DaytonDailyNews.com

COLUMBUS — After years of neglect, higher education has emerged this year as a budget priority for Democratic Gov. Ted Strickland, the House and now Senate Republicans.

The Senate Republican higher education budget plans, announced Monday, build upon the efforts by Strickland and the House to make college more affordable and energize the economy.

The idea is to link higher education to economic growth. "This is something I have been talking about for several years," said Senate President Pro Tem Jeff Jacobson, R-Butler Twp. "We're doing it at a reality level."

Jacobson said that the Miami Valley, with Wright State University in a leadership role, is well positioned to compete for money that will be available for scholarships and to attract top research scientists in hopes of providing an economic boost.

The money would be used differently from university to university depending on the strengths and needs of that region, Jacobson said.

Robert Hickey, Wright State associate vice president for public affairs, said, "we wholeheartedly agree" with using universities to help drive the economy.

Strickland applauded Senate Republicans for proposing "ground-breaking improvements to higher education in Ohio."

Senate Minority Leader Teresa Fedor, D-Toledo, sounded a note of caution. Fedor said she wants to see details of the Republican budget plan — to come today — to make sure other budget priorities aren't neglected to pay for higher education innovations.

The Senate GOP plan includes:

• Freezing tuition at state-supported colleges and universities for two years. Strickland called for a freeze the first year and an increase limited to 3 percent the second year while the House budget limited tuition increases to 3 percent the first year and froze tuitions in the second.

• Creating the Ohio Innovation Partnership, including a $100 million scholarship program for science, technology, engineering and math students, and $50 million to recruit research scientists. Universities would compete for both programs and match money provided by the state.

• Spending $10 million to help create the James A. Rhodes Scholarship named after the late four-term governor, to emphasize work force development at community colleges. This would be coupled with $55 million to be raised by the James A. Rhodes Leadership Foundation.

Contact this reporter at (614) 224-1608 or whershey@DaytonDailyNews.com.