Minnesota State Chancellor Devinder Malhotra invited the Independent to a video conference session last week to state his case for a $60 million slice of the $7.7 billion state budget surplus pie.

“While it sounds like a lot, $60 million represents less than 1% of the state’s total surplus,” Malhotra said during the session.

Malhotra listed a number of reasons why colleges and universities need the extra funding. The impact of the pandemic topped that list. He said about $30 million would be for campus support. About $25 million would offset a tuition freeze for the upcoming year. He complained that over the past five years, Minnesota State Universities have not received state funding in lieu of tuition. Meanwhile, he states, tuition rates have increased.

To support Malhotra’s claim, Minnesota State Communications Director Doug Anderson released tuition data to the Independent. For the 2022 fiscal year, tuition rates increased by 3.3% for Minnesota State colleges and 3.5% for universities. Minnesota State tuition rates could increase up to a maximum of 3.5% for the 2023 fiscal year.

The rest of Malhotra’s request would go toward mental health support for students, address issues like food and housing insecurity for students and funding aimed at career and technical education.

Minnesota House Rep. Chris Swedzinski, R-Ghent, opened the door to possible support for extra funding for the Minnesota State system when he spoke last week to the Marshall Noon Rotary Club.

“I don’t know what it will be at the end of the day,” he said.

Swedzinski also spoke of another important funding need during that same speech. Swedzinski said he is pushing for funding small bridge projects throughout the state.

“Whether you are Democrat or Republican, whether you are a constitutionalist or liberalist, transportation is Constitutional. It’s something that is part of the role of government,” he said.

That same argument could be used for Malhotra’s $60 million request from the state surplus. And there are so many reasons why taxpayer support to higher education is vital. There is no better return on investment than education. College and technical education can help eliminate the need for welfare. It can also help reduce the levels of family class-related poverty.

Not only are these institutions of higher education important for the state, the campuses themselves boost economic vitality in the communities where they are located.

SMSU graduates living throughout our communities play important roles in our local governments, industries and businesses.

The degrees earned through the years have boosted wages and quality of life for countless residents.

Furthermore, Southwest Minnesota State’s impact on this region is calculated to be $173.1 million, according to a study commissioned by the Minnesota State System. This includes a direct impact of $86.3 million and an indirect impact of $86.8 million. The study also claims that the university supports and sustains 1,421 jobs annually.

So when Swedzinski and State Sen. Gary Dahms, R-Redwood, return to St. Paul on Monday to meet up with their colleagues to open the 2022 Legislature, we urge prudent decision-making when it comes to that $7.7 billion state budget surplus.

As they sit around the table during negotiations, we encourage legislators and Gov. Tim Walz to give Malhotra’s request serious consideration.