College for the Commonwealth

Michael T. Benson and Hal Boyd have written a thought-provoking book, the subject of which is both timeless and timely. A must–read for political and corporate leaders, it might convince them that the old adage, 'you get what you pay for,' applies to education, too!

~Lindsey Apple, author of Cautious Rebel: A Biography of Susan Clay Sawitzky

Michael T. Benson and Hal R. Boyd present a convincing case for why higher education needs and deserves public support. From practical examples they demonstrate how investment in higher education enables a society to rise to the opportunities presented by the future. Their argument is focused on Kentucky, but its lessons are as applicable to the United States as a whole. As these two wise men put it, 'Kentucky is at a crossroads, but so is the nation.'

~Daniel Walker Howe, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of What Hath God Wrought:The Transformation of America, 1815-1848

A vigorous and thoughtful defense of the public value of education.  It is definitely worth reading in an era where it is sometime thought fashionable or prudent to reduce expenses on education.

~Robert M. Daines, Stanford University

Benson and Boyd's analysis and critique of a vital sector of our society [is] remarkably articulate and thought-provoking. Even if you have never set foot on a college campus, if you live in Kentucky, your future is inexorably tied to the viability of the higher education opportunities we make available to the citizens of our great state. College for the Commonwealth makes a very convincing, data-driven case that we truly are all in this together. Highly recommended.

~Bowling Green Daily News