MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Students, staff and faculty from Alabama’s 14 four-year public universities joined lawmakers at the State House Thursday to celebrate Higher Education Day.
Higher Education Day is an annual advocacy event aimed at showing the Legislature the real people who benefit from investments in higher ed, said Higher Education Partnership’s Executive Director Gordon Stone.
Beyond the students, faculty and staff, Stone also said it’s important for lawmakers to understand that universities are “economic engines” for the state of Alabama.
Stone estimated that Alabama’s public universities return $27 billion to the state’s economy each year. The state gets in return $12.50 for every $1 invested in higher education, he said.
“It’s really important that we make that story known and that we make it known that these are real people with real dreams and real opportunities to make a difference,” Stone said. “We appreciate the Legislature investing in those dreams that will become a reality because of their investment in higher ed.”
The day kicked off with a parade in front of the State House steps featuring the Alabama State University Marching Hornets and mascots from Alabama’s universities. Students donned their universities’ colors and performed school chants as they paraded in.
Gov. Kay Ivey and several members of the Legislature later addressed students on the Capitol lawn.
Ivey shared memories from her time at Auburn University and said that Alabama’s public colleges and universities elevate the over 180,000 students who attend.
“Each of you represents the promise of the next generation…” Ivey said. “I challenge each of you to do your very best and resolve to make a difference. I wish you all much success.”
Future funding for these 14 universities will be spelled out in the Education Trust Fund budget. With ETF receipts down 2.3% for the current fiscal year, lawmakers are facing tighter revenue at the same time education costs continue to rise.
Pressure is also building in the state’s General Fund, which supports non-education agencies. General Fund revenue is expected to decline by 4.2%, and Ivey has proposed level funding for all state agencies.
House education budget Chair Rep. Danny Garrett, R-Trussville, said an emphasis for this year’s budget is keeping college graduates in Alabama. He said the education budget is “in good financial shape” this year and that he expects budget dollars to grow “modestly” next year.
“The problem we have with the Higher Ed community is that too many of our graduates leave the state, so we’re doing some things in the budget and the State House and in the governor’s mansion to try to develop programs and workforce that will keep our graduates here in the state,” Garrett said.
Garrett also said there’s a “reckoning” coming for the Public Education Employees’ Health Insurance Plan, or PEEHIP, which provides coverage for 355,000 public education employees, retirees and their dependents. Much of the debate about the education budget this year has already centered on PEEHIP.
Garrett and Sen. Arthur Orr, R-Decatur, have also announced legislation to establish a system for outcome-based funding for higher education institutions. Garrett said that bill will move through the Legislature with the budget.
Lawmakers will start public budget discussions in the next several weeks, Garrett said.