Face The State Staff Report
At a Friday meeting hosted by Gov. Bill Ritter, many of Colorado’s top higher education officials expressed concern over Ritter's support of a proposed plan to funnel oil and gas money into scholarships rather than directly into university operating budgets. Ritter's decision, according to insiders, was based on the fact that internal polls show that voters would reject a tax increase that would go to universities instead of families struggling to pay tuition.
BishopFTS Staff Photo
The meeting, held at the Tivoli building on the Auraria campus in Denver, was attended by officials from colleges and universities across across the state. The focus was squarely on Ritter's support of a proposed November ballot initiative that would eliminate a property tax credit for oil and gas in Colorado. The initiative, if passed by voters, would result in a tax increase on the industry, with Ritter pledging that the extra revenue would support income-based "Colorado Promise Scholarships."
According to Ritter, the new scholarships would nearly double the amount of financial aid currently available to Colorado's college students.
But while University of Colorado President Bruce Benson told Ritter that CU needs direct infusions to its operating budget, speculation was rampant at Friday's meeting that Ritter had made the decision to back the allocation of revenue specifically to students because the concept polled better with potential voters currently frustrated after years of scandals plaguing CU.
Publicly, Ritter told those in attendance, that “[scholarships] will expand the population who use the Colorado education system."
CU Regent Tillie Bishop, R-Grand Junction, asked Ritter how he expects universities to accommodate increased applicants and enrollment without an increase to their operating budgets.
Ritter responded by emphasizing that the state's higher education institutions would have to make that case to voters themselves or to the state legislature. “It is incumbent on you to "make the operational case for higher education.”
Bishop was not satisfied with the response. "If we get more students as the result of more aid but don't have the budget, what does the Governor expect us to do?" Bishop said. "We need more faculty and more classrooms, but it looks like we have to come up with that ourselves."
groundhog day
On April 29th, 2008 Libertad says:
Another premature Ritter trigger pull. All great until the reporters peel back the first layer of the onion, then eyes swell and you must turn away.
This seems like SOP for the administration, you'd think they'd at least get the 1st university presidents and board to buy in ...... along with the industry they are setting to jack up taxes on.
Not stunned anymore
Where is the leadership
On April 28th, 2008 dgpgrove says:
King Bill is not a leader, as indicated he is just like most of the Dems, he rules by polls. He looks at the polls to determine which way the wind is blowing and that is the way he goes. True leaders do what is right, not what the polls say. He panders to the unions and the polls. With only 7% of the workforce being union, he is alienating the remaining 93%. If only he would pay closer attention to those polls.
Sounds like...
On April 28th, 2008 prk166 says:
If they they get more students without more aid, then tuition will go up for everyone with the lucky few to get a state scholarship the ones not feeling the pain.
Any chance we can get these public universities to reform themselves enough to affect their costs?