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The Governor of Alaska has announced a 41% budget cut for the University of Alaska system. The dangers of these cuts cannot be overstated. Read more, by @DrShepherd2013: forbes.com/sites/marshall…
Public universities are an incredible resource. In addition to providing affordable education, they have an incredibly high return-on-investment, meaning they bring in more money than they cost their states. They’re also manadated to do research in the public good.
Extension programs provide expertise to people in agriculture, forestry, and fisheries. 4H is the K-12 arm of Extension, and they and similar programs provide arts, humanities, and science education and outreach for kids and adults.
As an example of “research in the public good,” my colleagues study things like logging impacts on game fish, lobster diseases, new pulp products, fighting potato pests, technology to help seniors be independent, reducing sports injuries, and treating muscular dystrophy.
The economic benefits of universities are especially high in rural places like Alaska and my home state of Maine. They bring people to study and work, and we buy homes, build families, pay taxes. Our families start businesses and bring skills and civic energy.
If you’ve got a kid attending or considering the University of Alaska or are a student, call the governor and your representatives. Write letters to the editor. Urge them to overturn this disastrous decision before it’s too late.
We’ve seen how this works: it may start in Alaska, but it won’t end there. Public education is one of the most powerful tools in a democracy. We have to fight for it.
