New England Board of Higher Education » Connecticut State University System

Conn. and Vt. First NE States to Complete Legislative Sessions

John O. Harney — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 14:46:34 +0000

Two newly elected Democratic governors pushed through ambitious legislative agendas in record time, with the support of legislatures controlled by Democrats. Both states took bold steps to jumpstart the economy in their states by passing bills to create jobs and to cut costs. Connecticut passed the biggest tax increase in the state's history, while Vermont passed the nation's first single-payer health insurance bill.

Connecticut

In Connecticut Gov. Dan Malloy and a Democratically controlled Legislature racked up a record of accomplishments as the 2011 legislative session came to a close on June 8.

Malloy’s biggest challenge was to close a $3.2 billion shortfall. In the end, a balanced budget of $40.11 billion for the next two years was achieved with spending cuts, the largest tax increase in Connecticut’s history of $1.5 billion and concessions of $1.6 billion over two years from labor, which still remain uncertain. Malloy has warned that failure on the part of labor to come up with concessions will result in up to 4,700 state workers being be laid off. Approximately 60% of the tax increases will come from the income tax. The sales tax will increase from the current 6% to 6.35%, with the end of some exemptions including the exemption on clothing.

The General Assembly’s accomplishments include passage of:

* A bill to reduce energy costs by creating a centralized power authority combining public utilities and environmental protection into a single agency. The new Department of Energy and Environmental Protection which will be headed by Daniel Esty, a former energy advisor to President Barack Obama.

* A measure purported to increase economic opportunities by creating the Connecticut Airport Authority, a quasi-public agency to oversee Bradley International Airport and five smaller airports in the state.

* A bailout package of $864 million to expand and renovate the ailing University of Connecticut Health Center, which includes UConn's medical and dental schools and the John Dempsey Hospital. The plan, called Bioscience Connecticut is projected to create 3,000 new jobs.

* Funding for a research and technology park at the UConn Storrs campus that will create thousands of jobs. The $170 million package will include construction of a 125,000 square-foot, multilevel facility with research labs and incubator space for business.

* A bill mandating that private employers offer employees paid sick days. Connecticut is the first state in the nation to do so.

* A bill that grants in-state tuition for undocumented students who reside in Connecticut. The state now joins 10 other states that have passed similar measures.

* A bill to decriminalize possession of marijuana which will reduce fines and court costs for people in possession of less than a half ounce of marijuana.

Higher Education

Under Malloy’s budget proposal, the budget of the Connecticut State Universities would be cut by as much as 25% over two years. The first 10% would come from the state budget and the remaining cuts would come from merging the state universities with the Connecticut Community Colleges, Charter Oak State College and the Department of Higher Education which would be governed by a Board of Regents and one administrator. The Connecticut General Assembly’s Program Review Committee issued a report, which detailed skyrocketing tuition, and high administrative costs at the Connecticut State University. Lawmakers gave their blessing to the proposal which affects 100,000 students and more than 6,700 employees and is reported to save $4.3 million over two years, cutting 24 positions. UConn was not part of the plan. University and college officials are still waiting for the details of the merger.

A bill to provide $200,000 to develop a strategic plan for higher education that would include the UConn failed to pass.

Connecticut Community Colleges

Officials at the state’s community colleges are considering ending the longstanding "open door" admissions policy because of a projected $44.3 million budget deficit over the next two years. The Malloy administration and legislators cut community colleges by $13.2 million. In addition, pending cuts in staffing levels as a result of state employee concessions requested by the governor, stand to impact instructional levels. Also, officials are hoping not to raise tuition beyond the 2.3% increase approved earlier in the year. With rising enrollments, budget cuts and cuts in staffing levels, those that will be hurt the most are low-income and minority students who stand to be shut out of the only point of entry they have to higher education.

State Scholarships

As part of his plan to reduce the state deficit, Malloy proposed cutting 25% of the Connecticut Independent College Scholarship Program at a time when cutbacks have been slated for federal student aid programs including Pell Grants. The program is currently funded at $23.4 million and serves more than 6,000 Connecticut students. After strong objections and outrage was expressed by parents, students and Connecticut college presidents, some of the funding was restored and three proprietary schools and Yale University will no longer be served by the program in the next two years. According to Judith Greiman, president of the Connecticut Conference of Independent Colleges, the budget now calls for an appropriation of just over $18 million in FY 12 and just over $16 million in FY13. Those funds will be allocated to nonprofit colleges and universities. The overall percentage cut to the program is 23% in the first year but only 14.8% to nonprofit institutions. The second year is a 31% cut overall but a 23.8% cut to the nonprofit institutions. In the interim, Greiman expects to work to recover funds for the program.

