The 38 States That Have Slashed Higher Education Spending

[xchrom]

http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2013/01/the-38-states-that-have-slashed-higher-education-spending/267427/

The last few years haven't exactly been gentle to our public colleges and universities, or the students who attend them. Cash-poor state legislatures have gone to town on their higher education budgets, and as they've hacked away, tuition has risen along with the sums undergraduates have had to borrow. In total, 38 states cut post-secondary funding since the recession, many by more than a fifth.

So in that light, it sadly can be considered welcome news that just 16 states are planning to slash their spending any further in FY 2013, according to the Grapevine project at Illinois State University, which released its annual roundup of state-by-state higher-ed funding on Tuesday. The worst cuts this year are pending in Florida (8 percent), Alabama (6 percent) and New Jersey (5.5 percent). Another 16 legislatures increased their budgets by less than 2 percent, which will likely amount to a cut once inflation takes its bite. On the other hand, that means higher-ed will get a budget boost in 18 states. So let's say the glass is 1/3 full.

Even with these small improvements, though, the post-recession funding picture is still pretty grisly. First, the states that cut.

[flamin lib]

1. What? Texas not on the list? Shit! Don't let Rick Perry see this . . . nt

[xchrom]

2. !

[panzerfaust]

6. No need to slash higher education here in Texas

We all ain't really got none ter be cut - as we jus teach whats important, n steer clear of that knowledge crap

[cali]

3. so 2.6%, for example, is slashing?

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

5. I think it's all relative...

You might have a state that has been comparatively generous in supporting higher education. Even after a huge cut, they might still be funding at a higher rate than other states. Conversely, you might have a comparatively stingy state where even a small cut is painful.

The graph really doesn't tell us much.

[barnabas63]

4. It's been going on for years and years - since the early 90s.

It's one of our most important national resources, but we don't seem to care about it much.