa) said, “In the past Rep. Isaac Choy and I have been supportive of trying to get them something additional, but (what UH might get) is a good question. At this point, I would say it is probably 50/50 whether they will get something (from lawmakers).”

Manoa Chancellor Robert Bley-Vroman said, “We are committed to having a successful athletic program,” but told lawmakers it would have to be in “partnership” with the state and community. “I think athletics is important to the state and I think (the legislators) already know that is the case.”

Bley-Vroman said. “Our athletic director (David Matlin) and his team have been working hard and have a sound plan that can make athletics sustainable.”

But Rep. Matt LoPresti (D, Ewa Beach) questioned whether athletics could be sustained after a string of deficit years, asking, “Why do we keep trying to buy a Mercedes when we can barely afford a moped?”

Manoa is projecting a $4.8 million deficit for the fiscal year that concludes June 30, placing it among the vast majority of its peers. Just 24 of 230 Division I schools met the NCAA’s self-sufficiency benchmarks in 2014, according to a USA Today report.

Choy said, “Athletics will have to stand in line with everybody else (at UH), but this is our state’s sport (team), so, hopefully, we can support it. At least the information is on the table now.”