Funding for Higher Education – basic info

3/26/2021

Dear FSU Members,

As part of the Biden administration’s American Rescue Plan Act, the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund will provide an estimated $438,512,747 for Massachusetts colleges and universities, with UMass Boston getting over $37 million in the latest relief package, and over $70 million in total (from the various relief packages dating back to Trump Administration).

Campus by campus allocation from federal stimulus packages can be found here.

In addition to funding specifically targeted for education, our state government will receive about $4.5 billion, and local governments will receive about $3.5 billion. Those funds can also be used to support education.

Bottom line:  There is adequate funding for higher education in the state, including for UMass Boston.  We do, however, need to continue to push our state legislature.  See the MTA’s State Budget Fact Sheet attached and take legislative action here.   

We also need to push our own Administration to move us out of austerity and towards reinvesting after years of cuts.  The good news is that most furloughed staff will be returning to work no later than early April.  But a lot of units – departments, centers, institutes, programs, etc. -- have been depleted over the years of the faculty and staff needed to deliver the kind of research our state needs and the education our students deserve.  It is time to rebuild. The resources are available.

Steve Striffler

FSU President

For information on the FSU, links to our contract and bargaining updates, and a calendar of events, see the FSU webpage