Although the governors met in State College this year, their theme — "Strengthening the American States in the New Global Economy" — didn't exactly resonate with the campus community the way other topics might have.

But there's always next year.

One of the National Governors' Association's main topics at the 2001 meeting in Rhode Island will be a study of higher education, Maryland Gov. Parris Glendening said.

Glendening, who was voted in as NGA chairman Tuesday, said education will be one of his top two priorities for the organization.

"The fact that Gov. (Tom) Ridge proposed that we meet here is evidence of the role that higher education plays in the new economy," Glendening said in a speech at the Penn Stater Conference Center Hotel.

The NGA's other focus will be protecting the environment from suburban sprawl, something Glendening gained recognition for in Maryland with a series of "smart growth" measures.

But the issue of education hits close to home in State College.

"The question is going to be the role of higher education in this new knowledge-based economy — what different states are doing in terms of experimenting in this area, as well as how do you hold higher education accountable," Glendening said in an interview Saturday.

Glendening said the NGA is conducting a 3-year study to determine which new concepts are working best in higher education.

The role of the state government is especially important for schools like Penn State, which receives more than $200 million every year from the state.

Tomorrow, the Penn State Board of Trustees is set to approve the university's annual tuition hike.

When asked about tuition at an NGA press conference Tuesday, Gov.. Tom Ridge said thst he's beginning to see a trend he likes in higher education: streamlining.

"One of the challenges, and this is certainly not directed at Penn State," Ridge began, "is the relevance of the curriculum to contemporary opportunities, particularly in the new global, technologically driven economy."

Ridge quickly added that liberal arts programs will still be important, something Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan promoted in his speech to the governors.