Why Pay to Play Matters 2006 Chapter: University Trustees Could Represent the Greatness of Ohio and Higher Education's Potential to Revitalize Ohio's Economy-

Instead its all about the contributions

This is Taft’s gift to Ohio in 2006 carrying on the great tradition of Rare Coin Dealer and Former Bowling Green University and Ohio Board of Regents Trustee Tom Noe.

My beef is not that Governor Taft is rewarding his contributors.

It’s an age-old tradition to reward your campaign contributors. 

In a world where our state's economy is booming because of strong synergy between the business and academic worlds, where every Ohioan can afford to pursue as much education as his or her god-given talents allow, where University budgets reflect the fiscal discipline of successful institutions it wouldn't be a big deal that seats on University Boards continue to be for sale in exchange for campaign contributions.

But that is not Ohio in 2006.  Tuition has soared as the state subsidy to higher education has diminished.  Our Universities have not begun to realize the opportunity for job creation from partnerships with local business communities and we have too many University Presidents earning more that $200,000 per year. 

And the politically appointed boards of trustees, have stood silent as the leaders of our state have allowed tuition to increase 50 percent in the last five years by reducing the state's support of higher education.

Here's a crazy idea.

Appoint Trustees whose loyalty is to access to higher education, or at least to the school they are responsible for directing. 

Appoint trustees whose passion is leveraging our higher education assets to improve our state's economy.

Or, appoint trustees who have the guts to stand up to overpaid university presidents and bureaucrats.

Or better yet, appoint trustees who have the guts to come down to Columbus to lobby the Governor to increase budget dollars and reduce tuition while improving the quality of education to Ohioans who want to prepare themselves for the 21st century economy.

That hasn't been happening.  With a new way of doing business in Columbus is would happen and the State would be better off.

cross posted at blogforohio.com