Parsing the History of Perry's Higher Ed Battles
In 2003, Gov. Rick Perry signed off one of the most significant policy changes in the history of Texas higher education. With both the state and its public universities strapped for cash, the decision was made to grant universities the autonomy to set tuition rates, freeing them from government regulation that had artificially kept Texas public higher education affordable for generations.
As expected, college costs in Texas ticked upward — a trend that looks likely to persist as the state’s contribution continues to decline. Texas Tech University in Lubbock, for example, has seen the state-funded portion of its budget drop ...
Comments (14)
Philip Harris
The sad fact is that with the economy in the shape it's in, state revenues simply cannot cover increases in funding to public universities. In light of this lack of funding, universities have the choice to raise tuition, or find ways to save money in the way they do things.
A great article recently published in The Economist highlights this problem. In it, the author quotes a former President of Harvard as observing that "universities share one characteristic with compulsive gamblers and exiled royalty: there is never enough money to satisfy their desires.” The article goes on to discuss ways to make college affordable in ways that don't involve increasing tuition or state funding. These kinds of solutions are necesarry, and while TPPF's 7 solutions might not be the ultimate answer to curbing the looming student loan debt crisis; real, workable solutions need to be discussed. Focusing on Governor Perry, or TPPF, or Jeff Sandefer won't help a single student afford tuition at Texas's best colleges and universities.
Here's a link to the Economist article:
http://www.economist.com/node/18926009?story_id=18926009&fsrc=rss
Jennifer E.
One breakthrough solution is for the student to live within their means. If the student cannot afford to attend the flagship campus or another system school, then they should seriously consider attending a community college and living at home rather than an expensive dorm.
Community colleges are a great alternative and provide much of the same quality as flagship campuses, especially if the student does not intend to engage in research. No one is holding a gun to Texas students' heads and forcing them to attend the flagship campus and take out massive loans. Students have a choice, and the reality of the situation is that they must live within their means.
I think it is entirely possible for the state to generate more revenues. Some people believe in the dogma that higher taxes for the rich are job killers, but honestly, have the Bush tax cuts created more jobs? We still have high unemployment--where have they gotten us?
In any case, reform of the flagship campuses cannot be carried out the way reforms are carried out at other system schools. The flagships are supposed to be research intensive. And students ultimately have a choice where to attend college.
T D
The first poster here wants to sound sagacious with the borrowed line: "universities share one characteristic with compulsive gamblers and exiled royalty: there is never enough money to satisfy their desires.”
But why focus on what universities want as being the problem? Why isn't the writer lined up outside Amazon.com or gated communities or mansions on the Lake asking them why THEY want more? Why doesn't he he take his "The sad fact is" rhetoric and apply it to people and corporations that aren't so sad at all right now?
It seems to me that these free market "reformers" have everything in common with the central planners of the Soviet Union except a willingness to acknowledge where the money actually is.
True men pay what they owe.
William Pate
We need more teachers to fire!
Bambi Clark via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Tryng to think of something good Perry has done for education in Texas...
Karen Bilbrfey
When I first read about criticism of research in higher education I thought it might be explained in part by private business "patent envy." Now, after reading about the Bush-era "Data Quality Act," I wonder if criticisms of university research programs might be a state-level, back-door attack on data gathering that supports regulatory rule making.
Also, I almost never hear about the role of increasing insurance/health care costs in pushing up university budgets. Higher education is yet another sector that would greatly benefit from effective health care reforms.
Teresa Klein via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Don't waste your time. I don't think you will come up with much.
David Rutledge via Texas Tribune on Facebook
When every decision is made with an eye to the next election, you will never have consistency.
Katie Plass
OMG! The Tribune has discovered that Texas Tech University is also located in Texas, its just in West Texas , an area most Texans would find foreign. Since the Rev. Kent Hance has been chancellor, Red Raider Spirit has waned to a ghostly shadow reaching from the heels of a noble steed moseying into the setting sun. Thank you, Gov. Perry, for infiltrating this long-standing bastion of West Texas spirit with your red-eyed, steel hoofed minions.
Now curtsey as Pirate Coach Leach swings his sword.
Lauren Pierce
University's budgets are out of control- probably why the percentage of state funding has decreased over time . .
Jennifer E.
Lauren,
Where is the proof that the university's budget is out of control? You know, when the university gets federal and faculty grants, that COUNTS as part of the university's budget. The more grants--the more free money--we get, the better. Your description of UT's rising budget is deceptive. You should be looking at the academic core budget which is funded by tuition, the AUF, and state appropriations. That part of the budget has not been skyrocketing. UT students' share of the academic core budget is rising because the state doesn't contribute enough to keep up with inflation and UT's needs.
Scott Specht
@Jennifer,
Between 2005 and 2010 enrollment has gone up 4%, overhead has gone up 14%, there are clearly problems happening at the University, but of course you'd rather sit and blame people wanting to make UT as great of a University as it can be and protect the people who are stuffing their pockets on the backs of students.
T D
@Scott
If you really want to "make UT as great of a University as it can be" there are concrete things you can do. You might start by calling the library and seeing if there are books or journals they can't currently afford owing to budget cuts. I'm sure they'd appreciate your inquiry, as well as your help.
Jennifer E.
Scott,
UT's base budget has gone up along with inflation. What hasn't caught up with inflation is state appropriations. Legislators have chosen to balance the budget on UT students' backs. That isn't good.