Governor Kasich has asked Ohio’s universities to work together so they can have more input into budgeting and share ideas for reducing costs. The Dispatch editorial below has more about this important step toward ensuring that our kids and grandkids can stay in Ohio to attend college and technical schools:
Gov. John Kasich has asked Ohio’s 37 public colleges and universities to figure out how to divvy up the state’s slim budget and submit a single wish list for campus construction and repairs.
Positioning the schools to cooperate rather than compete is astute.
University leaders are best-positioned to evaluate the hard choices that must be made, since they live with the problems daily and will have to live with the decisions long-term. And by making colleges sit down together to determine priorities, they cannot help but gain a better understanding of the needs of their sister institutions.
The governor focused the universities by giving them a tight deadline to draw up a common capital-improvements request: They have two months. The tight deadline will reduce the amount of time for politicking and make this a more straightforward task.
And
The upcoming budget won’t provide nearly enough, but making the colleges confer could elicit a more-disciplined request. When colleges created lists individually, they were apt to ask for more than they expected to get, leaving state officials to try to figure out priorities.
Times have changed. Schools will need to be respectful of each others’ challenges. Ohio’s public universities and colleges already are allied, having formed the University System of Ohio in 2007 to decrease duplication and share resources. Asking them to unify over a capital budget is a logical next step.
And universities have been asking for less imposition from the state and greater freedom. This should give them the opportunity to show they can handle it.
You can read the entire editorial here.
I understand we are making progress toward restoring some sanity in Ohio. I am involved in supporting my locl school system (Cuyahoga Hts.) and I understand that you are not a fan of small schools. Of course, since my kids and now my grandkids are CHS supporters, that worries me. I think that the bigger our schools become, the more they lose their focus on the kids. I am, however, a fan of embracing technology to offer things like advanced classes to a greater number of kids through classroom sharing. It is that group of kids that usually require minimal direct supervision as they are self motivated.
Another comment I have is regarding SSI. I truluy believe that program is riddled with scam artists who haave mastered the art of dumbing down their kids. I find it hard t believe that one family can have 6 or 7 kids requiring special education and as a result 6 of 7 monthly checks. I woudl hope that we can find a way to replace a monthly check with direct services tailored to speific needs of children and subsequently have a goal of “graduation” from a special education environment.
Related to that issue is the problem of identifying couples who live together, have baby after baby together, but since Mom is not married to Dad, they are eligible for all of the entitlements designed for those who have real dire situations and need a helping hand. A red flag flies in my face when I see these families take a weeks vacation in Disney and come back to their food stamps and free medical care. Am I to assume that Disney Vacations are now a “right” and not something that you deny yourself if you can’t afford it–
Whew–I feel better now!
Thanks for all you do to return Ohio to a desirable place to live and work–I was ready to move to Texas!
Mother of 4; Grandma to 10!
Mr. Kasich, I am very interested to find out how I can obtain grants for my son to go to college. He has learning disabilities and attented Springer School in Cincinnati. He went to Fenwick High School and is now in Sinclair Community College. I am single parent and has paid for his education as his father will not help. I would like information on this at your earliest convenience. Thank-you, Marcia Beck
PS. I think you are doing a wonderful job for Ohio.
It’s worth a try. However, I seriously doubt that this “loose group” will see the priorites of each others school requirements in a non parochial manner. How will this policy prohibit lobbyists from continuing their efforts to influence legislators is not clear.
I would further suggest that this “loose group” be given a budget to work toward. All requirements not within the prioritized budget would go “below the line” for future year consideration.
Looking forward to seeing responses from Ohio’s universities and colleges.