K-12

The good news is that Malloy kept his campaign promise not to cut local aid which includes the largest portion going to education aid. He provided $540 million over two years in new state funding to Education Cost Sharing Grants.

The bad news is that education reform measures failed to gain passage. While the state applies for the third round of federal Race to the Top funds, state legislators sent a bill to the governor’s desk that effectively delays school-reform measures. Additionally, Malloy has gone six months without appointing a new commissioner of education.

The General Assembly killed a measure that would have changed the age to enter kindergarten to 5 years by October 1. The legislation would also have required that all students be enrolled in kindergarten by age 6. Currently, Connecticut parents can defer a child's enrollment until age 7. Some lawmakers responded that the issue was whether there would be funds to provide alternative preschool programs for students who didn’t make the cutoff.

Other casualties of the session included a bill proposed by Rep. Andrew Fleischmann, who co-chairs the Joint Committee on Education, to require teacher performance evaluations in school districts every two years. Now, any action to review and revise the practice of laying off teachers who were the last to be hired and consequently the first to be fired will be postponed indefinitely. Also, a number of bills to address school finance failed to make any headway in the session.

Vermont Legislative Session

Newly elected Vermont Gov. Peter Shumlin and a Democratically controlled legislature closed a $176 million gap in the budget without raising broad-based taxes and completed a 17-week legislative session ahead of schedule, adjourning on May 6. Shumlin worked with legislators to set an economic agenda for the future by passage of the following:

* A bill to reduce healthcare costs while providing health insurance for every Vermont citizen. The legislation establishes a framework to create a single-payer health care system under the direction of a five-member council. The council will define benefits, cost-containment measures and set up insurance exchanges as required by federal law. A plan to fund the measure is to be submitted to the governor by 2013.

* A telecommunications bill to expand broadband coverage and cell-phone service throughout the state by investing in expanding fiber-optic lines and wireless networks.

* A jobs bill that will allow emerging industries and businesses to have access to capital and credit. The bill is designed to stimulate manufacturing jobs, improve internships and expand job-training programs for young people. Additionally, the bill focuses on Vermont’s agriculture sector and provides for marketing and promotional efforts to be directed toward the Buy Local program and diversification in Vermont’s farming community..

Higher Education

The University of Vermont and the Vermont State Colleges managed to survive further cuts and were level funded in Shumlin’s budget. For FY12, UVM received $36.7 million and the state colleges received 23.1 million.

Scholarships

The budget provided $1.5 million in additional scholarships to the UVM, the state colleges and the Vermont Student Assistance Corporation.

K-12

The Vermont General Assembly passed and the governor signed a law that would erase a state-imposed limit that allows only 50% of 3- and 4-year-olds in Vermont school districts to enroll in pre-K. Proponents say lifting the cap will lead to reduced costs for special-education programs.

Carolyn Morwick is a consultant at NEBHE and former director of the Caucus of New England State Legislatures.

Walking Wounded: Education Budgets Taking Shape Across NE

John O. Harney — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 20:08:58 +0000

Governors, Legislators Seek Concessions From Labor
Deep Cuts Applied to Higher Education and Scholarship Programs
K-12 Treading Water After Losing Stimulus Funds

Connecticut

Gov. Dannel Malloy’s two-year plan to deal with a $3.2 billion deficit (in the first year alone) relies on significant concessions from labor to the tune of $1.5 billion. Unions gave Malloy strong support in his race for governor. The remaining portion of the deficit would be addressed through $750 million in program cuts and $1.5 billion in tax increases.

The General Assembly’s Finance and Appropriations Committees met with Malloy and reached agreement on the budget for FY12-FY13. Following the meeting, the Joint Appropriations Committee released its budget, which will be debated in the House in the coming week. The governor and legislative leaders still must finalize an agreement with labor. Malloy has said he expects to see a budget on May 6.

Higher Education

Malloy has proposed a two-year $144-million cut to public higher education. Also included in his budget is a plan to restructure the system, which features the following:

The boards of trustees for the Connecticut State University System, the community colleges, Charter Oak State College and the Board of Governors for Higher Education would be eliminated and replaced by a Board of Regents for Higher Education and one CEO.

