Mar. 18—CONCORD—Adjustments to the state's four-year university and community college systems to address declining revenues and enrollment include sharing office space, direct involvement on economic development councils, and high school students. This may include earning an associate's degree before graduation. Higher education administrators told a key House committee on Monday.
The House Education Committee voted 19-1 to support a revised “roadmap” for the strategic planning process. The roadmap will require the chancellors of both systems to update their existing higher education task forces on a quarterly basis and submit an annual report to the House of Commons. and a Senate panel.
House Education Committee Chairman Rick Rudd (R-Haverhill) said he decided to remove references to campus “integration” in the original bill (HB 1450), and whether that supported consolidation. He said it gave the wrong impression.
Rather, Rudd said the goal is for managers of both systems to identify the best ways to increase financial efficiency and position themselves as learning laboratories to fill jobs in the future economy. .
“This is to look at where we are and what we need to do to bring efficiencies to the system,” Rudd said.
The amended bill piggybacks on an executive order signed by Gov. Chris Sununu last October in response to declining enrollment in New Hampshire and an even precipitous decline in the number of applicants to higher education programs. A special committee will be established.
Stephen Appleby, director of program support and higher education at the Department of Education, has chaired the task force, which has been meeting weekly for the past three months and has a deadline of March 31 to complete its first report. It's been a day.
The number of registrants may increase
reduce student debt
Increasing enrollment in higher education could also help reduce student debt levels, which are among the highest in the nation, he said.
“If we can increase enrollment in the public system by 15 to 20 percent, not only will costs come down, but in theory it will also reduce (student) debt,” Appleby said.
Appleby said the task force created by Sununu unanimously approved the amended bill at a meeting last Friday.
Katherine Provencher, chief administrative officer for the University of New Hampshire System, said staff recently “toured” the joint office space the two systems in the state can share.
USNH wants to become more involved with regional economic development councils to be more sensitive to workforce needs in each region of the state, she said.
“CCNH and USNH should meet and come to the table to discuss economic development and the workforce,” Provencher said. “You can only impact your workforce if you have (more) registrants.”
New Hampshire Community College System President Mark Rubinstein said 40% of students in the two-year program are over the age of 25 and 30% are taking courses online.
Growing the system, he said, requires bringing educators where students are, including community college instructors who help students earn associate degrees before graduating from high school. It also includes teaching courses.
“This is our vision to expand dual enrollment, and that includes not only affordability, but also access to quality,” Rubinstein said.
Rep. David Renaud (D-Hopkinton) praised Rudd for winning bipartisan approval for the revised bill.
klandrigan@unionleader.com
