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Worried about reverse immigration, the loss of white collar jobs to countries with increasingly skilled workforces, some states are forging new social compacts to keep the good jobs at home. As Arizona State University President Michael Crow wrote before a recent turning-point election, "I propose a new model for an American research university, one that does not just engage in community service but rather takes on major responsibility for the economic, social and cultural health of its community." Arizona voters responded by approving a sales tax increase that is earmarked for research and education in science and technology. California voters followed suit with their endorsement of a general revenue bond that will raise more than $4 billion for university facilities and stem cell research. Inspired by similar, more modest developments in other states, the Salt Lake City Chamber of Commerce and its associated businesses have endorsed an initiative that will support the state's two major research universities by pumping new dollars into research at the forefront of such promising fields as biotechnology and into badly needed laboratory space. As Utah digs out of its worst slump since 1954, USU and UU officials hope state legislators will recognize the economic value of investing. When it comes to convincing alumni to invest, university leaders say their case is especially compelling. Says Hall, "Investing in public higher education is an opportunity to change lives, make a difference to the country and the world, and foster values of lasting impact." Vice President for University Advancement Scott Mietchen has witnessed the impact of alumni giving in his former job at the University of Utah. "A gift to higher education can be incredibly rewarding. You can help send the first in a family to college. You can help a team of researchers discover the gene for a deadly birth defect in livestock." Says USU trustee Richard Shipley '68 '69MA, who has invested many times in his alma mater: "We give our alumni an opportunity to do something with their lives. Giving back to the university is an opportunity to impact someone else's life." Students at public universities have always been subsidized. In the past taxpayers in Utah have covered up to 80 percent of the cost of educating college students. But even in relatively flush times, when states had fewer demands to juggle, students contributed too. What's unprecedented today is the degree to which students are footing the bill. At Utah State, tuition has been bumped up by nine percent a year during the past three years, double the average annual increase of previous years. Despite the hikes, Utah State's tuition still ranks where it always has, among the lowest in the country. At $2,850 for state residents, Utah State's tuition trails the average by 16 percent regionally and 33 percent nationally among comparable universities. Even though Utah State still provides one of the most affordable college educations in the country - the 4th best buy in the United States, according to Consumers Digest, students have complained about the price increases. USU students come from larger families and marry at younger ages than their counterparts in other states, and few can rely on their parents for help with school and household expenses. more
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