Guv: More money to higher ed

Budget proposes $60 million boost in college funding

Erika Gonzalez, Rocky Mountain News

Wednesday, October 31, 2007

Gov. Bill Ritter said Tuesday he will ask the legislature to increase higher-education funding next year by nearly $60 million, keeping his pledge to provide more support to Colorado's colleges and universities.

Ritter proposed a higher-education budget of $806 million for the upcoming fiscal year, an 8 percent jump from the current year.

While the majority of the funding would go directly to institutions, the governor also is proposing $7.3 million more for need- based financial aid for students. An additional $1.7 million would go to restoring cuts in work-study programs.

The governor's budget also includes $800,000 for precollegiate programs (which help increase access for disadvantaged students) and scholarships.

By funneling more money into those areas, Ritter said, "we are creating opportunities and keeping college as affordable and accessible as possible."

Affordability is a huge issue for higher-education officials, who have been forced to raise tuition - in some cases by double-digits - to make up for recent state funding shortfalls. The College Board reported last week that Colorado's four-year colleges had the second-steepest tuition rise of the 50 states this fall.

While University of Colorado President Hank Brown said the governor's proposal will help restore lost funds, he also noted that CU "still receives less support than it did five years ago," even though it has 20 percent more students.

A decade ago, 14.5 percent of the state's budget went to higher education. This year, that figure shrank to 10.3 percent.

A study commissioned by the Colorado Commission on Higher Education last year found that Colorado colleges and universities lag behind their peers nationwide in state funding by about 37 percent. Higher-ed director David Skaggs said roughly $750 million is needed to the close the gap.

But Sen. Josh Penry, R-Fruita, worries about higher education falling farther behind if the economy takes a dive.

"Higher education will be the first one thrown off the lifeboat in a period of recession," said Penry, who supports using revenue from oil and gas development to create a long-term trust fund for Colorado's colleges and universities.

Ritter spokesman Evan Dreyer declined to say where cuts may be made to pay for increased higher- ed funding. The governor will submit his entire budget to the legislature's Joint Budget Committee on Thursday.

Ritter's request

$806 million was proposed by Gov. Bill Ritter for 2008's annual higher-education budget, up $60 million, or 8 percent, from last year.

Trying to catch up

10.3% of the state's 2007 budget was alloted to higher ed, compared with 14.5 percent a decade ago.

37% how far Colorado colleges and universities lag behind their nationwide peers in state funding.

gonzaleze@RockyMountainNews.com or 303-954-5350