Dive Brief:
- One Georgia legislator is using his position on the budget committee to influence policies on individual college campuses in the state, both public and private.
- From campus rape to free speech to how colleges spend their money, Earl Erhart (R) has been known to threaten direct appropriations and the approval of construction bonds for campuses whose policies go against what he sees as appropriate, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.
- Georgia University System Chancellor Steve Wrigley says public colleges should be accountable to the public, including legislators, and he doesn't find Erhart's meddling as an overreach of authority — but higher education advocates are hesitant to agree, saying there needs to be some autonomy for institutions, particularly those that do not fall under the public system's governance structure.
Dive Insight:
The story out of Georgia makes an impenetrable case for a need for strong legislative engagement. If a lawmaker can threaten to hold funding or approve construction bond projects because he believes a campus didn't afford someone due process after being accused of rape or didn't let someone speak on campus, it is even more critical for institution leaders to start the lines of communication and get on that legislator's good side before a specific incident occurs.
There is a growing sense that public institutions should be more accountable to taxpayers, whether that be around student outcomes, affordability or any number of administrative decisions on campus. But for private institutions, the biggest message is you are also not above reproach and scrutiny. Erhart's crusading found institutions like Emory University caught in the crosshairs, which doesn't bode well for smaller schools. Still, the best strategy is establishing a relationship and two-way dialogue with elected officials to help communicate the college's economic impact on the state and convey the return on investment any state yields for the overall economy.