As more U.S. academic institutions are receiving earmarks, the University fell from receiving the sixth-highest dollar value among national academic institutions in 2003 to 12th in 2008. According to a [report published by The Chronicle of Higher Education], legislators passed more than 2,300 earmarks to 920 academic institutions in the past year – a 25 percent increase in the number of institutions receiving earmarks and a 17 percent increase in the total number of academic earmarks since 2003, the last year surveyed. Federal earmarks are bill amendments made by legislators to favor their constituents by appropriating federal funds to their states through a non-competitive process. Academic earmarks for research bypass the traditional approval of peer scientists needed to grant federal funding to an institution, allowing more broad use of the funds. These institutions received at least $2.25 billion – mostly for research – in the 2008 fiscal year, a drastic increase from 10 years ago when only $528 million was spent nationally. Five years ago, $2.01 billion was spent on earmarks for higher education, which is slightly greater than the 2008 amount when adjusted for inflation. In 2008, the University and the LSU System’s Baton Rouge office received $19.1 million in non-shared earmarks, ranking 12th highest nationally. In 2003, the University ranked sixth, receiving $26.1 million. Higher education institutes in Louisiana received $50.1 million in non-shared academic earmarks in 2008, the 18th highest amount for a state. Texas received the most with $177 million. Candidates for the 2008 presidential election vary widely in their sponsorship of academic earmarks. Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., sponsored 21 earmarks worth $70.1 million involving 14 colleges. Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., obtained 10 earmarks worth $19.2 million for seven colleges. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., did not sponsor any earmarks and has promised to fight for a ban on earmarks if elected president. Mississippi State University received the most earmark money overall in 2008 – $43 million for 30 projects.
—-Contact Nicholas Persac at [email protected]