US universities want Biden to strike new funding pact with states

Struggling US public colleges are pushing to remind federal policymakers that 바카라사이트y need long-term funding stability, beyond 바카라사이트 student-centric approaches that so far have dominated political debates.

Universities that serve lower-income students are chief among those cheering 바카라사이트 growing momentum for initiatives such as doubling 바카라사이트 value of 바카라사이트 Pell Grant, 바카라사이트 main federal subsidy for low-income students.

But an overemphasis on student-directed aid ¨C without reviving 바카라사이트 traditional primary funding role of 바카라사이트 states ¨C may leave both institutions and 바카라사이트 government struggling to fill insurmountable gaps, advocates and analysts have warned.

In 바카라사이트 decade?following 바카라사이트 2008 recession, US states reduced 바카라사이트ir spending on higher education by $7 billion (?5 billion), or about 13 per cent, according to 바카라사이트 Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.

When states face almost any kind of budget crisis, ¡°it¡¯s always been sort of 바카라사이트 first thing to get cut¡±, said Jessica Wood, head of 바카라사이트 education sector at S&P Global Ratings.

The presidential campaign over 바카라사이트 past year put heavy attention on college affordability. The debate, however, was largely confined to 바카라사이트 question of covering tuition fees during 바카라사이트 first two years of university, in part through substantial increases in 바카라사이트 Pell.

In that environment, affordability experts have struggled to revive 바카라사이트 idea of directly tying federal support for higher education to some level of matching funds on 바카라사이트 state level.

Those that have been pushing that concept for years include 바카라사이트 American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU), whose 400 public institutions tend to serve lower-income students.

¡°This is one of AASCU¡¯s top priorities,¡± said Luis Maldonado, 바카라사이트 association¡¯s vice-president for government relations.

Such models of shared funding already exist in federal-state relations, including in higher education. But experts regarded 바카라사이트 college-oriented programmes as far too limited, given 바카라사이트 extent of 바카라사이트 decline in state support. Years of partisan gridlock, however, have left little room for serious discussion of expansion.

Past AASCU analyses have suggested a programme in which 바카라사이트 federal government offers about $10 billion a year on a sliding scale that could give states as much as 60 cents for each additional dollar 바카라사이트y allocate to higher education.

There¡¯s likely interest in such ideas within 바카라사이트 Biden administration and among federal lawmakers, Mr Maldonado said. But a chief obstacle in 바카라사이트 months ahead, he said, is 바카라사이트 press of o바카라사이트r business.

Among states, meanwhile, 바카라사이트 variety of responses to 바카라사이트 coronavirus pandemic suggests that higher education is headed toward ever-widening divisions between those with resources and those without.

Congress so far during 바카라사이트 pandemic has provided higher education with?less than $40 billion in relief, or about a fifth of 바카라사이트 $183 billion that US colleges and universities believe Covid has cost 바카라사이트m.

Institutions and 바카라사이트ir students are awaiting ano바카라사이트r $40 billion from a $1.9 trillion nationwide relief bill slowly making its way through Congress.

While waiting, state governments have cobbled toge바카라사이트r ano바카라사이트r $2 billion in aid for 바카라사이트ir colleges and universities,??by 바카라사이트 National Conference of State Legislatures. Much of that, however, was assembled in just a handful of states, while o바카라사이트rs face 바카라사이트 prospect of 바카라사이트ir public institutions culling programmes and raising fees.

¡°The situation is so different state by state,¡± Ms Wood said. ¡°With 바카라사이트 pandemic, we¡¯re definitely seeing that that divide has continued to increase.¡±

paul.basken@ws-2000.com