Failed former Governor Doesn’t Deserve Promotion

DES MOINES – As Tim Pawlenty addresses College Republicans in Des Moines tomorrow, will he mention his record as a former governor of rising costs and shrinking results for Minnesota students? While Pawlenty failed the people of Minnesota in a host of areas during his tenure, his record of failure on higher education is glaring and was devastating to students, families and institutions of higher learning throughout the state. Under Pawlenty’s tenure, tuition went up 60 percent for Minnesota students, students left Minnesota colleges with record amounts of debt and the quality of higher education in Minnesota suffered.

“As Governor, Tim Pawlenty failed the people of Minnesota but for some reason now believes he should get a promotion,” said Iowa Democratic Party Chairwoman Sue Dvorsky. “In few areas was Governor Pawlenty’s record of failure more glaring than his record on higher education where his policies resulted in higher tuition costs for students and families while the quality of higher education in the state suffered during his tenure. Tim Pawlenty’s failure as governor of Minnesota was far-reaching & had real consequences for college students, families and higher education. Working families and students in Iowa and throughout the country simply can’t afford Tim Pawlenty’s history of rising costs and failing results.”

UNDER PAWLENTY, HIGHER EDUCATION IN MINNESOTA COST MORE BUT DELIVERED LESS

2008: “Students Are Leaving Minnesota Colleges With Record Debt,” With 2008 Minnesota Graduates Shouldering The Sixth-Highest Average Debt In The Nation. [Star Tribune, 12/1/09]

2008 Minnesota Office Of Higher Education Report: “Minnesotans Pay Twice As Much As The National Average To Get A Public College Education, But They’re Not Getting Double The Results.” [Star Tribune, 3/13/08]

• Star Tribune: “For A State Where High Schools Students Traditionally Fare Well On College Entrance Exams, That’s Disconcerting To Those In Charge Of Assessing The Quality Of Higher Education In Minnesota.” [Star Tribune, 3/13/08]
• Only 36.7 Percent Of College-Bound Students Graduate In Four Years And “Only Five Of The State’s 36 Four-Year Schools – Public Or Private – Had A Four Year Graduation Rate Of Better Than 70 Percent.” [Star Tribune, 3/13/08]
• Only 20 Percent Of Black College-Bound Students Graduate In Four Years And More Than Half Didn’t Graduate Within Six Years. [Star Tribune, 3/13/08]

AS A RESULT OF PAWLENTY’S CUTS TO HIGHER EDUCATION, TUITION HAS INCREASE BY 60 PERCENT

Minnesota 2020 Economic Policy Fellow: Under Pawlenty, “State General Fund Support For Higher Education Has Declined By $521 Million… As A Result, Tuition Has Risen By A 60 Percent Real-Dollar Average Across Minnesota’s Higher Education Institutions.” [Lee Egerstrom op-ed, Bemidji Pioneer, 10/24/10]

2010: Pawlenty Proposed Cutting $47 Million From Higher Education, But Said He Would Have Liked To Cut More – And Claimed “They Got Off Relatively Easy Here.” [Star Tribune, 2/16/10]

2009: Pawlenty’s “Hit To Higher Education [Was] Big” When He Unilaterally Cut Minnesota’s Higher Education Budget By $100 Million. [Star Tribune, 6/16/09]

• University Of Minnesota President Called Pawlenty’s Proposed Cuts “Savage And Severe.” [Minnesota Public Radio, 5/16/09]

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