It's a pattern. If times are hard then college professors like everyone else should tighten their belts and make do without raises. But the economy has not been bad in Alabama during the last several years. Increases in per capita incomes in the state has more than kept pace with inflation. Unemployment has dropped.
Public revenues are up.
All things considered, the economy of the state has improved over the last several years and is still improving. It is certainly growing at a rate equal to the region and the nation. An answer as to why there is a problem with the funding of higher education can be found in last Spring's battle over the education appropriation. Unfortunately in most peoples minds, the battle was defined as one between K-12 and higher education. The pot of money was defined as the educational trust fund.