Professor runs for state legislature, aims to reassess grant matching funds
Bridgette Blight
Issue date: 10/7/08 Section: News
University politics are intense, Rice said. "URI is a microcosm for the entire state."
Rice said if he were elected he would work toward getting money for the university.
URI President Robert L. Carothers' suggestion that the university might be forced to privatize because of a lack of state funding is "the logical conclusion," Rice said. Carothers estimated that if the percentage of state funding to URI keeps decreasing at its current rate, URI will receive no state money by the year 2020. If URI no longer receives funding from the state, it would become a semi-private institution like T.F. Green Airport, Carothers said earlier this year.
With no state appropriations, URI would switch to a single-tuition model instead of providing subsidized tuition to R.I. residents. There would also be a state grant system to subsidize the cost of attending R.I. colleges and universities.
Privatizing URI would make the cost of attendance more expensive, Rice said. "There will be less of a focus on talented people with lesser means," saying that the state must step up to the plate and help to maintain its flagship university.
Rice said he does not foresee a problem with managing his work for the legislature and URI if he wins the election on Nov. 4.
"Campaigning is probably more work than actually being in the legislature," he said, adding that he campaigns every weekend and has been "teaching more this semester than my entire 21 years [at URI]" because of faculty retirements.
He is optimistic about his chances of becoming the new representative for House District 35.
"They tell me that if I work hard, knock on lots of doors [and] don't be lazy, I'll win," Rice said.
Rice said if he were elected he would work toward getting money for the university.
URI President Robert L. Carothers' suggestion that the university might be forced to privatize because of a lack of state funding is "the logical conclusion," Rice said. Carothers estimated that if the percentage of state funding to URI keeps decreasing at its current rate, URI will receive no state money by the year 2020. If URI no longer receives funding from the state, it would become a semi-private institution like T.F. Green Airport, Carothers said earlier this year.
With no state appropriations, URI would switch to a single-tuition model instead of providing subsidized tuition to R.I. residents. There would also be a state grant system to subsidize the cost of attending R.I. colleges and universities.
Privatizing URI would make the cost of attendance more expensive, Rice said. "There will be less of a focus on talented people with lesser means," saying that the state must step up to the plate and help to maintain its flagship university.
Rice said he does not foresee a problem with managing his work for the legislature and URI if he wins the election on Nov. 4.
"Campaigning is probably more work than actually being in the legislature," he said, adding that he campaigns every weekend and has been "teaching more this semester than my entire 21 years [at URI]" because of faculty retirements.
He is optimistic about his chances of becoming the new representative for House District 35.
"They tell me that if I work hard, knock on lots of doors [and] don't be lazy, I'll win," Rice said.
