Higher Education 2008: Preparing for the Future Print E-mail
Colorado needs an innovative yet realistic approach to sustaining its system of higher education--an approach that prepares our students for the 21st century economy without burdening the taxpaying public. We must demand excellence, make higher ed more affordable to more Coloradans and bridge the knowledge gap.
  • Demanding Excellence. Our state’s colleges and universities need a sufficient and steady level of funding while taxpayers deserve more accountability for their higher-education dollars.
  • Tying funding to performance (SB 132 Sen. Mike Kopp, Rep. Frank McNulty). State funding for higher education is provided in part through contracts with colleges and universities, yet the funding is not tied to any particular standard of performance under those contracts. This proposal would link performance to funding.  [Introduced In Senate - Assigned to Education Committee]
  • Using revenue from oil and gas development to create a trust for higher education (Sen. Josh Penry). Responsible development of Colorado’s natural resources provides substantial financial benefit to the people of Colorado. This revenue should help local areas affected by the development, but it also can provide a long-term benefit to the state if invested in higher education.
  • Making College More Affordable. Let’s make sure a college degree is within reach for more students and their parents.
  • Preparing students and parents for the cost of a degree (HB 1152 Rep. Bob Gardner, Sen. Shawn Mitchell). Tuition costs for college often change from year to year, making it difficult for students and parents to budget. This proposal allows parents and students to lock in a tuition guarantee for the overall cost for a four-year degree.  [Postponed Indefinitely in the House Committee on Education]
  • Merit-based scholarship for economically-challenged families (HB 1238 Rep. Ken Summers, Sen. Nancy Spence). Help should be available to students who not only face financial challenges but also demonstrate the ability to succeed in college.   [Introduced In House - Assigned to Education Committee]
  • Bridging the Knowledge Gap. Too many college freshmen lack the basic academic skills they need to succeed, and the institutions where they enroll are spending scarce resources on remedial course work for those students.
  • Giving students a guarantee for the value of their diploma (Rep. Glenn Vaad, Rep. Bill Cadman). A public school district should be held accountable if its graduates reach college and need remedial courses just to catch up. We must require the responsible school district to cover that cost.
 

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