May 13, 2008

Colorado Set to Fill Hole in Higher-Education Construction

Gov. Bill Ritter of Colorado stood in front of an infamous hole in the ground at the Auraria Higher Education Center on Monday to sign a bill giving colleges at least $200-million to help pay for a dozen construction projects across the state, the Cherry Creek News reported.

The hole is the site of a planned science building, where construction was briefly put on hold in March after the legislature yanked $37.5-million for the project. Lawmakers subsequently reversed course and passed a measure to raise oil and gas taxes to pay for that building as well as 11 more.

The construction money comes on top of a 9-percent increase that Colorado lawmakers doled out to higher education from the state’s general fund in next year’s budget. Governor Ritter, a Democrat, also is backing a ballot measure to raise state scholarship funds by an estimated $120-million. —Eric Kelderman

Comments

1. Until Ritter was elected, the higher ed picture in Colorado varied between bad and worse. At least now there is action. We came very close to privatizing higher education in this state due to lack of funding…and it could happen in about two years when a 5-year vote allowing us to retain some tax revenues runs out.

   — Al    May 13, 05:04 PM    #

2. The hole isn’t filled yet- we’ll have nice new buildings full of the dead bodies of people who have died of overwork for lack of enough faculty and staff. There is still a lot to be done- we are still reeling from the cuts, cuts, cuts and simultaneous student growth of the 80’s, 90’s and on… One of many very tired but dedicated professionals in Colorado.

   — MAD    May 13, 08:20 PM    #

3. Too little and much too late. TABOR combined with State Legislative incompetence has doomed higher ed in Colorado for generations to come. Yes, #2, there are many dedicated professionals that have tried to maintain standards, but eventually the State gets what it pays for…and Al (#1) is correct: if the TABOR hiatus is not made permanent, Colorado will have no choice but to go private, and Douglas Bruce’s dream of denying privilege based on class will be one step further to fruition.

   — J    May 13, 08:44 PM    #

4. Amen. One band-aid after another, even at the $200 million dollar level will not fix the structural problems in this state. America and Colorado are still on a downward spiral due to lack of investment in the future, whether that’s replacing bridges, cleaning the air and water, or educating the next generations. The rich elite and wanna-be elite just don’t get it. They want something for nothing in the short term, without the commitment our grandfathers and great-grandfathers made in this country. Wake up America! Wake up Colorado!

   — R_vt    May 14, 08:17 AM    #

5. I am at least glad to see some spending (“any” spending) on higher education in Colorado. Due to continuous cuts, my wife was laid off from her community college job after 18 years of service. She was eventually called back and given the duties that three individuals had performed before the cuts began. Added to her original duties as a facilities manager, she was now also the purchasing agent and an accounting clerk.

   As implied by #2, my wife didn’t die of overwork – she just retired as a result of it.

   — Dr. J    May 14, 11:00 AM    #

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