Article, Chronicle for Higher Education, November 19, 2004
http://chronicle.com/free/v51/i13/13a02201.htm This article from the Chronicle of Higher Education looks into the growth of lobbying dollars being spent by private colleges and universities. The article begins with an interview of Abraham Lackman, the president of the New York State Private-college Association.
Recently, Lackman spearheaded a new lobbying campaign to convince lawmakers to provide state money for new private college construction projects. Lackman believed he could convince the New York legislature that some help from the state in this category could jumpstart the economy and provide many new jobs.
The lobbying efforts in New York echo many other efforts by private college lobbying associations across the country. Proponents in those states argue that private schools, together educating hundreds of thousands of students, contribute greatly to the public good of a state. They graduate educated workers, often helping to offset labor shortages in certain fields. They also generate millions of dollars for the state's economy by attracting out of state college students who are avid consumers.
There are many that opposed public aid to private colleges. As one can imagine, officials responsible for bringing public money to public schools think this new push is an outrage. Barbara Bowen is the president of CUNY's Professional Staff Congress, which is the union that represents thousands of staff within the public CUNY system.
Bowen claims that the state of public college financing is dire, and that many of the CUNY campuses are falling apart because of a shortage of funds. According to Ms. Bowen, the state shouldn't give money to private institutions until its public schools are taken care of.
