NWI losing out when it comes to funding for universities

Aug. 25, 2005

By Maurice M. Eisenstein
Post-Tribune guest columnist

This Monday, Northwest Indiana universities begin their 2005-2006 school years. Public higher education exemplifies all that is wrong with the politics and culture of NWI. It is exemplified by racism and benign neglect and reflects the quicksand to which NWI is relegated — and that can’t be ameliorated by superficial programs such as a Cabela’s, a minor league baseball park or a Regional Development Authority.

NWI is the second most populated, urban and industrialized section of Indiana. It is also second highest to Indianapolis in paying taxes. With all that, NWI has the lowest quality of higher education in the state and also has the lowest spending per student of tax dollars from Indianapolis.

This is not a new problem; it has been an ongoing one. But during this time of property tax relief, redistribution of property tax and promotion of economic development, the problem of higher education in NWI should take center stage. If it had been addressed earlier, none of the other issues would be challenging NWI.

Economically, if NWI universities received the same amount of tax funds to educate their students as Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis receives (not including the IU schools of law and medicine), an additional $50 million per year would come for its universities. This would translate into an economic boost coming from outside NWI and acting as a multiplier through our economy. In contrast, the RDA only promises $5 million per year for two years from outside the area.

State Reps. John Aguilera and Ralph Ayres owe all of us an explanation for allowing the disparity in higher education spending to continue. They sit on the House Ways and Means Committee — the budget writing committee — and Ayres is the deputy chairman.

This is what our legislators agreed to: Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne, with about 500 more students than Purdue University Calumet, will receive $10 million more this year.This does not include parking, dormitories or other buildings. The Fort Wayne campus received three new academic buildings to PUC’s one parking garage. Fort Wayne also receives $10 million for a new police academy. NWI is the net tax loser.

Aguilera is being discussed for a new political position by some NWI Democrats. The very fact they are discussing such an unproductive person shows how low the party has sunk in NWI.

The mayors of Gary and Hammond testified before the Legislature and lobbied the governor about various nonsense ideas. Neither ever fought for the universities in their cities. Mayor Richard J. Daley knows that no city develops without a first-class institution of higher education. He demanded and got the University of Illinois Chicago.

Compared with Chicago, NWI will only develop with low-paying Cabela-type retail jobs and warehouse grunt work.

The state legislators from Gary are making a mockery of racism when talking about it in terms of the motor vehicle license branch. What is truly racism, as a Texas federal case ruled, was created by elected officials ensuring Indiana substantially underfunds campuses where most of its African-American and Hispanic students are receiving their higher educations: NWI.

The most meaningful explanation as to the lack of interest on the part of elected officials in adequately funding NWI higher education is that these funds cannot be used to hire family and supporters.

Maurice M. Eisenstein is a professor at Purdue University Calumet. Contact him [email protected]. His opinions do not represent Purdue University.