Voters speak, support investment in higher education

Voters yesterday in two western states, Oregan and Arizona spoke in support of investing in higher education. From today's Inside Higher Education

In Arizona, voters backed Proposition 100, which will temporarily increase the sales tax by one cent on the dollar. Education ....([including] higher education) will be the primary beneficiary of the additional funds.

In Oregon, voters approved changes in bond rules that will allow public colleges and universities to use low-cost bonds to finance the purchase of existing buildings...

The Arizona measure is particularly important.

The three universities governed by the Arizona Board of Regents would have had to cut $107 million from their budgets had voters rejected the sales tax...Arizona State University might have had to cut up to 650 positions and to impose enrollment caps on certain programs. The University of Arizona was looking at eliminating up to 500 positions and [increasing] class sizes.