Need info about higher ed funding during Vietnam War.

[immoderate]

I graduated from college in 1967. About that time, it seemed that money available for direct funding of graduate education (scholarships, fellowships, assistantships, etc.) dropped significantly. I believed it was because of funds to the war.

Can anyone point me to some data that would verify this?

Thanks! :hi:

--imm

[immoderate]

1. A refutation would also be useful.

I need an argument settler. And my recollections are not evidence. Also this is very anecdotal, and I could be :scared: wrong.

--imm

[david_vincent]

2. Hi immoderate,

While I can't help you specifically with your request, I can maybe point you to check out Tom Mortenson's work. He recently issued a report proving that federal and state support for higher education has been steadily eroded over the last three and a half decades, and he states that the way in which it has been allowed to evaporate shows that this is the result of deliberate policies on the part of these governments, not just some kind of oversight. He is careful to indict every president since 1980 in this, regardless of party. The data prove that the federal Pell grant program has been allowed to wither to a shadow of its former self.

As for the state gov'ts, the data he presents show beyond a doubt that almost all of them have been backsliding like mad. He says that they have become less willing to financially support students pursuing degrees since people have become more mobile and therefore can't be counted on to stay within the state. This highlights the insular shortsightedness of states who only want to invest in higher ed when they can be sure that the "investment" will pay off within the state, not understanding or caring that investing in higher education benefits everyone in general and that society doesn't start or end at the state line. So State A doesn't want to support higher ed because their alumni might move to State B, and State B also withdraws support anticipating their alumni moving to State A, resulting in both states undermining society in general and hurting themselves in the process.

I'm not sure if the decline goes as far back as the Sixties, but Mortenson shows that it was definitely happening by 1980.

on edit: I think the name of his report is "Give 'em Pell!"

[immoderate]

3. Much appreciated. I'll look for it.

--imm

[immoderate]

5. You do that..

--imm

[immoderate]

4. Kickin'

You don't expect to ask anything easy, do you?

--imm