In 1980, the state of Ohio used 17% of its budget to fund higher education. Two years ago that number was down to 12%. Timothy Cosgrove, head of the Board of Trustees at Cleveland State University says to do more with less, Northeast Ohio's state universities are going to have to adapt from being competitors to collaborators.
Timothy Cosgrove: Where we as four institutions can work closely together for developing programs - and really I think the opportunities are limitless for students of all four of the institutions - if we can really all sit back and think through what it is we can do collectively.
So Cosgrove and the CSU Board of Trustees are calling on the Ohio Legislature to establish a special council, to be made up of two representatives and the presidents of each of the region's state universities - CSU, the University of Akron, Youngstown State and Kent State.
The group would explore ways the schools can collaborate in their academic programs and perhaps consolidate services. Cosgrove says there is support among some board members. But he says a statute by the legislature could advance the idea beyond just talk.
Timothy Cosgrove: The reality of the world we live in, I think you need a carrot and stick approach -if it's simply universities sitting down and having conversations I think we could be having these conversations ten years from now. Or more troubling is at some point the legislature itself will move without us and force us in a directions that may not be as productive.
Over the years, several lawmakers in Columbus have complained of inefficiencies and duplication within the state university system. Republican House Speaker John Husted says he supports CSU's proposal, but any action the legislature might make would be largely a symbolic endorsement.
John Husted: That if they go out and work with other universities in Northeast Ohio to do some difficult work to consolidate services and become more efficient than the legislature will endorse that effort and that's exactly what we need to do.
Husted says this idea to completely rethink the way state universities conduct themselves may meet opposition from a few state legislators weary of change. But he says not taking action would mean more taxpayer money wasted and even higher tuition rates. He thinks a resolution supporting the proposal could come as soon as this fall. Lisa Ann Pinkerton, 90.3.