A HIGHER PRIORITY

University of Maine Chancellor Joseph Westphal admits his request for $11 million from Augusta for financial aid for the state’s poorest students will be a hard sell given the current budget deficit, exacerbated by the $113 million Department of Human Services shortfall reported to the Appropriations Committee this week. But, the state’s economic future is predicted to get brighter and then, the chancellor says, it will be time to prioritize requests for state funds. Higher education, he believes, should be at the top of the list.

There are good reasons for that. Study after study shows that people with college degrees are more prosperous than those without. In addition, increasing the number college educated workers here may entice companies to move or expand in Maine, increasing the demand for educated workers. People with good jobs pay more taxes to the state. With that money the state can increase its investment in higher education and work to bring more businesses here.

The question is when to jump into the cycle. Since Maine really hasn’t even begun to spin, a good argument can be made that a jumpstart is needed now.

Chancellor Westphal’s proposal would give a big boost to Maine students who are now struggling to afford college – or not going at all. The Congressional Advisory Committee on Student Financial Assistance reports that by the end of this decade, rising costs will deter as many as 4.4 million college-qualified high-school graduates from enrolling in a four-year college, and 2 million will not go to college at all.

The biggest hurdle is cost. According to the College Board, tuition and fees at public higher education institutions have increased 40 percent in the last decade. Last year’s jump of 12 percent was the largest increase in 25 years. Cut backs in federal financial aid programs mean that students are taking out more loans and graduating further in debt. Students from the poorest families are the least likely to take on debt in pursuit of a college education.

So, Chancellor Westphal is right to want to establish an $11 million scholarship program to fill in the gap between what students receive in federal financial aid and the cost of attending a University of Maine System campus. To qualify for the funds, a student must maintain a 2.5 grade point average and work at least 10 hours a week at a campus job. The chancellor expects 4,000 Maine students to qualify for the assistance within four years.

The question then becomes where the money will come from. The chancellor says it is not his job to tell the governor and other lawmakers where to find the funds. But, he must be willing to work with them to find where, if anywhere, $11 million can be squeezed from the state’s already tight budget. If financial projections are correct and state revenues increase substantially, Chancellor Westphal is correct that some new money should be directed toward getting more Maine students to go to college. It will pay dividends later.