“I think how [the fiscal cliff] is addressed will set a very strong tone as the 113th session of Congress begins its work,” said Hurley. “There could be some good feelings of bipartisan accomplishment or even more sour feelings [depending on its result].”
The report mentions several noteworthy state elections results, including Oklahoma’s decision to wipe out all affirmative action programs in state government hiring, education, and contracting practices; and California’s Proposition 30, in which residents opted to raise their own taxes to fund education.
AASCU officials project a heavier focus on immigration reform in the coming years. Some headway was made regarding the DREAM Act on Maryland’s state ballot. The approval of Maryland’s Question 4 allows illegal immigrants to pay in-state tuition, provided they attended a state high school for three years and can prove that they filed state tax returns during that time.
“At the state level, when you look at the ballot measures, the electorate were generally pretty kind to higher ed,” said Hurley.
Efforts to improve educational access to veterans and military students will also be prioritized, the report said.
“Regarding veterans’ education there’s some appropriate concern on behalf of the administration on the expenditures and utilization of the Post-9/11 GI Bill,” said Hurley. “We want to get those dollars into the hands of the soldiers that deserve them and make sure that they’re treated appropriately.”
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