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I'm reading @robmaxim and @MarkMuro1's @BrookingsMetro report on regional public universities in the great lakes reason. Going to tweek a few tidbits. https://www.brookings.edu/research/restoring-regional-public-universities-for-recovery-in-the-great-lakes/
Enrollment at research universities (or flagships) in the region has gone up while enrollment at regionals is down (see fig 3). *my interpretation* is demographics and tuition dependence prompt more prominent universities in these states to eat into regional student base.
Not a surprise, but regionals enroll a higher percentage of students who are Black, Indigenous, and who receive a Pell grant than do research / flagships in the region.
Regionals award 3.3 baccalaureate degrees to Indigenous students and 2.4 to Black students for every degree awarded by a research / flagship in the region (fig 9).
Regionals produce health professionals and educators are relatively high rates (fig 11). Important as we think about closing disparities in health and education, regional publics will be key infrastructure.
Per-student revenue is up about 10% from 2006 (before the last recession) but state apropps are flat per student; both state funds and revenue down in Wisconsin. My comment: devastation to that state's higher education system during the Walker years and immense and will last.
Wow. Great Lakes research/flagships saw increased revenue of other - read auxiliary - $5,793 per student between '11 and 18, $1,097 for the regionals. Big chunks could be healthcare services, but watch out for the college housing industrial complex.
Good stuff on revenue per student differences between institution types. Just as regionals were recovering, as Rob points out, COVID puts them in jepordy https://twitter.com/robmaxim/status/1273270707120726019?s=20
What to do about competition for research funds.... Regionals are either told not to do research or compete for funds, which is expensive, with better positioned competitors. Expanding existing mechanisms would not disrupt dynamic, so report suggests new federal program.
Interesting report with some new (at least to me) policy proposals and some standard ones like doing a unit record system. Findings are broadly consistent with the Unequal Higher Education, which is encoring to me.
*tweet not tweek
