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[chronicle_moderator]

As state legislatures convene this month, Democrats will enjoy a dominance not seen since 1994. But will that shift -- a result of the November elections -- necessarily translate into more support for higher education? A Chronicle analysis has found that growth in higher-education spending in states with Republican governors largely mirrors that in states led by Democrats. A state's economic health, not the party in power, drives support for higher education, the analysis found. So will college leaders be disappointed in their expectation that newly Democratic statehouses will make academe a top priority?
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CHE, again, seems to invent a social phenomenon in order to jazz up a story.  Yes, it is the budget picture and not political party that mostly determines state expenditures for higher education.  The quotes included in the article suggest that college officials understand this perfectly, and I would be astounded if these people didn't know exactly how the system works.

This brings me to my point.  Where is this misplaced optimism that the article claims to counter?  I didn't find it anywhere in the article.  Who (other than Ms. Fisher) says that "The Democratic victories have raised expectations on college campuses"? 

J.D. Wells
West Virginia University