Seeking A Piece of the Pie (Daily Hampshire Gazette)
Submitted by Lori Reardon on Mon, 01/12/2009 - 5:16pm.
Higher education new article date: 01/12/2009 Description: University of Massachusetts unions are lobbying to include funding for public higher education in a proposed economic stimulus package.
Seeking A Piece of the Pie
Kristin Palpini
Monday, January 12, 2009
AMHERST - University of Massachusetts unions are lobbying to include funding for public higher education in a proposed economic stimulus package.
President-elect Barack Obama is considering a package that could total at least $775 billion. Massachusetts' Project Delivery Task Force is already creating a "mobilization plan" that would outline state projects that could be funded should an economic stimulus package come to fruition.
Higher education unions said because investment in education leads to an informed and productive citizenry and investment in public colleges and universities stimulates economic activity, funding for public campuses should be part of Obama's plan.
"Public higher education (is) the key not only to the immediate economic crisis, but also the long-term rebuilding of our economic vitality," said Randall Phillis, incoming president of the Massachusetts Society of Professors UMass Amherst chapter, in a statement.
UMass unions, which include the MSP, American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees local 1776, Graduate Employee Organization, Professional Staff Union and the University Staff Association, have enlisted the help of U.S. Rep. John W. Olver, D.-Amherst, in making their funding pitch. Olver has pledged to bring the unions' request to the House Appropriations Committee, a group central to the passage of a stimulus package.
"As a former college professor, Congressman Olver understood their concerns, as well as the issues underlying their concerns," said Sara Merriam, Olver's communication director, who added that Olver met with unions Jan. 2 in Amherst. "He plans to bring the group's concerns to House leadership's attention."
The unions are making six arguments in favor of economic support: demand for education is rising, for example, applications to UMass Amherst are up 29 percent this year; education gives the state a competitive edge; an investment could prevent layoffs in the education field; investing in public higher education generates economic activity, for example a $1 investment in UMass generates $8 in economic activity, according to a university study; America is already falling behind in training an educated workforce when compared to some other countries; and the nation has an overall need for an educated workforce.
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