Don't Cut Higher Ed. And Don't Ask Me to Pay More!
The new survey from the nonpartisan Public Policy Institute of California finds a whopping 74% of respondents, across all political persuasions, believe that not enough is now being spent on higher education… But what’s especially puzzling about this survey is how many of those polled say the community college, CSU, and UC systems are a “high” or “very high” priority — 70% — but how few would pay additional dollars to maintain even current funding. So how should state lawmakers maintain current funding or even increase it to the levels of a few years ago? Increase student fees? 69% say no. Admit more out-of-state students who pay higher tuition? 52% say yes… unless it means fewer slots for in-state kids, in which case only 20% say yes. Only finding money for higher ed construction projects through selling bonds (borrowing) finds majority support, with 58% of those polled approving. Critics of additional taxes will no doubt say that there are other places in the state budget to save money and redirect it to higher education; even Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger pretty much solidified that notion in his 2010 trial balloon idea to link higher ed and prison spending.
Read full article [here].
by John Myers, KQED News.