Oregon’s Higher Ed Cuts In Perspective

Chuck Sheketoff

The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities recently published state fact sheets showing the extent to which each state has cut funding for higher education. The cuts threaten the economic futures of students and states.

Oregon has cut funding for four-year public colleges and universities by 37.9 percent per full-time student since 2008, giving Oregon the distinction of ranking fourth among the top ten states with the steepest cuts to higher education budgets. Oregon tuition has increased by more than $1,900. This trend makes college less affordable and jeopardizes quality.

Will the 2015 Oregon legislature raise the necessary revenue to address this problem? Will it at least not make matters worse by resisting shortsighted tax cuts to profitable corporations and the wealthy?

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Chuck Sheketoff is the executive director of the Oregon Center for Public Policy. You can sign up to receive email notification of OCPP materials at www.ocpp.org.

By Chuck Sheketoff March 06, 2015