Adding to the atmosphere shift is the increasing emphasis on higher education as the state s most powerful economic development tool. Some of my colleagues have questioned this focus. We believe higher education is more than economic development. And we think it is more than a job-creating factory. Let s remember that higher education institutions employ educators to not only present information, but to challenge a student s way of thinking about that information.
Educators are also there to stimulate a healthy exchange of views and to encourage lively debates.
And upon graduation day, we need to ensure a student not only received his or her diploma, but also received a chance to discover those new ways of thinking. There is no doubt lawmakers are facing major funding challenges. As we consider next biennium s budget this session, there is likely to be much we can t afford. But we also can t afford to deny students measurable improvements in the quality of their education. We can t afford to deny opportunities to interested students.