College administrators seeking a brief escape from the harsh realities of the current fiscal year may want to take a look at a report released today by the State Higher Education Executive Officers.

The report, “State Higher Education Finance FY 2007,” draws on a survey that found what most in higher education already knew or suspected: The fiscal year that began in July 2006 was very good and may look even better in light of the current budget constraints facing state governments.

In that year, state and local governments increased higher-education appropriations by 7.7 percent, to $83.5-billion. That translated into $6,773 for each full-time-equivalent student across the country — not as much as the historical high, of $7,595 in 2000, but 9 percent more than it was in 2005.

The growth in student enrollment also slowed slightly in 2007, but totaled more than 10 percent for the period from 2002 to 2007, the study found.

From 1982 to 2007, student enrollment increased by nearly 38 percent, while state appropriations to higher education grew more than 255 percent.

The 2008 fiscal year looked relatively rosy as well, according to the annual Grapevine survey conducted by Illinois State University, which in January found a 7.5-percent increase in state appropriations from 2007.

The new report concludes that the future isn’t so bright: “Budget conditions for 2009, however, seem less favorable in many states, and this national trend may not be sustained in the coming year.” —Eric Kelderman