The Regents would develop a strategic plan to increase Connecticut’s educational attainment with input from the public and stakeholders.

The Regents would develop a formula to distribute taxpayer support to campuses on the basis of enrollment, attainment of identified policy goals and other factors.

The Regents would issue annual reports on: student outcomes such as retention and graduation; allocation of resources; cost analysis of academic programs; an affordability index based on the median income of a family of four; enrollment and completion by program; transfer of college credits across institutions and a joint report with the Department of Labor on employment and earnings of graduates.

The Legislature is expected to support the plan despite reservations of several key lawmakers, who have expressed concern about costs savings and the separate and distinct missions of the institutions involved. Several legislators also question why the University of Connecticut is not part of the plan.

UConn is facing a deficit of $45 million, which includes a $25 million cut by Malloy. Tuition at UConn will increase by 2.5% for the next academic year, reflecting the rate of inflation; in-state students will pay $10,676 in tuition and fees and out-of-state students will pay $25,152. A 2.5% increase will also be applied to tuition and fees at the four Connecticut State Universities. Meanwhile, an increase of nearly 3% will raise tuition and fee rates at the Connecticut community colleges.

As part of his plan to reduce the state deficit, Malloy has put the $23.4 million Connecticut Independent College Scholarship Program on the chopping block. This comes at a time when cutbacks are slated for federal student aid programs including Pell Grants. Judith Greiman, president of the Connecticut Conference of Independent Colleges, said more than 1,500 Connecticut students will not receive grants next year, and more than 3,000 will not receive grants in the following year. College presidents of private institutions have indicated they cannot make up the difference for the loss of the program.

The governor’s plan also includes a provision that would take away collective bargaining rights of many college faculty. According to The Chronicle of Higher Education, faculty who are department heads or who hold other decision-making posts would be reclassified as managerial employees, which would disqualify them to take part in collective bargaining as faculty members.

Pre-K-12

Malloy’s budget level-funds elementary and secondary education with a slight increase to early-childhood programs. Education officials are pleased that Malloy's budget fills the gap created by the absence of $270 million in stimulus funds.

Despite Malloy’s proposals to eliminate and/or consolidate state agencies, Sen. Beth Bye has filed legislation that would create a new state agency to address the mix of early-childhood education and childcare programs. She proposes an agency similar to the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care to help eliminate the state’s overlapping child-care programs.

Malloy has increased funding for school-choice programs by $70 million in order to comply with the terms of Sheff vs. O’Neill, which requires the state to reduce racial isolation in Hartford’s public schools.

Maine

The Joint Appropriations and Financial Affairs Committee continues to work on Gov. Paul LePage’s $6.1 billion spending package for the next two years. The spending plan is $300 million higher than the previous year. Parts of the governor’s plan hinge on public employees, who are being asked to contribute 2% more of their salaries toward the state pension system, which currently has an unfunded liability of $4.4 billion. Also, the governor is asking that the retirement age for state employees be raised from 65 to 67.

Higher Education

LePage has level-funded the public higher education system in his budget. University of Maine officials, while expressing appreciation of how higher education is treated in the budget, will in all probability raise tuition by 4.5% for the coming academic year. Chancellor Richard Pattenaude says this would be the smallest increase in eight years. In 2009, tuition increased by 9.6%. The university must still deal with a $6 million deficit.

In his biennial report to the Maine Legislature, Maine Community College System President John Fitzsimmons called for an expansion of the system. Fitzsimmons noted that in fall 2010, the system turned away 5,300 qualified students because of a lack of capacity. He proposed a plan to increase capacity which includes expanding Southern Maine Community College to the former Brunswick Naval Air Station to eventually serve 2,000 students, and expanding Kennebec Valley Community College to the Good Will Hinckley campus, which would serve an additional 1,500 students. Fiztsimmons also mentioned "Accelerate ME," a program that helps Maine adults complete their college degrees, and the Maine Community College System’s Rural Initiative which provides scholarships and degree programs to rural students as additional ways to access higher education.

K-12

LePage’s budget provides an increase of $23 million in state aid to K-12. However, $59 million in stimulus funds will be lost, so education funding will actually decrease by $36 million. Legislators are looking to change the Essential Programs and Services/EPS funding formula for K-12, which has hurt rural communities. More than 25 bills have been filed to change the formula for education funding.

