Public colleges and universities rely to varying degrees on state appropriations for their fiscal futures, and depending on the institution, they tend to engage in a range of lobbying and outreach activities proving their value to their states and citizens. But in an analysis of factors that determine levels of state support for higher education, researchers find that statewide circumstances â?? as opposed to variables under a collegeâ??s control â?? are the primary determinants of state spending.
â??[D]espite their efforts, institutional lobbyists may have limited impact in states with poor state economies, intense budget competition, and history of poor support for higher education,â? David J. Weerts, an assistant professor of higher education at Florida Atlantic University, and Justin M. Ronca, a research associate for the Wisconsin Center for the Advancement of Postsecondary Education, write in their paper, a modified version of which will be presented at a forum on the University of Wisconsinâ??s Madison campus today.