News, Views and Careers for All of Higher Education
Aug. 8, 2006
More than 100 colleges and universities that got a letter from Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) asking for information about their efforts to lobby for federal earmarks are trying to figure out how to respond.
John Hart, a Coburn spokesman, said Monday that the senator is particularly interested in finding out how lobbyists that colleges hire work, and whether there’s a “pay to play” system that forces colleges to waste money by “spending extravagantly” on lobbyists.
The letter asks the selected colleges — which Hart said were chosen because they receive large numbers and dollar amounts of earmarked research and other funds — to provide information about all federal money they have been appropriated since 2000, what it has been used for, and whether the institution has “considered hiring a lobbyist.”
Earmarks — often derided as “pork-barrel spending” — are funds that a member of Congress directs to recipients that are chosen outside the normal peer-review process that federal agencies use to allocate most of their research and other funds. Colleges have a love-hate relationship with the practice; many university officials believe it undermines peer review, but others say it levels the playing field for less-established institutions that don’t thrive in a review system they say can operate as an old boys’ network.
Hart said that Coburn, who chairs the Senate Federal Financial Management Subcommittee, is not singling out higher education, and has sought similar information from, for example, the Small Business Administration.
“Most earmarks universities get are for legitimate projects,” Hart said. “But clearly some would not be. [Coburn] is more concerned with the process.” Hart added that, “as well intentioned as the House and Senate appropriations committees might be, they may not be well suited for peer review.”
Hart said that Coburn describes the earmarking process as “the gateway drug to overspending,” and added that if institutions feel compelled to spend money on lobbyists, they could end up passing on those costs to students. Hart said that recent high profile lobbying scandals, like those involving Jack Abramoff and former Rep. Duke Cunningham (R-Calif.), have “highlighted the degree to which Congress and K Street have abused the earmark process.”
Sheldon E. Steinbach, vice president and general counsel at the American Council on Education, said that “ACE is in the process of retaining counsel to advise the affected institutions on the range of options they have in responding to this letter.” The letter, which asks for a reply by September 1, is not a subpoena, but Steinbach said that it is imperative to “provide the affected institutions with the best possible advice with regards to what their rights and responsibilities are.”
An article Monday in Roll Call quoted one anonymous Republican lobbyist as saying that he or she is advising colleges not to respond because the letter is “disingenuous” and “a trap.”
“That’s the worst possible advice,” Hart said. “That mentality of secrecy is what the public despises. All that will bring is perhaps unnecessary scrutiny for firms.”
Hart added that colleges don’t necessarily have to have all the information by September 1, but that they should at least reply, and that staff members will be available to answer their questions and work with them.
Want it on paper? Print this page.
Know someone who’d be interested? Forward this story.
Want to stay informed? Sign up for free daily news e-mail.
Advertisement
What about giving a privately owned religious church medical school and center almost a billion for no good real reasons?
Check out Loma Linda CA.hospital owned by The 7th Day Adventist Church. 400 million for reinforcing the buildings against earth quakes ten years ago but nothing ever done. Also another 500 million for a cancer research cener that doesn’t exist. It’s in Jerry Lewisw district and he has been a member of teh Boared of Directors for amny years. Many regristered 7th Day Adventist Republcian voters live in the dsitrict
Jim Whitby, gadfly at mine, at 12:05 pm EDT on August 9, 2006
Mr. Whitby, I think that is exactly the type of nonsense the senator is trying to put a stop to.
Kevin, Undergraduate, at 9:10 pm EDT on August 10, 2006
Advertisement
or search for jobs directly.
This is a grant funded position Research Associate II — The Research Associate will handle all areas of research phases. ... see job
Join one of the finest regional universities in the nation. James Madison University, home to 18,000 + students, welcomes you ... see job
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, IRVINE. The Department of Logic and Philosophy of Science invites applications for a tenure-track ... see job
HACC, a leader in education in Central PA, is a comprehensive, multi-campus community college, providing quality instruction ... see job
Western Carolina University School of Nursing Assistant/Associate Professor MS/FNP Track Full-time (12 month) faculty ... see job
School of Physical Sciences EXPERIMENTAL BIOPHYSICS The University of California, Irvine anticipates the availability of a ... see job
The King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) is being built in Saudi Arabia as an international, ... see job
College of Notre Dame of Maryland, located in Baltimore, invites applications for the position of Director of Athletics. The ... see job
The Department of Sociology at Appalachian State University invites applications for a tenure-track nine-month faculty ... see job
Join one of the finest regional universities in the nation. James Madison University, home to 18,000 + students, welcomes you ... see job
Omigahd!
Head for the hills, boys and girls! We got a true believer here!
B.J., at 9:30 am EDT on August 8, 2006