Officials at the University of Maine System in recent years have approached the Legislature carefully. Cautious about public reaction, thankful for what funding they have gotten, they slowly repaired the system’s reputation, which suffered from various administrative mistakes in the first part of the 1990s. But now with state budget spurting money like a fountain and with some concrete examples of what the system can do with a relatively small investment, they are asking for a bit more. Their request is justified.

Specifically, Chancellor Terry MacTaggart has asked for $28.4 million in additional funding to lower tuition within the Community College partnership, expand student financial assistance, upgrade technology in a statewide library initiative and renovate satellite facilities and campuses within the system, such as the Northern Aroostook Technology Center and the University College of Bangor.

The need for one-time capital costs to improve campuses can be seen just by walking around them. The more difficult sell in the Legislature may be the ongoing expenses, for reducing tuition and providing scholarships. Yet these expenditures are the more important. Improving access to higher education by lowering its cost is the key to getting more high-school graduates into college.

The Community College Partnership is an excellent example of this. Without adding buildings or bureaucracy, the agreement between the university system and the technical colleges allows students to start slowly at a two-year program, then transfer credits easily to continue their education. The disparity in the cost per class between UMS and the technical colleges, however, remains a barrier. The chancellor’s proposal would reduce the tuition rate within the system to the amount charged at the technical colleges — $68 per credit. Even that number is high compared with national community-college costs, especially so given Maine’s income level, but it certainly is a step in the right direction.

Legislators this session also will have the chance to expand on the public-private matching scholarships that they initiated last year. These scholarships, which add a dollar of public money for every private dollar raised, have worked well in other states, giving donors greater incentive to give and building significant funds to make a real difference in the number of students who can afford to attend college. Legislators and Gov. King should try to expand the program this session.

The university system will be competing with many other demands on the state’s surplus and not all of them can be funded. But Chancellor MacTaggart has presented a no-frills list of requests that would provide a direct benefit to Maine students. Legislators should find much to support in his plan.