Multiple Sources

Roundup: State Support for Public Higher Ed

March 29, 2018

More than half of all states relied more heavily on tuition dollars to fund their public systems of higher education than on government appropriations in FY 2017, a first in our nation’s history, according to the finding in the State Higher Education Finance (SHEF) FY 2017 report issued today. At the same time, states saw a moderate increase in state and local support for higher education, along with a slight increase in tuition revenue and nearly no change in full-time equivalent (FTE) enrollment.

The SHEF report is a comprehensive, nonpartisan analysis of educational appropriations, tuition revenue and enrollment trends in all 50 states produced annually by the State Higher Education Executive Officers Association (SHEEO). 
 
Yet despite five straight years of increases in public investments, constant dollar state support of higher education per FTE student remains $1,000 lower than before the 2008 Great Recession and $2,000 lower than before the 2001 dot-com crash. What’s more, states are increasingly dependent on tuition revenue as a major funding source for public colleges and universities, which could pose significant sustainability challenges as states continue their efforts to increase the percentage of their residents with some education beyond high school to meet their workforce needs.
 
Below are collection of news articles on the subject:


Who Foots Most of the Bill for Public Colleges? In 28 States, It’s Students
The Chronicle of Higher Education

Tuition Grows in Importance
Inside Higher Ed

In Many States, Students at Public Universities Foot Biggest Part of the Bill
The Wall Street Journal

Why Are States So Strapped for Cash? There Are Two Big Reasons
The Wall Street Journal

Flagships Go National: At U-Michigan, Nearly Half of Students Now from Out of State
The Washington Post

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