The Alabama Council of University Faculty Presidents

Submitted to Members of the Alabama Legislature, the Lieutenant Governor, and the Governor

WHEREAS, the members of The Alabama Council of University Faculty Presidents (ACUFP) are the official representatives of the Faculty Senates of the 16 Public Universities in Alabama representing 4,665 fulltime faculty with more than 123,000 students;

WHEREAS, the students enrolled in Alabama’s Public Universities are vital to the future of Alabama;

WHEREAS, funding of Alabama’s Public Universities is a constitutional responsibility of State government;

WHEREAS, the citizens of Alabama continuously identify funding of public education as the highest priority of the state, and;

WHEREAS, education funding at all levels is facing a crisis that demands immediate attention, and;

WHEREAS, every study and survey clearly show Alabama has the capacity to better fund public education, and;

WHEREAS, higher education in Alabama is especially underfunded, resulting in a continuing loss of quality faculty to other states, and unacceptable degradation of teaching facilities, equipment and library collections, and;

WHEREAS, this underfunding of higher education has a direct negative impact on economic development in Alabama and the prosperity of Alabama citizens, and;

WHEREAS, the citizens of Alabama expect and deserve an adequately funded higher education system;

NOW, THEREFORE, LET IT BE RESOLVED, that the Alabama Council of University Faculty Presidents expresses its strong support and advocacy of Alabama tax reform designed to produce a fair, productive and accountable tax structure that will provide equitable and adequate funding for all of Alabama public education.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT the Alabama Council of University Faculty Presidents unanimously requests the Governor and the Alabama Legislature develop and adopt specific proposals that will provide adequate funding for all of Alabama public education in a time frame that will preclude Alabama public education being permanently damaged by the looming fiscal crisis.

AND, BE IT RESOLVED THAT a copy of this resolution be sent to the Governor, members of the Legislature, and other interested parties as appropriate.

R.T. Floyd
President, Alabama Council of University Faculty Presidents