Massachusetts

The Massachusetts House Ways and Means Committee released a $30.5 billion budget for FY12 on April 13. The spending plan features a controversial proposal to reform the process for setting municipal health insurance rates outside collective bargaining. House Speaker Robert DeLeo, a staunch supporter of labor, favors the reform crafted by Rep. Brian Dempsey, chair of the Ways and Means Committee. The plan is estimated to save municipalities approximately $100 million and is endorsed by the Massachusetts Municipal Association.

A report by the Boston Foundation cited health care costs in local budgets soaring to $1 billion from 2000 to 2007. That’s $300 million more than state aid to education during the same period. While wealthier school districts were able to make budget adjustments, poorer school districts were forced to cut books and teachers. This runs counter to the 1993 Education Reform that passed to equalize funding for all Massachusetts school districts.

The House proposal calls for local officials to set the premiums for health insurance plans. Municipal employees would have the right to bargain their share of the premiums. Municipalities would also have the option of joining the Group Insurance Commission. Employees of the Massachusetts public higher education system and all other state employees are part of the Group Insurance Commission, which sets rates and premiums for health insurance costs outside the collective bargaining process. Labor leaders view the House plan as an assault on public employees and have vowed to remove lawmakers who support the plan. The Massachusetts Teachers Association opposes the plan and supports a scaled-down version proposed by Gov. Deval Patrick.

Debate on the House budget is expected to run from Monday, April 25,through Friday, April 29. Senate President Therese Murray predicts the Senate will pass a local aid resolution, which agrees with the plan outlined in the House budget, and take up the budget in late May.

Higher Education

The House and the governor agreed on funding higher education at FY11 levels However, the system is short $61.5 million, which represents stimulus funds used in FY 11 that are no longer available. Campuses will receive 7.5% less in funding. Beginning in FY12, all campuses will be allowed to retain tuition from out-of-state students.

The University of Massachusetts and its campuses face a deficit of $54.5 million for the coming year. President Jack Wilson, who will step down after this year, has cut more than 500 faculty and administrative positions, reduced overtime and decreased energy and discretionary expenses. Wilson will also raise student fees. Current in-state tuition and mandatory fees at UMass Amherst are $11,732, Out-of-state tuition and mandatory fees are $23,628.

The state’s scholarship programs will be funded at $86.5 million, which represents a decrease of $3 million from FY11. The House budget includes an additional cut of $1.8 million.

Pre-K-12

The House budget agreed with the governor’s budget in funding pre-k–12. While local aid was reduced by $65 million, education aid to school districts was increased by $140 million.

State Education Commissioner Mitchell Chester is proposing to reward teachers and administrators when students show improvement on their MCAS scores. The plan would also mandate a course correction for teachers of students who underperform. The Massachusetts Teachers Association takes issue with the idea that MCAS would be central in evaluating teacher performance.

Secretary of Education Paul Reville wants to examine how New Hampshire’s dropout rate fell after increasing the minimum dropout age from 16 to 18. Gov. John Lynch of New Hampshire reported the rate fell to below 1% after raising the dropout age to 18. However, the New Hampshire House recently passed a bill restoring the dropout age to 16.

New Hampshire

The Senate Finance Committee heard testimony from Chancellor Edward MacKay and executives from the University System of New Hampshire who appeared before the committee to make their case for more state aid.

Gov. John Lynch cut the state appropriation to the University System of New Hampshire by 5%. The New Hampshire House went much further, cutting $31 million or 45% out of the budget for each fiscal year.

MacKay said the cut would have a dramatic impact on student aid. Cuts have also been made to the state’s scholarship programs. Lynch and the House agreed to eliminate the New Hampshire Postsecondary Education Commission and the state grant programs it administers. MacKay said with federal programs being cut, there will be $6 million less for next year’s students.

The New Hampshire community colleges were cut in the House budget by $18.7 million over the next two years. Community college officials said this is the equivalent of closing two campuses. Enrollment has increased over 34% during the past three years.

Sen. Chuck Morse, chair of the Senate Finance Committee, said he’s not looking to cut as deeply as the House, but indicated there will be further cuts and warned higher education officials not to blame the Legislature for rising tuitions.

