California reaps ‘excellent return’ on investment in public universities

Below is an excerpt of an op-ed from UC San Diego Chancellor Pradeep K. Khosla published in the San Diego Union-Tribune April 2, 2015.

Right now, Californians contribute about seven percent of UC San Diego’s nearly four-billion-dollar budget, a percentage that has fallen steadily over the last decade as the state continues to “dis-invest” in higher education….

Californians’ seven-percent contribution to our budget is drawing, in strictly financial terms, an excellent return on investment. Higher education’s purposes and costs will always generate lively and useful debate, but I hope my fellow residents of California will be persuaded that your investments come back to you many times over.

Every thriving metropolis across America has major universities helping to fuel economic innovation and growth, not only with ideas, tools, medicines, technologies and spin-offs, but also with equally necessary educated citizens on whom our civil society and economic enterprise depend.

While I agree that our country could benefit from more research universities driving economic growth and global competitiveness, first we must ensure that our current universities receive sound and predictable investments commensurate with the prosperous and promising future that Californians – and all Americans – deserve.

Read the full op-ed on the San Diego Union-Tribune website.