By Dr. Douglas Allen, Ardith Ampe and Diane Jude, Lorna King, Jim Rice, Grant Patterson and Andrew Fische
“Ridgewater has given me a platform to be the first in my family to go to college. I would have been lost in a big school especially when my parents never went to any sort of school and not having any role models to look up to. The small classrooms and the attention I got from the teachers meant they treated me like family, which helped me achieve my education goal.” - Anis Iman, 2009 Ridgewater College alumnus.
We shared that comment because it’s one example of how Ridgewater College provides opportunities for students to create a better future for themselves, for their families, and for their communities.
We are writing today because legislators are currently discussing where state resources should be invested, among them funding for Minnesota State Colleges and Universities, which of course includes Ridgewater College in Hutchinson and Willmar.
Maybe you’ve heard about our funding request and maybe you’ve been wondering what it’s for and why it’s so important. If that’s the case, here is what you need to know.
Our colleges and universities have two primary sources of funding: tuition from students and appropriations from the state of Minnesota. Because of actions taken by the legislature and Gov. Dayton, we have frozen tuition for the last two years, making college a lot more affordable for students in Willmar and Hutchinson area.
With the exception of a funding increase last session, over the past 15 years, state support for higher education has been on a steep decline. Since 1999, Minnesota has cut funding by 53 percent.
We used to lead the nation when it came to supporting our state colleges and universities but now we lag far behind. Once we were 21 percent above the national average and now we’re 20 percent below.
This comes at a time when our ability to offer these opportunities has never been more important. Within five years, fully 74 percent of the jobs in Minnesota will require some postsecondary credentials.
At a time when the demographics of the state are such that 70 percent of our growth will come from underserved populations, MnSCU colleges and universities serve more first-generation students, more students of color and American Indian students, more low-income students, and more veterans than all of Minnesota’s other higher education options – combined.
So as you hear about all the many investments being considered this legislative session, we hope you will urge legislators to reinvest in higher education. Making access to college possible for all Minnesotans, meeting the future workforce needs of Minnesota, and protecting our ability to deliver programs to make that happen – these are all worthy of our investment.
Dr. Douglas Allen, President, Ridgewater College
Ardith Ampe and Diane Jude, AFSCME local representatives, Ridgewater College
Lorna King, MAPE local representative, Ridgewater College
Jim Rice, MMA local representative, Ridgewater College
Grant Patterson, Student Association President, Hutchinson Campus
Andrew Fischer, Student Association President, Willmar Campus
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By Dr. Douglas Allen, Ardith Ampe and Diane Jude, Lorna King, Jim Rice, Grant Patterson and Andrew Fische
