Issued by the AASCU Task Force on Making Public Higher Education a State Priority
Ensuring affordable access to high quality and productive U.S. public colleges and universities is critical to bolstering states’ and the nation’s economic competitiveness. Yet, current trends involving state higher education funding reductions, increasing college prices, growing student debt and insufficient institutional outcomes are constraining the ability for states to meet vital educational, workforce and economic goals.Charting a path to economic prosperity requires the establishment of a new partnership between state government and public higher education. The partnership will require the forging of a strategic and shared state agenda that fully leverages the capacity of public colleges and universities to meet state needs and objectives.In calling for a new compact between states and public higher education, the AASCU Task Force on Making Public Higher Education a State Priority presents in this report a contextual assessment of the state political environment affecting higher education and offers a set of values, commitments and strategies higher education leaders can embrace as part of a comprehensive effort and urgent need to establish a new partnership with state political leaders. View:Media ReleaseExecutive Summary (pdf)Full Report (pdf)
The Creating a New Compact report is a product of the AASCU Political Perceptions and Policy Priorities Project.