UNH President Mark Huddleston formed a task force to deal with a 45% or $31 million cut to the university’s budget by the New Hampshire House. Huddleston expects to eliminate 200 positions with layoffs, buyouts and not filling vacant positions. The task force is due to report on May 1 with a list of recommendations.

The university is also in the midst of negotiating faculty contracts. The faculty proposed a 12.5% salary increase over three years, while the administration countered with a 6.5% increase over three years. A “fact finder” recommended an 8.75% increase over three years with cuts to benefits. The faculty accepted the fact finder’s recommendation. But the University System’s executive board rejected the recommendation as unrealistic given the current fiscal climate.

K-12

State aid to local school districts was cut $8.7 million. An additional $7.9 million was cut from an aid program for severely disabled students.

Education officials are also sorting out the latest results from the New England Common Assessment Program. Based on the New England Common Assessment Program/NECAP, the state issues Adequate Yearly Program (AYP) reports for grades 3-8 and 11, combined with the 2009-10 NH-Alternate Assessment results for Grades 2-7 and 10, and the Class of 2010 graduation rate.

The New Hampshire Department of Education reports that of 469 school reports, 327 did not achieve Adequate Yearly Progress/AYP in one or more areas. Also, 14 high schools failed to meet the target of an 80% graduation rate. In subject areas, 197 schools achieved AYP in reading while 166 achieved AYP in mathematics. Those schools not making AYP for two consecutive years in the same area are designated as a School in Need of Improvement. Based on the new results, 60 schools are identified as new Schools in Need of Improvement.

Rhode Island

Speaker of the House Gordon Fox rejected Gov. Lincoln Chafee’s sales tax plan in its present form, saying the plan’s proposed 1% tax on water, home heating oil and manufactured supplies is “offensive.” Fox is willing to work with the Chafee administration to come up with an alternative plan.

Senate President Teresa Paiva Weed also rejected the Chafee plan and will explore other alternatives including spending cuts and consolidations. She specifically mentioned the elimination of the Rhode Island Office of Higher Education as an area where spending could be cut.

Higher Education

Chafee won praise from college and university officials for increasing funding for higher education by $10 million for FY12. The total funding for higher education is $154 million. But the officials say it won’t stop tuition and fees from going up especially after $40 million in funding cuts in prior years. At Rhode Island College, President Nancy Carriuolo said the college must still address a $4.6 million budget gap.

Chafee appointed and the Senate confirmed eight new members of the Rhode Island Board of Governors for Higher Education. The Board has 13 members and all but one member will be replaced. The new chair is Lorne Adrain, a Providence businessman and philanthropist who replaces Judge Frank Caprio.

K-12

The Chafee budget provides $700 million for school districts for FY12. Rhode Island will also receive federal Race to the Top funds of $75 million. In testimony before the House Health, Education and Welfare Committee, Commissioner Deborah Gist said the proposed budget for Rhode Island schools supports her formula for education funding, which distributes funds based on the number of students enrolled. Gist reported Rhode Island students outperformed students in New Hampshire and Vermont in the New England Common Assessment Program for 2010. Gist also admitted there are areas where improvement is needed. Only 33% of high school students were found to be “proficient” in mathematics. Rhode Island’s graduation rate, which is approximately 75% statewide, is 60% or lower in some school districts, and Hispanic students in Rhode Island have the lowest achievement rates in the U.S.

Vermont

The Senate Appropriations Committee approved a $4.68 billion spending plan, and the full Senate will debate the budget on April 21.

Higher Education

Gov. Peter Shumlin’s budget level-funded the University of Vermont and the Vermont State Colleges for FY12. UVM and the state colleges are asking for an additional amount of $4.2 million which reflects stimulus funds that were applied to these budgets in FY11.

UVM is requesting $43.3 million. The Vermont State Colleges are requesting $24.8 million from House and Senate Appropriations Committees.

In making their case to the House and Senate Appropriations committees, UVM President Dan Fogel and VSC Chancellor Timothy Donovan cited the following:

Vermont State Colleges:

Full-time equivalent enrollment at all five institutions has gone up 56% over the past decade, and 114% at the Community College of Vermont.
54% of VSC students are the first in their families to attend college.
74% of VSC graduates stay in Vermont.
Of Vermont high school seniors who planned to attend college in-state, 18% were headed to VSC in 2000 and 25% in 2008, while UVM’s share remained about the same at 12%.

