‘It’s important to invest in students,’ speakers tells higher ed members
Edward Marth, executive director of the University of Connecticut chapter of the American Association of University Professors, addressed participants at the MEA's 2007 Higher Education Bargaining Conference.
In the ongoing state budget crisis, state lawmakers could learn something from the auto industry, participants attending MEA’s 2007 Higher Education Bargaining Conference were told.
“If it’s important for Ford to invest to come up with better cars, then it’s important to invest in students to increase graduation rates and to prepare young people for work,” said Edward Marth, executive director of the University of Connecticut chapter of the American Association of University Professors, a national group that represents higher education faculty.
Marth addressed about 75 participants at the Higher Education conference, held Oct. 19-20 at Michigan State University in East Lansing. Funding was a recurring topic throughout the event, with sessions on the defunding of higher education in Michigan, bargaining issues, and Michigan’s current higher education legislative agenda.
In a general session, Marth shared successful marketing strategies to build public support for higher education, including print and broadcast advertising as well as earned media to attract attention to funding problems. In one provocative ad Marth shared, a young man was shown behind bars. The text of the ad suggested the man would be better off in prison because the state would spend more to educate him there than it would in college.
In another effort, Marth described an attack on corporate welfare that helped the University of Connecticut. The state provided corporate welfare to lure companies to locate in Connecticut, and later paid money to companies that promised not to leave.
“We used that, and said, guess what institution isn’t going to leave the state, ever?” Marth said. “…The elected leaders were convinced we were about promoting a better University of Connecticut and better opportunities for students and families in Connecticut.”
Michigan Association for Higher Education
MAHE represents the faculty and staff at Michigan community colleges and public universities.