Ohio State President Urges $2 Billion Technology Investment - investment seen as necessary for Ohio's progress - Brief Article

Black Issues in Higher Education, August 3, 2000

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The president of Ohio State University urged the state last month to invest $1 billion to $2 billion in technology over the next five years or risk falling behind in the information-age economy.

The state's share of that investment should be at least $100 million a year on top of current technology funding, Dr. William Kirwan told Columbus business, education and political leaders. The rest would come from private industry and federal grants.

"The experience around the country is that gradualism and half-measures won't work," Kirwan says. "Anything less than a major effort ensures that we will forever be behind the curve, struggling to catch up."

Kirwan cites statistics that show Ohio's personal income ranking has declined from sixth in the nation in 1960 to 22nd today.

Meanwhile, the state ranks 28th in Internet use, 29th in the number of high-growth companies and 32nd in the creation of high-tech jobs, he says.

The increased funding would hire top science and technology professors, build research facilities, increase venture capital funding and provide infrastructure for the computer age, Kirwan says. It also would help keep Ohio's best students in the state for their college educations and careers.

Gov. Bob Taft favors investment in technology, but questions where the state would find the money that Kirwan wants, according to Taft spokeswoman Mary Anne Sharkey.

Ohio's top financial priority now is responding to the state Supreme Court's May 11 decision that Ohio's school-funding system is unconstitutional, Sharkey says. The court said the system relies too much on local property taxes, creating disparities between rich and poor districts.

House Speaker Jo Ann Davidson agrees with Taft, saying she applauds Kirwan's initiative but questions where the state would get that much money so soon.

Kirwan says the state is making some progress, including Taft's creation of a fund to provide early funding for commercially promising technologies and a new law that lets professors participate in businesses arising from their research.

He also notes that Ohio will spend more than $450 million from the national tobacco settlement on biomedical research.

Kirwan says lawmakers must look past fixing existing problems and make technology funding a priority.

"We have to invest in the well-being of the citizens of the state," he says. "And with the current state of the economy and with some surpluses, we can, if we have the will, find the money to make those investments. You cannot ignore the future."