The value of higher education in Oregon

During the election season, there are a lot of messages swirling around government officials, state budgets, and numerous initiatives.

It is important for all taxpayers to understand the importance of public higher education within Oregon. This goes beyond paying lip service to the accepted notion that education is a good thing. There are critical attributes that are only addressed through access to postsecondary education.

Here are some points that I want our student body to know and ponder:

1 Higher education helps improve and stabilize the state’s revenue structure. People with university degrees traditionally earn 78 percent more than those with only high school diplomas. Increased earnings also mean increased taxes paid, which fund all state services.

1 In the future, 80 percent of Oregon’s jobs will require workers holding a university degree.

1 When Oregonians are properly trained and educated, companies and industries can rely on homegrown talent and will have no need to import talent from other states. This will also help with economic development, as it will help attract and retain employers.

1 The more educated the Oregon population becomes, the less state services will be needed. There is a direct, inverse correlation between a person’s level of education and the need for public assistance, state-supported healthcare, and the odds of being incarcerated. A more educated workforce will be less likely to be unemployed, too.

1 Education improves the state’s vitality. People with university degrees are more likely to vote, volunteer within the community, and support and encourage their children to pursue a college education.

These are all points that are easy to acknowledge, but everyone on campus must be knowledgeable when it comes to making our case to those who don’t understand why a degree matters.