Americans used to trust colleges and universities to hire faculty and admit students on the basis of merit and to teach students without indoctrination. Unfortunately, this deference has waned significantly in recent years. As governors and state lawmakers shape state budgets, here are some ways for democratically elected leaders to express their preferences for higher education.
First of all, policymakers in most states are allowed to tie specific language to higher education appropriations. Even if that is something new, it usually can be done.
Second, as many legislators already know, just about any policy idea can be translated into budget language. The language could be, “No public institution of higher education may spend funds to,” or “provided that no public college may receive funds unless it,” and then finish the paragraph with the policy idea.
Perhaps the easiest and most significant reform, though, does not even require such language. Simply reduce the line items for four-year colleges and move much of this funding to career colleges. In many states, this policy makes sense for multiple reasons.
While states have done outstanding work to increase college access, that access has come at an incredible cost, not just to budgets but also to communities and to students themselves. Just look at the six-year (and eight-year!) graduation rates at most public colleges. State and federal subsidies are taking many young people out of the workforce and their home communities for four to six years, but large proportions (at many colleges, majorities) of students do not
