As Minnesota sharpens its red pencil for budget cuts, it’s important to keep several things in mind.

Some targets only seem easy.

Like higher education.

For years, public higher education leaders have been calling themselves “state assisted” rather than “state funded.”

That’s a point that’s well taken. Though some would have you believe the burden of public higher education is completely on the backs of taxpayers, the truth is different. In some cases, less than half the operating revenue comes from the state.

Many universities and colleges have already innovated, consolidated and streamlined business for efficiency. Look at Winona’s own Southeast Technical College — an organization that merged administration in both Red Wing, Minn., and Winona.

Until recently, southern Minnesota suffered from a lack of qualified workers in almost every sector. Employers needed good, reliable and well-trained labor.

That’s something that’s not going to change. In fact, in tightening times, we need even better trained employees who have diverse talents as every business looks to maximize every position.

And that’s why our higher education institutions — both public and private — are so

critical.

We know economic booms and busts are cyclical. And, we know that getting out of tough times is usually achieved through innovation.

Both of those things suggest we need to keep our higher education institutions healthy. We need to keep students enrolled so the work force can rise to these very tough challenges.

In a recent New York Times article, Michael Porter of Harvard’s Business School said there are several reasons why America’s economy has succeeded, among them an environment for entrepreneurialism, infrastructure for scientific research and the world’s best universities.

He also noted in the same article that some of these areas are eroding alarmingly, among them the lack of funding for better science and technology; and funding for higher education.

He suggests that if the federal government wants to send money somewhere, it should look to state universities. Porter said that while the states will experience a higher demand for social services during economic downturns, one of the ways to ease that burden is by education.

The argument goes something like this: Universities (and all education) provide opportunities or, as Porter calls it, a link in the social mobility chain.

If states such as Minnesota cut off that vital link, some may have the talents and skills to advance, but not the means to do so and, instead, rely upon other costly state services.

We also don’t need to remind legislators of the huge economic engines universities and colleges are to communities. Not only do those institutions continue to graduate students who have a higher earning potential (and thus the potential to throw off more tax dollars), but also students pump millions into local economies through job creation, competitive labor and living here.

Cutting higher education may seem like it’s saving money today, but we’ll certainly pay a much higher price later.

Is higher education an expenditure or an investment?

Well, just ask a college graduate and find out.

By Darrell Ehrlick, editor, on behalf of the Winona Daily News editorial board, which also includes publisher Rusty Cunningham and online editor Jerome Christenson. To comment, call (507) 453-3507 or send e-mail to letters@winonadailynews.com.