WhatsThePlanTom.com — Minnesota’s higher
education system has faced years of disinvestment by Governor Pawlenty. Tom Emmer wants to continue that
direction by cutting $400 million from the higher education budget. These cuts
will lead to significant tuition hikes for Minnesota’s college students.
Over the last decade,
tuition has more than doubled because of budget cuts. The Star Tribune reports, "Tuition at the U has doubled this decade,
raising student debt levels and parents’ anxiety along with it. For the second budget in a row,
revenues from tuition will exceed those from the state." [Star Tribune, June
10, 2010]
Parents
and students should be even more concerned with how higher education will look
under Tom Emmer. When asked about
how he would assist students so that they don’t graduate with $50,000 in debt
he said that they are on their own.
"I’m reminded that
I paid my own way. I paid my own my way through college and did it myself. A
lot of you are doing the same thing. It took me until my early thirties to pay
off the loans that I did have to take for law school. Partly it’s your
responsibility. I will tell you that right up front. You need to take control
of your destiny. You need to be responsible for it.” [MPR,
September 15, 2010]
This plan will have consequence for the state’s
economy and future economic growth.
By continuing the disinvestment in higher education, the state will fail
to train the graduates it needs to compete in the 21st century
economy.
In entirely overlooking higher education, the
Republican gubernatorial candidate has also overlooked the strong connection
between a college degree and job creation, which he talks about a lot. Most
students no longer leave high school with all the skills they need to begin a career
and require further education before entering the workforce.
This is especially true in Minnesota, whose
cutting-edge economy requires a highly educated workforce. According to a study
released this summer, 70 percent of the jobs in Minnesota will require some
kind of post-secondary education by 2018. In order to fill them, Minnesota will
have to produce 152,000 educated workers during the next eight years. [Minnesota
Daily Editorial, September 14, 2010]
For more on Tom Emmer’s plan to take Minnesota backwards, visit WhatsThePlanTom.com an TomEmmersMN.org.
