October 22, 2004

Lobbying to Bring Home the Bacon

In pursuit of earmarks and to influence policy, higher education has become a major player on Capitol Hill

By JEFFREY BRAINARD

Washington

Part of an occasional series of articles exploring how colleges lobby in Washington and state capitals.

Colleges and universities have significantly raised their spending on lobbying the federal government in recent years, as more college officials look to Washington to help pay for new programs and buildings.

Academic institutions reported spending a total of $61.7-million on lobbying in 2003, more than double the amount they spent just five years ago, according to a