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Taking Stock of the Past Week
Maybe it’s just a sign of the times when an earthquake that many in New England felt this week gets lost in a blizzard of activity coming from Washington, DC.
While the Trump administration’s attempt to freeze trillions of dollars in federal grants and loans – only to be rescinded a mere 48 hours later – was a needless and frustrating exercise, it also provided a valuable lesson. We all experienced the Commonwealth’s collective gasp at the realization of the immense and devastating impact this would have on our state. The strengths for which Massachusetts is known – among them health care, higher education, research and clean tech – all stood to suffer tremendous damage. Regardless of why the order was rescinded, whether that decision now will be reversed, and what action the courts take, what’s clear is the critical need to come together as a state to plan for what lies ahead.
With uncertainty in DC being the only thing that is certain, it’s a good time to reflect upon and appreciate what we have here in Massachusetts and why it matters so much. And as it relates to higher education, why we need to double down for our students and our schools if we are going to thrive going forward in a deeply difficult environment.
Since her election, Gov. Maura Healey’s administration has listened to and supported our missions of research and learning. They understand and respect private higher ed’s role as this state’s economic engine, its foundational sector, the place where the jobs, the patents and the new innovative companies come from.
Many of the Governor’s initiatives to keep Massachusetts competitive require partnering with higher education to tap into cutting – edge technology and research. For example, the Mass Leads Act, which provides close to $4B in capital authorization and tax incentives, leverages the knowledge and research happening at our colleges and universities to drive climate change solutions and innovations. And on AI, where the Healey administration has established an AI Hub task force manned by our institutions’ AI leaders to make our state and our institutions “a national leader in artificial intelligence innovation.” The Governor also recently awarded $12.4M through the Behavioral Health Trust Fund to financially support behavioral health students completing unpaid internships and field placements - more than $8M went to the thousands of students training for a career in behavioral health at 25 AICUM institutions.
Compare these thoughtful investments with the threats and uncertainty coming from DC:
Attacks on student aid; on research funding that helps drive so many jobs; patent producing work and medical breakthroughs across our campuses; and the destruction of efforts to promote campus communities where people of all backgrounds and experiences can thrive. Arguably no state in the country has more to lose from these attacks on higher education than Massachusetts. For these reasons and more, it’s crucial for Governor Healey, Senate President Spilka and Speaker Mariano to continue efforts to fuel research and help plug growing opportunity gaps – and do more for our low- and middle-income students and keep as many people in the state as possible.
Elected officials often refer to budget proposals as an expression of the state’s values. This is why now is the time for the state to double down on funding for all low- and middle-income students, including those who choose to attend a private college or university. In the face of current threats, the state needs to be making it easier – not harder – for students of all backgrounds to stay in the state to attend the college of their choice. Unfortunately, that has not happened yet.
Since the passage of the Fair Share amendment, the state has made significant new investments in public higher education, including financial aid programs, the adoption of free community college for all residents, and last-dollar scholarships. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: AICUM supports these important investments as part of the commitment to providing multiple pathways to higher education for all deserving students in Massachusetts. The state’s worthy investment in public higher education need not preclude support for low-income Massachusetts students who, for any number of valid reasons, choose to attend a private college or university. Financial aid should not be a zero-sum game, and the fact that we have seen an absence of any new support for such students is concerning.
The current environment in DC makes clear the need for the state to support the Massachusetts students who attend private colleges and universities in the Commonwealth. It makes no sense for our economy to do otherwise. Where do we get the STEM graduates who drive research, medicine, startups and patents? Eight out of 10 STEM graduates attend a nonprofit private college or university. In health care, this state’s most pressing workforce need, nearly 80% of the degrees awarded come from the private institutions. If we want more STEM or health care workers, we need to help the students who go to the schools that educate them.
With Massachusetts seeing an outward migration of residents – most between the ages of 24-32 – policies to keep them in the state should be at the forefront. Without that, we face the prospect of losing the fuel that drives this state’s economy – our smart, educated workforce.
Rob McCarron
President and CEO
AICUM
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