COGS' Principles for Preserving Quality, Accessible Higher Education
Since its inception UE Local 896/COGS has vigorously maintained that the hardworking people who regularly interact with the undergraduate population and perform world class research are the people who make the U of I run. For this reason UE Local 896/COGS exists not just for the task of representing TAs and RAs but for preserving and improving the quality of education and research that we deliver on a day to day basis. Recognizing that we, along with other frontline workers at the U of I, are the foundation of the undergraduate educational experience and the U of I’s research mission, we have established our own set of principles on how we and the entire U of I community can strive to preserve quality and accessible higher education in the state of Iowa.
We, UE Local 896/COGS, stand for:
We, UE Local 896/COGS, stand against:
How The State Budget Crisis Came To Threaten Public Education
Due to a slowdown in state revenues, Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack has proposed a 4.3% across the board cut to state funding of government agencies. Directly affecting TAs and RAs, $13.5 million of this cut is to come from the University of Iowa. This follows the $18.7 million cut already approved by the State Legislature for the current year. And this, we’re told, is only the beginning. The governor and state legislators have blamed a slow down in revenues for this crisis. While this proposal has yet to be approved by a Republican dominated legislature, the real and proposed cuts signal a radical shift away from a commitment to quality, affordable education as well as a failed tax policy which has brought on the crisis.
What’s Behind the Revenue Slowdown
While many politicians are readily and accurately blaming the revenue slowdown for the existing crisis, few are willing to explain the reasons for the slow down. Since 1987 the only taxes the state legislature has increased have been sales and fuel tax. Personal income and, more significantly, corporate tax rates have remained unchanged since 1987; corporate tax rates have not increased since 1981. With less than expected revenue coming from sales and fuel taxes due to the onset of the current economic downturn and income and corporate taxes stuck at 1987 levels, the state tax policy for the past 20 years has proven to be a recipe for disaster for Iowa. Exacerbating the situation, the legislature has approved a total of $3 billion worth of special interest tax cuts over the past five years for everything from credits for massage therapists and utility companies to several different varieties of corporate welfare schemes.
Paying the Price
Now, as the state’s tax policy begins to show its negative side, the governor and legislature have embarked on a strategy of slash and burn economics. Rather than increasing, or in some cases restoring, corporate tax rates to offset the loss of income from sales and fuel taxes, state government has placed the public good on the chopping block. From Des Moines to Iowa City, public employees and the people they serve are being told to share the pain--that we all must sacrifice. For those of us who pay tuition, this could also mean anywhere from a 10-20% tuition hike not only this year, but each year in the near future. If we are going to pay the price for failed tax policies and mistaken priorities, we must demand that the issue of corporate taxes be entered in to the debate.
Towards a New Policy
The first step which must be taken to save public institutions like the University of Iowa from disastrous cuts and privatization is having the legislature dip into the $500 million emergency, or “Rainy Day” fund, which the legislature has thus far refused to touch. Next, our governor and representatives must take a long term view and consider all their options. This includes revisiting the state’s tax policy and restoring a more progressive and balanced tax policy which doesn’t benefit corporations and wealthy individuals at the expense of the public good. Also, the university itself must reevaluate its priorities to make sure that students are not adversely affected with the loss of quality “frontline” education workers and accessible tuition costs. Finally, we as a state must recommit ourselves to investing in the public good which includes higher education. This would translate into reasonable tuition, living wages, and tuition and fee remission for all graduate employees. Not doing so will result in a price too costly for this state’s future.
A Question of Priorities
While the University of Iowa and Board of Regents are themselves battling the legislature and governor’s office over deappropriations, certain decisions of theirs over the past few months have raised protests from COGS and other groups who question the priorities of the administration and Regents.
For example, even after the first round of deappropriations when we were being told to expect further reductions, upper level administrators were awarded and accepted pay increases in the tens of thousands, straining the already damaged general fund. In our case alone, 7.5 TA positions were lost in that first round of cuts.
To make matters even worse, over the summer, with the general fund already unable to sustain proper levels of staff and instructors and the Regents beginning to call for massive tuition increases, the administration diverted over a million dollars from the general fund to the athletics fund, despite the protests of COGS and other groups who charged that such a shifting of funds amounted to theft in times of financial crisis.
Finally, in August the administration and Regents spent an undisclosed amount of money on a consulting firm to do an organizational audit. Such professional firms run a contractor hundreds of thousands of dollars. Again, this was done despite the protests of COGS and other groups.
If the Regents and U of I administration expect employees and students to be ready to sacrifice, we argue, they had better demonstrate sacrifice relative to their status and power.
Send Your Message to Des Moines!
This link will take you to a page with information on the Iowa General Assembly and how to contact members.
Here are the names and email addresses of some of the key committee members:
Iowa Senate Education Committee:
Nancy Boettger (R, District 41), Chair — nancy_boettger@legis.state.ia.us
Iowa Senate Appropriations Committee:
Jeff Lamberti (R, District 33), Chair — jeff_lamberti@legis.state.ia.us
Iowa Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Education:
Donald Redfern (R, District 12), Chair — don_redfern@legis.state.ia.us
Iowa House Education Committee:
Betty Grundberg (R, District 73), Chair — betty_grundberg@legis.state.ia.us
Iowa House Appropriations Committee:
David Millage (R, District 41), Chair — david_millage@legis.state.ia.us
Iowa House Appropriation Sub-committee on education:
Cecil Dolecheck (R, District 88), Chair — cecil_dolecheck@legis.state.ia.us
To send them snail mail, address letters as follows:
The Honorable (name goes here)
Iowa Legislature
Second Floor, State Capitol
Des Moines, IA 50319
