PHENOM: Public Higher Education of Massachusetts

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For a great state of mind: invest in public higher education. A PHENOM INDEX - 1 Where “education of work force” ranks in reasons corporations give for choosing a location 8 Number of dollars in economic activity generated by every $1 in state investment in UMass 4.3 Total impact of the five UMass campuses on the economy, in billions of dollars 9 Number of states that decreased their support for public higher education between 2005 and 2010 9 Rank of Massachusetts in this group 25.6 Percentage by which Massachusetts decreased its support for public higher education in last 5 years 85 Percentage of Massachusetts public higher education students who stay in Massachusetts to work and pay taxes upon graduation 55 Percentage of Massachusetts private college students who are residents of the state 43 Number of states that have lower average tuition and fees at public 4-year colleges than Massachusetts 46 Massachusetts’ rank among the 50 states in per capita appropriations for higher education 53 Percent decrease in the state’s main financial aid program, MASSGrant, 1989 to 2008 3 Percentage of Massachusetts budget that goes to public higher education 6 National average, percent of state budgets that go to public higher education 4 Number of states that spend a smaller percentage than Massachusetts 49 Percent by which Massachusetts 2-year College cost exceeds the national average 135 Number of dollars that Massachusetts spends per person age 18-24 on financial aid grants 269 Dollars the average state spends 1 Number of states that cut public higher education more than Massachusetts, 2008-2010 1/2 proportion of national average that MA spends on financial aid grants per person age 18-24 5.8 percent increase in enrollment at public colleges from 2008 to 2009

P. O. Box 2281 ● Amherst, MA 01004-2281 ● Phone 413.461-3300 ● Fax 413.545.5798 ● Email:phenom@phenomonline.org ● Webwww.phenomonline.org

Join PHENOM's Campaign for a Great State of Mind:

Ask Every Candidate for Statewide and Legislative Office to Increase Funding for Public Higher Education.
CLICK HERE TO SIGN OUR STATEMENT

PHENOM engages in grassroots organizing, policy analysis, education and advocacy in leading the fight for affordable, well-funded, high quality public higher education in Massachusetts.

For a Great State of Mind is PHENOM’s multi-year grassroots campaign to have Massachusetts dramatically increase its investment in public higher education and lower the costs for students. With the rising cost of tuition and fees, immigrants, the poor, and increasingly the middle class are being squeezed out of higher education, at exactly the same time that college is becoming increasingly necessary for the well-being of our residents and for the economic future of the state. Learn more about the campaign.

Let’s Be Average! Massachusetts is 46th in the country in per capita support for higher education, and cut its support more than any other state in the last 5 years. Since 1990 funding for need-based financial aid declined by 53%, while costs have doubled at 4-year colleges and increased by 60% at 2-year colleges. PHENOM’s campaign goal is get us up to the national average in state support and down to the national average in student costs. If you agree, sign on here. See the campaign brochure – contact us and let us know how many we should send you.

See more data on Massachusetts public higher education.

Budget in Conference Committee

Senators Brewer, Knapik, and Panagiotakos, and Representatives Hargraves, L'Italien and Charles Murphy have been appointed to the House-Senate Conference Committee which will decide the fate of public higher education (and much more) for next year.
Last Updated on Friday, 16 July 2010 14:29
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PHENOM Calls on the Senate to Level Fund Public Higher Education

May 21, 2010

The Public Higher Education Network of Massachusetts today called on the Massachusetts Senate to level fund public higher education by restoring federal stimulus money that was intended for public higher education.

“While we are pleased that the Senate proposes a better budget for public higher education than did the House,” said Ferd Wulkan, chief organizer for PHENOM, “the Senate’s budget still represents a cut of 6.3% from last year’s budget, which will cause a variety of hardships for our students. Over the past five years, Massachusetts has cut public higher education more than any other state in the entire country. For the long-term health of the state, we must stop this rapid erosion of state support.”

Public Higher Education Caucus Launched in Massachusetts Legislature

The Public Higher Education Caucus of the Massachusetts House was announced in a historic ceremony attended by 200 PHENOM supporters on March 8. Rep. Garballey said, "As we all know, the future of our state is heavily dependent on a trained and educated workforce. Just as more and more of us realize this, our support for Massachusetts public colleges slips further and further behind the rest of the country, and rising fees price college out of reach for many students.

BIG CUTS LOOMING FOR PUBLIC CAMPUSES

Sunday, 09 May 2010 14:28

The Massachusetts House of Representatives passed a budget for next year that cuts public higher education by 13%. Coming on top of the cuts we have endured the past few years, this could be catastrophic for our colleges and our students. PHENOM and college administrators worked hard to pass an amendment to the budget that would have instead kept funding at this year’s (inadequate) levels.

Despite having more co-sponsors than any other amendment filed this year, the amendment (#704) to add funds to the amount appropriated for higher ed by the House Ways and Means Committee did not get incorporated into the House budget. See below for the list of Representatives who co-sponsored the amendment, and please thank them.

Hundreds Rally for A Great State of Mind

March 8 was a warm sunny day in Boston, a perfect day for a rally, a race, and a march -- all aimed at building awareness and support for A Great State of Mind, the campaign to bring Massachusetts up the national average in funding for public higher education, and down to the national average in student costs.

See a few well-captioned photos. Or see what the whole day looked like!

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