Manana not soon enough to fund higher education

"Manana is soon enough for me ... the window she is broken and the rain is comin' in ... But if we wait a day or two the rain may go away. And we don't need a window on such a sunny day."

That song reminds me of this year's Utah Legislature when it comes to funding higher education. Ma?na seems soon enough for them.

The 2006 Legislature had the courage and foresight to see that, for Utah to compete in the new economy, it had to make the necessary investment. It approved $200 million to start the Utah Science, Technology and Research center to create high-paying jobs to meet the demands of our fast-growing population. It formed a partnership among government, business and higher-education leaders projected to create 123,406 high-paying jobs. It was a well-thought-out, long-range strategy. Key to its success was the ability to attract and retain renowned faculty who would cultivate the creativity and intellectual talent in students the 21st-century economy requires.

The USTAR program, under the leadership of Utah's research institutions, University of Utah and Utah State, has been successful in leveraging state, federal and private funds. According to Randy Dryer, chairman of the University of Utah board of trustees, the U. "alone brought $680 million of research grants, contracts and fellowships into the state during the past two years and is on track to receive up to $400 million of additional extramural research funding this year ... they discover life-changing innovation and take these discoveries to market in the form of new companies, thereby creating jobs, selling new products and pumping money into our local economy."

Now, for some reason the 2009 Legislature seems content to let that investment go out the window. It doesn't want to use its Rainy Day Fund. I guess it is waiting for a rainy day, but what does it think we are in now? It looks like the legislative body has turned to the old budget-making process of "let's see what we gave departments last year and add/subtract from that this year."

Our nation is in an economic crisis and "business as usual" is not an option. America's higher-education system has led the world in innovation and creativity that is the currency necessary to succeed in today's global economy. Utahns are losing their jobs, searching for work and seeking to improve their education and training skills. The 2006 Legislature foresaw that, understood and risked making the tough decision of investing in higher education. It would be irresponsible for this Legislature to let a successful investment in our children's and state's future be wasted. What our state needs is to create an economic environment that allows for individuals and businesses to plan for their future.

Utah's higher-education system has been the magnet that has attracted the talent and businesses that have allowed our people to enjoy our quality of life. They have come believing they could invest their lives and money and flourish because of the stability our state offered. And David Pershing, vice president of the University of Utah, had it right when he said his job as an administrator could be cut, but faculty could not. They are the ones who are preparing students and businesses with innovative ways to make our nation succeed. The current Legislature would serve taxpayers well if it built upon the investment its predecessors made in our future.

We are in the middle of an economic tsunami, and if this is not the time to use our rainy-day funds, then when — manana?

A Utah native, John Florez has founded several Hispanic civil rights organizations; been on the staff of Sen. Orrin Hatch, served on more than 45 state, local and volunteer boards; and filled White House appointments, including deputy assistant secretary of labor and as a member of the commission on Hispanic education. E-mail: jdflorez@comcast.net.