Statement by The Ohio State University Board of Trustees on State Issue 3

The following statement was issued by the Board of Trustees to memorialize the consensus they reached at the Sept. 22 board meeting:

State Issue 3, also known as the Learn and Earn Amendment to the Ohio Constitution, proposes to use proceeds from expanded gambling in the state of Ohio to fund college grants and scholarships at in-state colleges and universities.

In promoting the Learn and Earn Amendment to Ohio voters, its supporters are conducting a high profile media campaign that focuses on the college scholarship funding aspects of this proposal. In doing so, they are creating the strong impression with many Ohioans that State Issue 3's passage will solve the higher education funding issue in our state.

Unfortunately, the Learn and Earn Amendment falls far short of addressing Ohio's higher education funding issues. While it promises to provide additional funds for college scholarships, it does not fully address how we make higher education more affordable or more available to more Ohio students. Worse yet, its passage and incorporation into the constitution would detract from efforts to generate public support for a real solution to these concerns. Such public support will be necessary if we are to improve our state's ranking as 45th lowest in public support for higher education.

Based on these concerns, it is the consensus of The Ohio State University Board of Trustees that passage of State Issue 3 would create bad public policy, and that it should be defeated by Ohio voters on November 7th.