Cleveland Plain Dealer…
Gov. John Kasich launches budget collaboration among colleges and universities
By Reginald Fields
Tuesday, September 11, 2012 

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Facing ever-rising tuition costs, a slow-growing economy and conservative budgeting, Gov. John Kasich on Tuesday asked the state's college and university presidents to help him rewrite Ohio's higher education funding formula. 

They've offered similar help before. Last year the Republican governor asked Ohio State University President E. Gordon Gee to pull the presidents, including those at community colleges, together to figure out how to divvy up a pot of state cash for capital improvement projects on their campuses. 

Now comes the bigger challenge: making college more affordable. Kasich worries the state's investment of taxpayer dollars into Ohio's higher education system too often yields paltry results. Look at the low graduation rates on campuses around the state for evidence of that concern. 

"We all know that we can all do better on graduation rates and there's been some movement on creating a new formula," Kasich said, surrounded by school presidents at his Statehouse ceremonial office. "We hope we can speed up the process so that we can fund higher education based on graduation rather than based on enrollment." 

Kasich asked the presidents to come up with some funding ideas centered on financial incentives and bonuses for schools based on graduation rates. While many Ohio public schools have reported higher enrollment figures in recent years and drawing more tuition dollars, they are not necessarily graduating more students. 

The governor also asked the presidents to consider other cost-saving options such as privatizing campus projects and sharing services… 

Read the rest of the article at Cleveland Plain Dealer

College presidents react to Kasich initiative… 

Ronald Berkman, Cleveland State University:

"I truly think this is an incredibly unique opportunity for university presidents to kind of frame an agenda that will drive reform, not just drive funding.  I think it is about driving reform." 

Gordon Gee, Ohio State University:

“There is no other state that’s undergoing this kind of revolutionary reform in higher education.  It has to start with us collaboratively thinking through how we can best, in a time of limited resources…how we can create an environment in which we can be successful together. If we win, we win together. Failure is not an option.” 

David Hopkins, Wright State University:

“We will work together to really make this better for our students and our families and better for the economy for Ohio. That’s what this is all about. Making sure we help produce the talent and that we help create the jobs for those talented people. We’ve got a lot of work to do.” 

Steve Johnson, Sinclair Community College:

“This is all about the students. And it’s all about providing the best education as we can for as many students as possible so they can get good jobs and so employers have a great skilled workforce.” 

Roderick McDavis, Ohio University:

"So much of what higher education has focused on in the past in terms of a funding formula has been input, and that is a headcount, how many students do you have, and I think that if we can focus on output, things like graduation rates and hopefully create some incentives to get even higher graduation rates, I think that's the direction we want to move in." 

Santa Ono, University of Cincinnati (interim president):

“This is a privileged position to be in on a national landscape. Most public university systems are being cut significantly. The message we’ve got is that it’s very likely we’ll have either a flat budget in the next biennium or that if we put together a convincing incentive-based funding formula that it might actually grow several percent.” 

Luis Proenza, University of Akron:

“The most positive sign I see is that he [Gov. Kasich] was so happy with the capital projects budget that he is turning to the universities for help with the operating budget, not just imposing it.  This truly is an opportunity, a breath of fresh air.” 

Bruce Johnson, President of the Inter-University Council:

“I think the governor’s point is a correct one, that the way to get more money is to improve your performance.”