2015-16 State Legislative Session Priorities

The 2015-16 State legislative session is very exciting for public higher education. Here are PHENOM’s priorities and supported legislation for this session. We will continue to develop this page and provide additional resources and action items as we move further into the session. If you are interested in working on PHENOM’s Legislative Advocacy, please contact us […]

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PHENOM organizes rally on the student loan debt crisis and thanks Sen. Elizabeth Warren for Student Loan Debt Refinance Bill

Last Friday, PHENOM organized a rally in Government Center, outside of Senator Elizabeth Warren’s Boston Office. The rally raised awareness of the student loan debt crisis and expressed thanks for Sen. Warren’s introduction of the Bank on Students Emergency Loan Refinancing Act. Sen. The bill will allow qualified student loan borrowers to refinance their student loans to […]

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PHENOM Calls on Senate to Match House Funding

The Senate Ways and Means Committee has proposed a budget for public higher education that falls far short of that passed by the House of Representatives.  Most importantly, it does not fund our campuses at the levels needed to allow a freeze in student fees.  Such a freeze was proposed by UMass President Caret and […]

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PHENOM Unites Public Higher Ed Advocates

A year ago, PHENOM brought together the “Summit” coalition to unite our allies in campaigns to support public higher education.  The group has been meeting monthly at the State House, and has included representatives of unions, student groups, campus administrations, public officials, and legislative leaders. In the first few meetings, some people seemed to be […]

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What Do We Want?

Well, of course we want high quality, well-staffed, affordable public higher education accessible to all and free in the long run.   But right now, here’s what we are asking the Legislature to include in the FY 2013budget, and why.  PHENOM urges campus groups to organize students and others to call or write their legislators to […]

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Casino $$$ for Higher Ed in Conference Committee

Both the Massachusetts House and Senate have made important statements by allocating a share of projected casino revenues to public higher education.  As the casino legislation moves to Conference Committee, PHENOM applauds the coalition that made the case for this, thanks the legislators who made this happen, and – most important – remains vigilant to […]

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Gambling Revenue for Higher Education

PHENOM and all supporters of public higher education won a major victory when the Massachusetts House passed an amendment allocating a portion of the projected casino revenues to public higher education. PHENOM has no position for or against legalized gambling in Massachusetts, but fought hard to have higher education included among the programs receiving dedicated […]

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An Act to Invest in Our Communities

With the end of federal stimulus funding, we have a nearly $2 Billion budget deficit.  That means our schools, Local Aid, and emergency and health care services face deep cuts this spring.  Meanwhile, wealthy investors and high-income households have had their Bush-era tax cuts extended, worsening deficits and economic inequality. This legislation  would generate $1.2 billion without imposing […]

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