University of Vermont:

More than 29,000 UVM alumni—about 30% of all UVM graduates—live in Vermont.
UVM is the state’s fourth largest employer, with 3,800 employees.
UVM admitted 70% of its Vermont applicants, and of the Vermonters admitted, 40% enrolled.
Of the roughly 25,000 out-of-state students attending college in Vermont, UVM enrolls about 32%, VSC 9%, and private colleges, 59%

UVM trustees will consider a 5.8% increase in tuition when they meet in May. Currently in-state students pay $12,888 and out-of-state students pay $32,528. Fees are $1,894. The Vermont State Colleges have already voted to increase tuition rates for the coming academic year. In-state students will pay $8,568 and out-of-state students will pay $12,864. Fees are $899.

K-12

In announcing the results of the latest NECAP statewide tests, the Vermont Department of Education invited the students of Montgomery Elementary School and their teachers and principal to attend a press conference recognizing their achievement. Officials identified 14 schools across the state with high scores for all students, as well as students in poverty. Of the schools identified, Montgomery had the highest percentage of students in poverty (63%), but also had the highest overall percentage of students who scored "proficient" and above (92.9%), and the highest percentage of students in poverty who scored proficient and above (88.8%).

According to the U.S. Census of 2010, Montgomery Center, Vt., has a population of 1,201 residents. It is a short distance from Jay Peak Mountain, which is five miles from the Canadian border. Typically, low-income, economically disadvantaged students do not experience the same academic success as their classmates. Montgomery’s students proved to be the exception.

Carolyn Morwick is a consultant at NEBHE and former director of the Caucus of New England State Legislatures.

Data Connection: State Work, Guns, Sports

John O. Harney — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 10:22:18 +0000

In January, we revived the collection of facts and figures called "Data Connection" that we had published quarterly for nearly 20 years in the print editions of The New England Journal of Higher Education.

The latest ...

Change in Connecticut State University System (CSUS) "administrative and residual" staff, fiscal 2006 to fiscal 2011: -15% Connecticut State University System

Change in CSUS full-time instructional personnel (faculty) during that period: +10% Connecticut State University System

Share of accounting employees at Certified Public Accounting firms who are Hispanic/Latino: 3% American Institute of CPAs

Share who are Black/African-American: 3% American Institute of CPAs

Number of states that now allow weapons in their state capitol buildings after New Hampshire in January overturned a ban on weapons in the State House and permit concealed weapons on the House floor and in the visitors gallery: 7 National Conference of State Legislatures

Share of of football players who competed for programs ranked in Sports Illustrated’s 2010 preseason top 25 were charged with or cited for a crime: 7% Investigation by Sports Illustrated and CBS News

Amount of money the University of Connecticut athletic department lost at the 2011 Fiesta Bowl: $1,800,000 The Daily Campus

Amount UConn absorbed from 14,729 unsold tickets: $2,924,385 The Daily Campus

Change in number of applications to Butler University one year after the Indianapolis university made it to the NCAA basketball championship: +41% Butler University

Population of Maine, 2010: 1,328,361 Lewiston Sun Journal on U.S. Census

Change in population of Maine, 200o to 2010: +4.2% Lewiston Sun Journal on U.S. Census

Change in Maine's non-white population: +37% Lewiston Sun Journal on U.S. Census

Small Revenue Gains in NE States Not Enough to Stanch Ed Bleeding

John O. Harney — Sat, 08 Jan 2011 12:34:28 +0000

The good news is that the New England states are showing slight gains in revenue collections. The bad news is that it will not be enough to stave off a new round of budget cuts for the coming fiscal years. States are preparing budgets for FY12 and FY13 while addressing shortfalls in FY11 budgets. Most states have spent stimulus funds to avoid massive layoffs in K-12 districts and higher education. But governors and legislators fear the worst is yet to come.

Connecticut

Projected deficit for FY12: $3.67 billion

New Gov. Dan Malloy confronts a huge challenge in addressing Connecticut’s budget for the coming biennium. The state burned through $1.4 billion in its rainy day fund and has spent most, if not all, of the one-time stimulus funding. Malloy is scheduled to file his budget plan for the new biennium, FY12, FY13, in mid-February.

