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Ÿ The
state should prepare a consolidated state funding menu for
post-secondary education that allows policy-makers to target
the highest needs for student access, research, and public
services across community colleges, public universities, and
independent institutions.
Ÿ
The
new budget should be organized in four categories:
student access, research, public service, and targeted
investment. As this framework is developed, critical state
funding priorities include:
Ÿ
Helping
students of limited financial means gain access to higher
education. This is particularly important as tuition rises to
offset declining state support.
Ÿ
Supporting
continued investment in engineering and computer science
education, which are critical to Oregon’s knowledge-based
economy.
Ÿ
Targeted
investments in signature research and tech transfer to support
the development of existing and emerging traded sector
industry clusters.
Ÿ
As
part of the development of this budget, the Governor should
draw on the recommendations of
ETIC,
OCKED,
and the Workforce
Investment Board
to identify critical investments in support of economic
growth.
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In
2003, the
budgets for community colleges, public universities, and
independent institutions were not consolidated and it was very
difficult to see the tradeoffs among competing needs. The Oregon University System budget remained opaque to
policy-makers, creating considerable disgruntlement. While there were selective funding successes (need-based
aid was increased to partially offset anticipated tuition
increases, engineering investment was sustained and new
investments were made in technology transfer), the overall
budgeting framework remains muddy.
Governor Kulongoski in November 2004 set out a bold agenda to
invest in post-secondary education in support of access and
economic growth, and appointed a new Board for the Oregon
University System in support of this agenda.
This sets the stage for major rethinking of priorities
and budgets.
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