Dive Brief:
- Public college and university officials are rallying against proposed budget cuts to higher education in Missouri, which lawmakers have estimated surpass $35 million, the Columbia Missourian reports.
- Executives told legislators this week that cuts would significantly impact workforce development in key sectors like manufacturing and healthcare and limit the state’s goal of 60% of its adult citizenry holding a college credential by 2020.
- One institution, the State Technical College of Missouri, is running on $300,000 in cash reserves annually to maintain operations for the coming year. "We can’t cut our way to being revenue neutral,” said President Shawn Strong in a legislative committee hearing.
Dive Insight:
This is an effective example of college officials tying data directly to budget matters, and projecting an industrial impact from budget decisions often made without data to forecast their outcomes.
For college presidents, the best strategy is to ensure that these details reach persons who are beyond the state house to make sure that companies with powerful lobbies are aware that their bottom lines could be affected by negative funding actions against higher education. White papers, editorials, research reports and institutional media all make the case for different audiences which must learn more about why investment is necessary, and why they should join in the movement to support it.