K-12

Commissioner of Education Mark McQuillan abruptly resigned from his post, citing the stress of the job and frustration with working in a politically charged environment. He also expressed his disappointment with layoffs in his department and not being successful in the competition for federal Race to the Top funds. Yet McQuillan was largely successful in navigating the political landscape and is credited with passage of school accountability legislation, a new mentoring program for teachers and passage of a school reform bill which increases requirements for graduation from middle school and high school while giving parents more power to affect change in failing schools through governance councils. Malloy will conduct a nationwide search for a new school chief. In the interim, Deputy Commissioner George Coleman is expected to fill the vacancy.

Higher Education

In June 2010, the trustees of the University of Connecticut approved a budget for FY 12 of $1.03 billion—a 4.8% increase over the previous year’s. The board also approved a 6% increase in tuition, fees and room and board charges for in-state students, which would amount to $20,968.

In September 2010, trustees of the Connecticut State University System approved a freeze on tuition and fees for academic year 2011-12, but cautioned they may have to reconsider due to the recession's severity.

Connecticut Community Colleges will increase tuition and fees by 2.5%.

Full-time students now pay $3,406 in tuition and fees, which will increase to $3,490 in the 2011-12 school year.

House Speaker Chris Donovan and Senate President Don Williams are reluctant to cut state services but are looking at ways to address the deficit including consolidating agencies and cutting the bureaucracy. Higher education is expected to be on the chopping block.

The Connecticut General Assembly’s Office of Legislative Research reported that budgets for UConn, the CSUS and the Connecticut Community Colleges increased by more than 200% over the past two decades. In a recent report released by the Legislature’s bipartisan Program Review and Investigations Committee, UConn and the CSUS were ranked ninth and 11th among peer institutions as the most expensive public universities in the U.S. Higher education leaders warned that with more cuts in state appropriations to higher education, they would have few options but to further raise charges.

Maine

Projected deficit for FY12: $1 billion

New Gov. Paul LePage appointed a committee to review all budgets and issue recommendations for the new biennium, FY12 and FY13, by the end of January. The budget is due in the Legislature on Feb. 11. Rep. Sawin Millet, formerly the ranking Republican on the Appropriations and Financial Affairs Committee and a veteran lawmaker, is heading the team of budget advisers. He was recently named director of the Department of Administration and Financial Services. LePage is expected to have the support of a Republican Legislature in making his budget recommendations for the new biennium.

Revenue collections are up by $365 million, driven by state income taxes, both individual and corporate. University of Maine economist Jim Breece said corporate tax revenue has come in above estimates all year. But he warned that the increase is the result of a change in how Maine assesses the corporate tax, not because Maine corporations have turned a profit.

K-12

LePage has not yet named his choice for education commissioner to succeed Angela Faherty who was appointed acting commissioner in July 2010, when Commissioner Susan Gendron left the post to become policy director for the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium. The outlook for the department remains uncertain as speculation grows about how resources will be allocated. LePage denies reports he will downsize or eliminate the department.

Higher Education

The University of Maine System submitted a budget request to former Gov. John Baldacci requesting a $7.1 million increase for FY12 and $7.4 million for FY13 for a total of $14.5 million in the biennium. If this request is approved, students would see a 3% increase in tuition rates. If the request is rejected, a 5% increase in tuition rates would be adopted. Maine’s community college system is requesting a 3.5% budget increase in each year of the biennium for a total increase of 7% over the next two fiscal years. No increase in tuition is factored into the request. Democratic legislators have indicated that at the very least, funding for the UMaine System might remain at current levels, but most agree that some cuts are inevitable.

Massachusetts

Projected deficit for FY12: $1.5 billion

As a part of his efforts to control spending, Gov. Deval Patrick begin his second term looking at a budget that will cut $1 billion to $1.5 billion out of state government. He is also looking to exercise greater control of pensions and health care costs and may cut local aid payments. His budget will be released on Jan. 26.

K-12

According to a report recently by the Boston Foundation and the Massachusetts Business Alliance for Education, municipal health care costs have increased dramatically, surpassing increases in state education aid (Chapter 70).

The net effect has been to cut spending for textbooks and teacher-training programs and increase class sizes. Boston Foundation President Paul Grogan said the report “puts into clear and compelling focus what many have suspected for some time: that our good-faith efforts to close the achievement gap are being erased by the cost of health care.”

At issue is a state law that requires municipal employees to bargain collectively over health care plans, while state employees are exempt from this requirement. The result has been that health care costs for state employees have risen much more slowly than those for municipal employees. In the coming legislative session, lawmakers are expected to take up the issue of exempting collective bargaining provisions that apply to health care plans for municipal employees.

