Graduate summit focuses on funding

In a time of uncertainty for higher education funding, state leaders say they are concerned that graduate schools could lose priority.

Government and academic leaders gathered Friday to discuss the state of graduate education at UNC’s first Graduate Education Summit.

The event, presented by the UNC Science Policy Advocacy group, UNC Graduate and Professional Student Federation and Student Advocates for Graduate Education, featured two panels — one with a focus on state and local government and one with a focus on national government.

Panelists spoke about UNC as an economic catalyst for the state and said a great number of business ideas are started on campus.

UNC’s research funds have increased by $11 million to nearly $800 million this year, which Chancellor Carol Folt said is the most the University has ever had.

Panelist and U.S. Rep. David Price (D-N.C.) was one of the many panelists who emphasized the importance of funding graduate schools.

“I think it’s penny-wise and pound-foolish to shortchange this area,” he said.

UNC is ranked ninth in use of federal research and development funds and tied for first among the best U.S. public research universities.

Graduate School Dean Steven Matson, another panelist, said the bulk of UNC’s research money comes from the federal government. He said he is concerned about the decreased funding of graduate education.

Matson said federal budget cuts to programs like Lifetime Learning Credit— which gives tax breaks to students pursuing higher education — can threaten the University’s ability to attract researchers.

“I’m worried about losing a generation of researchers and about losing a generation of leaders,” he said.

The panel members also discussed the possibility of using private funds to support graduate research. Some panelists said it proved an insufficient replacement for public funding.

“Private money can discriminate, but public money cannot discriminate,” said N.C. Rep. Verla Insko (D-Orange).

Chapel Hill Mayor Mark Kleinschmidt also said he was concerned about discrimination in graduate school funding.

He said some fields might be valued by legislators more than others — such as liberal arts.

“There are critics, and they have the ear of the people who hold the purse,” he said.

Beth Buehlmann, vice president of public policy and government affairs for the Council of Graduate Schools, who was also a panelist, said she worried that people did not connect the successful outcomes of research to graduate education.

Panelist Steven Bloom, director of federal relations for the American Council on Education, urged the audience, which was comprised mostly of graduate students, to talk to government leaders about the importance of funding graduate education.

“I think all of you have a role to play in educating people in Washington,” he said.

Folt also had a message for the audience: excel in your fields.

“As we stand in the midst of uncertainty, you represent hope, you represent change,” she said.

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