Higher Education Partnership Volume 2 Issue 1 January, 1998 In support of and working together with Alabama A & M Univ Alabama State Univ Univ of Alabama Univ of Ala at Bham Univ of Ala at Huntsville Auburn Univ Auburn Univ at Mtgy Jacksonville State Univ Univ.of Montevallo Univ of North Alabama Univ of South Alabama Troy State Univ Troy State Univ Dothan Troy State Univ Mtgy Univ of West Alabama  Inside this Issue Make University Funds a Priority Position December/ January Activities Higher Ed Funding: The Right Way Campus News Recruit a Member Contest Media Spotlight	Partnership Update Make University Funds a Priority Position University faculty, staff and other employees have suffered through three years of tough lessons. Therefore, they are cautious about the proposals found in the recently released Education Trust Fund Budget. It is exciting to see that faculty and staff compensation is being discussed. Certainly, the proposed raise is past due. However, where does the money come from? What are the gritty details? As the advocacy group for Alabama’s public universities, the Higher Education Partnership, once again, requests that the legislature leave the difference between last year’s and this year’s RSA funding in the university budgets. The Partnership also requests that the legislature provide the 8% increase in overall appropriation that is needed. The Partnership says, “Fund the universities with 8 in 98!” With many funding issues facing our legislators, it is the Partnership’s request that legislative leaders move quickly to establish the previously mentioned requests as the bottom line for higher education funding. Legislators can simplify their decision making by setting these as their priority positions and responding accordingly. In recent mailings to university faculty, staff, students and alumni across the state, the Partnership and its member institutions are asking our friends to take action by contacting their legislators and letting them know what is needed.
	P. O. Box 761, Montgomery, AL 36101-0761334-832-9911Fax 334-832-9995