President’s Forum Panel on the Future of the Public Research University

It occurred to me that there are some themes that this panel will cover that fit very well with the themes in our class, and that you all might not know that this panel was happening.....

President’s Forum Panel on the Future of the Public Research University
November 30th, 2010
9-10:30 AM, PMU Ballroom, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN

Public research universities in the U.S. have long balanced access with excellence, and the synergy between the learning, discovery and engagement missions has created an intellectual environment that is distinct among university systems worldwide. Yet, the states have been gradually disinvesting from public higher education.  This trend began decades before the recent recession, and there is no clear mandate from the taxpayer that this trend should slow down or reverse course.  What then, does the future hold for public research universities?  An extrapolation of the trends over the past three decades would suggest that the states will have almost entirely disinvested in 10-20 years.  Some, such as Colorado and Oregon, are already on or past the precipice.

Is this trend reversible?  Is the problem that the public research universities have not demonstrated their impact to the taxpayer, or is the impact evident, but judged by the taxpayer to be poorly aligned with the common good?

If the divestment trend continues, how will public research universities adjust?  The current model of state appropriations funding the bulk of faculty and staff salaries will have to change.  Fund raising from private sources will become increasingly important.  Unless the endpoint is privatization, a new model will be needed for tuition in order to preserve access.

The Federal government seems poised to contract spending in R&D.  Universities already derive a portion of research expenditures from their general funds.  How will this be sustainable?  Energy, healthcare and compliance costs are rising much faster than inflation.

The panelists will address the following questions from different perspectives:

1.    How can public research universities make their case to the taxpayer?  Economic development leading to growth of jobs in high-profit-margin industries?  Preparing tomorrow’s leaders?  Crossroads to the world? Synergies between research and learning?


2.    As we approach a point where seeking greater efficiencies shows diminishing returns (e.g., mature campus with 95% first year retention, 90% 6-yr graduation rate, year-round facilities usage; optimal administrator/student and faculty/student ratio) how will public universities maintain access while raising tuition to counter decreasing state appropriations?  Is there another source of revenue (national universities with federal support of the general fund? massive private foundation support for a small number of transformational institutions?)


3.    Are there other models for state appropriations that better reflect the taxpayer’s perception of value? (vouchers for resident students instead of residency-based tuition?; division of the university into state-supported and private components – the Cornell model; tuition rebates or loan forgiveness for students who are employed within the state after graduation, etc.)


 

Panel Organization(tentative)

Introductory remarks:  France Córdova, president (10 minutes)

Moderator:  Rabindra Mukerjea, Executive Director of Strategic Planning and Assessment (introduces president; introduces panelists; manages clock; moderates Q&A; makes concluding remarks)

Panelists and Schedule:·     Tim Sands, Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost (The Future of Public Research Universities in the US – 10 min) ·     Teresa Lubbers, Commissioner, Indiana Commission for Higher Education (The Evolving Role of Public Research Universities in the State of Indiana – 10 min)·     Al Diaz, Executive Vice President for Business and Finance, Treasurer (Financial Trends and Possible Futures for Purdue University – 10 min)·     Joan Fulton, Professor of Agricultural Economics and University Senate Chair (Senate perspective/economics perspective – statement?) ·     Brad Krites, Student Body President (student perspective – statement?)·     Mark Lundstrom, Don and Carol Scifres Distinguished Professor of Electrical & Computer Engineering (faculty/research perspective - statement?)·     Q&A with audience (all panelists – 25-45 minutes)