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Show Higher Learning Sees Cash Crisis Fletcher Calls Summit of Prexies, Cites 'Quiet Crisis' As Reason Utah's state-assisted colleges and universities are facing a financial pinch that threatens to undermine the structure of higher education in Utah as well as deprive the state of millions of dollars in economic eco-nomic benefits. This warning was issued today by presidents and directors of state universities and colleges in Utah at a meeting in Salt Lake City. Dr. James C. Fletcher, President of the University of Utah, said "This conference of higher education's educa-tion's leaders is, to our knowledge, the first of its kind in Utah." "It is essential," he said, "that there be statewide unity in seeking ways of broadening financial support for higher education in this state." President Fletcher called the mounting mount-ing money squeeze "Utah's quiet crisis" and urged citizens to be aware of the facts. "IT IS TIME the plight of our colleges and universities is made known," Dr. James C. Fletcher said, "because if something is not done and done soon, Utah may find itself at rock bottom of the nation's na-tion's academic mainstream. The problem is of direct consequence to Utah's students and to the economy econ-omy of the state. "The quality of our faculties is a issue. Dollars follow brains," he said, "and this means the quality qual-ity of our faculties becomes a controlling con-trolling force not only in the education ed-ucation of our youth but in the state's economy as well. There is an obvious correlation between California's surging economic growth and that state's reservoir of talented faculty members at its various universities." Dr. Fletcher said the University of Utah cannot continue to hold strong faculty members unless more funds can be made available. "IF THE University falters our state will falter too and we will end up being a permanent way station sta-tion between Denver and the West Coast, both educationally and economically." eco-nomically." Dr. Fletcher said that "the In-termountain In-termountain area is the only region in the United States that does not have one of the nation's top 50 institutions in-stitutions of higher learning, and that many bright students are then permanently lost to Utah when they leave to attend colleges elsewhere." else-where." "The University of Utah," he added, "has a foundation on which a strong institution can be built, one which could make the state the center for the Intermountain region in terms of economic and educational growth." But Dr. Fletcher listed a series of handicaps handi-caps that stand in the way of the University's progress toward this goal. The $586 per student appropriated appro-priated by the state legislature for Utah's 4-year colleges and universities was $348 below the national average for state-supported, four-year degree granting grant-ing institutions. Utah ranks 48th out of the 50 state universities in the United States in appropriations appro-priations per student, and the University of Utah at the very bottom among universities In the 11 western states. Events in the past have focused public attention on the elementary and secondary schools and some needed improvements have been made President James C. Fletcher added, then pointed out that since 1959 the legislature has increased state support for these schools 52 per cent per average daily attendance. attend-ance. But for Utah's institutions of higher education the increase has amounted to only six per cent per student. THE STATE must finish the job of educating its youth. In today's world, finishing the job means providing pro-viding an adequate education beyond be-yond high school. The top level meeting was arranged ar-ranged by President Fletcher who saw a danger in the increased influx in-flux of "war babies" onto Utah's campuses combined with the declining de-clining percentage of state participation partici-pation in these campuses operating operat-ing budgets. THE MEETING brought Utah's college and university leaders together to-gether to consolidate their approach ap-proach to the stark problem of financing higher education in Utah. The session was held in the Pioneer Room of the Hotel Utah. Their problem is complicated by Gov. Calvin L. Rampton's repeated opposition to another tax increase at the 1967 Legislative session. In addition to President Fletcher, these presidents and directors of state-assisted universities and colleges col-leges attended: Dr. Royden C. Braithwaite, Director, College of Southern Utah; Df. Daryl Chase, President, Utah State University; Mr. Floyd S. Holm, Director, Snow College; Dr. William P. Miller, President, Weber State College, and Dr. John W. Tucker, Director, College of Eastern Utah. |