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Economic Development 101: D.C. Think Tank Focuses on Harm of State Higher Education Cuts
Last week, the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (D.C.) released a grim report “Recent Deep State Higher Education Cuts May Harm Students and the Economy for Years to Come” that highlighted the impact of drastic cuts to higher education nationwide following the 2008-9 recession. According to the report, these cuts will have a negative impact on our nation’s long-term recovery.
One of the biggest attractors of businesses to a region is the quality and education of its workforce. Although tax rates, access to infrastructure, and low utility costs are important magnets for business investment, so is an educated workforce.
The other side of this economic development plan is that an educated workforce generates middle-class jobs that sustain an economic recovery. For instance, according to the Georgetown Center on Education and the Workforce, by 2018, 62 percent of all jobs will require some form of college education, up from 28 percent in 1973.
PASSHE Board of Governors ratifies contracts for faculty and coaches
Today the PASSHE Board of Governors unanimously approved ratification of both tentative contract agreements with APSCUF faculty and coaches. It was a long, challenging negotiations process, but APSCUF and PASSHE reached agreements that were fair to faculty, coaches, and students.
Both negotiations teams and the negotiations committee appreciate the overwhelming support from faculty and coaches during the process and the strong showing of solidarity at the PASSHE Board of Governors meeting in January. Because of our collective efforts, we were able to settle contracts with the State System that preserve quality public higher education for our students.
APSCUF urges members to take action to stop liquor privatization
*URGENT: Legislative Action Needed on Liquor Privatization*
House Bill 790, pushed by Governor Corbett and sponsored by Majority Leader Mike Turzai, passed out of Committee yesterday. HB 790 would privatize the liquor states and end the valuable asset that generates more than $500 million dollars a year for Pennsylvania. Privatizing would mean a loss of that revenue and the potential for public higher education appropriations to be affected with this budget gap. Privatizing also means a loss of 5,000 middle class jobs, many of them held by our union friends in the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1776 (UFCW).
The plan will likely be voted upon on Thursday, possibly Wednesday, so we are asking our membership to act now!
APSCUF faculty vote to ratify contract with State System
Today faculty members belonging to the Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Faculties (APSCUF) ratified a tentative contract agreement between APSCUF and the State System of Higher Education (PASSHE).
Over 95 percent of the faculty who voted supported the ratification. A simple majority vote was needed to ratify the contract.
“Faculty members at our universities are dedicated to providing students with a high quality education. The overwhelming support for this agreement illustrates the commitment our faculty have to our students and our institutions,” said Dr. Steve Hicks, president of APSCUF. “This is a balanced contract that preserves and maintains quality public higher education in the Commonwealth.” read more…
PASSHE Appropriations Hearings
On Monday, March 4, Peter Garland, Acting Chancellor of the State System of Higher Education (PASSHE), testified before the House Appropriations Committee about PASSHE’s budgetary needs. On Tuesday he offered similar testimony before the Senate Appropriations Committee. While there was a wide range of topics discussed at the two hearings, many of the questions from legislators focused on how PASSHE was able to the meet the needs of the universities with a limited budget.
In early February, Governor Corbett announced that the state’s higher education institutions, including the state-related institutions, PASSHE universities, and community colleges, would receive flat funding in exchange for keeping tuition increases “as low as possible.” Flat funding this year still means that the State System has experienced a loss of $90 million since the governor took office.