David Schultz, a Hamline law professor and political analyst, believes colleges and universities might prove to be a higher priority for the Democrats who now control the state government.

Schultz's prognosis came this week, as the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system approved its request for $97 million more in state funding over the biennium. The University of Minnesota approved its budget request in October.

Here, a few snippets of Schultz's comments, edited for length and clarity:

Even with a budget shortfall?

What should the two higher ed systems' strategy be?

Is that a different strategy than the one you might use with a Republican-led government?

Hasn't higher ed been making the economic development argument for years?