Invest Today For A Strong Tomorrow
There is no debate that we are in some of the toughest economic times this state and this nation has ever faced.
Unemployment rolls are expanding and those that are employed are repeating the mantra, “I’m just happy to have a job.”
In times like these, it’s easy to panic, particularly for those in the public sector. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is facing an ever-widening deficit while the demand for services in many cases is rising. The result is an incredible stress on all corners of the public sector.
And when faced with such constraints – and uncertainty looking ahead – it’s only natural that our state and local leaders would call for cutbacks across the board, including in higher education. One such draconian cut is a proposed $100 million reduction in state support for the University of Massachusetts system, which includes its medical school campus in Worcester.
Wrong Pocket
We understand the pressure taxpayers are feeling and the need to make cuts. But in order for the commonwealth to emerge from this recession in a strong position, we must invest in our higher education system.
That point was made succinctly by Andre Mayer, senior vice president of communications and research for the Associated Industries of Massachusetts, at a recent Economic Outlook panel discussion held in Worcester.
Mayer likened the current economic turmoil to that of the 1970s. While that was a painful time in our nation’s history, much of the growth in the Massachusetts high tech sector after that recession was thanks to investments during that period made by the state in higher education and research.
We cannot let budget strife prevent us from remembering what makes Massachusetts a leader. It’s our tradition of innovation and our highly skilled workforce. Cutting back on funding for our public colleges will do irreparable damage to our workforce and put us in a vulnerable position coming out of the current recession.
The good news is that Massachusetts taxpayers will not be alone in investing in education and research.
The federal stimulus package is expected to pump billions more into National Institutes for Health (NIH) funding, which will directly benefit not only the state, but also Worcester. UMass Medical School is projecting a $70 million influx in NIH grants.
Future Focus
And while many may see that money as an unfair cost on the backs of strapped taxpayers, it’s important to recognize that research funding directly translates into jobs and future economic security. You just have to look at Nobel Prize Winner Craig Mello, the UMass researcher whose scientific discovery involving RNAi has created more than 25 jobs at Worcester-based RXi Pharmaceuticals.
Our leadership on Beacon Hill must make an investment in higher education a priority. While it’s ROI is not always immediately apparent, our public institutions of higher learning are producers of ideas and innovation.
The next founder of a tech powerhouse the likes of EMC may be in a freshman physics class in Amherst today.
It’s our job to make sure that student is equipped to lead this state into a strong future.
WBJ Web Partners
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