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Show I University funds below standard! By Randy Dryer The days of bargain basement higher education in Utah are over. We cannot continue at our present level of commitment to our colleges and universities any longer without financially shutting out more and more students or drastically reducing the quality of their education. The dollar dilemma and the students case for higher education is being handled and reviewed by the Legislative Relations committee on campus. The committee consists of Stanford Smith, Dave Irvine, Randy Dryer and Judy Finlinson. uir-- Utah ranks fifth in the nation in its per tax payer effort to support ( - higher education. Our problem is H """ we let this impressive figure blind 1 , us to the fact that we have the fy 'V country's,' third highest birth rate I if' and rank at the top in the I 1 f '" ' ' percentage that goes to college. I ' j W ' "J! In the years 1960-1968, higher I L t. - education appropriations in the 1-- United states increased 216 per cent. The increase in Utah, however was only 156 per cent. Utah's 44th These factors combine to make Utah 44th in the nation in the amount of money the state appropriates for each student's education, and this hurts! It explains why Utah's college classes are 54 per cent more crowded than the national average, why the salaries we pay our professors are 10.6 per cent below average, and why resident tuition rates in Utah are the highest of any western state! In the United States the average state supported institutions spend $1,677 per full time student. 1 :th spends approximately $1,181, or 30 per cent beinv the national average. Tuition As Funds Rising costs and enrollment have forced our colleges to turn more and more to tuition fees as a source of funds. In 1959 students Dick cent of their educational tab. Today 2RP 22 h the total instructional dollars come fromJi?tCtlto! of students, and the proportion is riane wk ' the past eight years Utah's rate 0U S increase for higher education has been below the national average. a Given this immediate threat to our nn universities, the citizens of Utah are now f 11(1 some difficult decisions. titk Must Contribute More Tax payers and tuition payers must both h to contribute more to Utah's colleges anH , if the "dollar dilemma" is to be solved Th""8 is too deep and urgent to be dismissed??',? deceptively simple phrase: "Our institutions Jl' merely become more efficient." ImaeinatL courage have been substituted for money in 2 but this is becoming increasingly difficult as t ff delivers more customers and less money to t institutions of higher education. A poll conducted by the Legislative Relation, Committee showed state legislators are willing to Cnrt additional revenue or increase taxes in order I procure more money for higher education. HowJ it would be political suicide for a legislator to vote for a tax increase unless he has constituent support. Write Legislator The only way a legislator can be sure he has the support of his constituents, you and your parents, is if they write him. Twenty thousand letters to the state capitol would raise a few eyebrows. Wednesday, the Utah Coordinating Council of Higher Education met and discussed the Master Plan for Utah's colleges and universities. The finalized Master Plan and the council's budget request to the legislature will be presented on Dec. 1. Gov. Calvin L. Rampton said the council will be looking for student reaction between now and Dec. 1. The University needs your help now. Save Utah's institutions of higher learning. ONLY IGNORANCE IS FREE. SUPPORT HIGHER EDUCATION. |