When Colleges have the chance to make their case in front of Congress for their share of the billions of dollars in economic stimulus money who do they send as their representative? Skidmore economics professor Sandy Baum of course.

Baum, who has been getting a lot of attention recently as the “senior policy analyst” for the CollegeBoard and who is acting on behalf of colleges nationally, argued this morning for additional Pell Grant aid to maintain student financial aid support. “I urge you to make higher education a clear focus [in crafting a stimulus bill],” said Professor Baum.  Baum’s plea also called for more money for the states, after many have been forced to scale back on education spending in the wake of plummeting tax revenues.

While those who call for increased education spending during this recession have been criticized as taking advantage of the economic stimulus plans in order to secure funds requested long before we fell from grace Professor Baum maintained “Our economy will reap the benefits for a long time,” and if Congress doesn’t expand access to higher education, “we will feel that pain far beyond the time the economy begins to recover.”