In the altered environment of the conceptual economy, higher education matters. While we are a social good and a cultural commitment, we are also an economic and personal imperative. There is reason to rejoice in this new status. We are on the agenda of policy makers. There is increased enrollment demand, and there are added incentives for new providers to enter the fray.
States have a more compelling reason to invest in higher education.
The answer, of course, is several things. The economy could weaken and may be doing so as we speak. State and federal support could decline. Higher education budgets already have been cut mid-year in Mississippi and Alabama. Endowments could atrophy.