According to Linda Noonan, executive director of the Massachusetts Business Alliance for Education, “Our significant investment in education since 1993, and the gains in student achievement that followed, are at risk due to the uncontrolled costs of employee health care.”

Higher Education

All public institutions are preparing for additional cuts in campus budgets for FY12. University of Massachusetts Chancellor Robert Holub anticipates a cut of $18 million for the new fiscal year, which begins on July 1, 2011. This is based on a level-funded budget and no new stimulus funds. Trustees will not set rates for tuition and fees until June. In-state students currently pay $11,732 in tuition and fees.

All public campuses—UMass, the State Universities (formerly the State Colleges) and the Community Colleges—are anticipating cuts of 7%.

New Hampshire

Projected deficit for FY12: $680 million

K-12

Following years of wrangling and lawsuits, New Hampshire will tackle a new education funding formula as Gov. John Lynch begins his fourth term. But already, many communities are complaining their school budgets will suffer.

Higher Education

After three consecutive fiscal years of level-funded budgets, the University System of New Hampshire requested an increase of $5 million in FY12 and an additional $5 million in FY13, with a total increase of $10 million for the biennium. The Community College System of New Hampshire is requesting a 4% increase in its budgets for FY12 and FY13.

Rhode Island

Projected deficit for FY12: $295 million

Gov. Lincoln Chafee begins his first term, as the state budget office is requesting all agencies to apply a 15% cut to their budget requests for FY12.

K-12

Commissioner of Education Deborah Gist will not comply with the state budget office’s request to cut 15% out of her budget and is requesting an increase of $45.5 million or a 5.3% increase in state funding. Approximately half of this amount would offset the loss of stimulus funds and the remaining amount would be distributed to local school districts in education aid.

Higher Education

The Board of Governors for Higher Education also rejected a request from the state budget office to cut budgets by 15% and instead approved a $31 million or 22% increase in funding for academic year 2011-12 for the public higher education system. There would be no increases in tuition or fees.

The Rhode Island Higher Education Assistance Authority is requesting an increase of $21 million in funding. Executive Director William Hurry said a cut of 15% would mean reducing scholarships for college-bound students.

Vermont

Projected deficit for FY12: $112+ million

In fall 2010, the deficit was projected to be $112 million, but according to the Vermont General Assembly’s financial analysts, it may be closer to $150 million.

K-12

As part of the Challenges for Change initiative, which cuts spending across the board in state and local governments, Vermont’s school boards were asked to reduce their budgets by 2.3%, allowing for a reduction in property taxes. In mid-December, however, education officials reported that the state’s 60 school districts could not meet the $23.2 million in voluntary spending reductions. Some districts reduced their budgets by a combined total of $4 million in budget proposals for FY12. With the majority of districts not being able to meet the targeted cuts, new Gov. Peter Shumlin announced that property tax rates will remain the same for FY12 and suggested using $19 million in federal stimulus funds to bridge the gap.

Voters will have a chance to weigh in on school budgets and the property tax rates on the first Tuesday in March, Town Meeting Day, when most school boards present their budgets for the coming fiscal year.

Higher Education

Trustees for the University of Vermont approved a budget for $289 million for FY11, which included a 4% increase in tuition. The budget reflects a 1.4% increase over the previous year. In prior years, tuition increased at the rate of 6%. For FY11, the in-state tuition rate is $12,180, and the out-of-state rate is $30,744.

Trustees for the Vermont State Colleges approved an increase in tuition rates of 3% for FY11. In the previous year, tuition rates increased by 6.8%. For FY 11, in-state tuition at the Vermont State Colleges is $8,232. Out-of-state tuition is $18,792.

Carolyn Morwick is a consultant at NEBHE and former director of the Caucus of New England State Legislatures.

Colleges Consider Freezing Charges

John O. Harney — Mon, 25 Oct 2010 20:50:17 +0000

Do you feel a chill? Recently, the trustees of the Connecticut State University System decided not to raise tuition and fees. This decision marks the first time in a decade that tuition and fees have not increased within the four-school system.

“It would be awesome. It is kind of expensive enough now,” says Sara Perran, a student at Central Connecticut State University.

Connecticut is not alone. In Rhode Island, Judge Frank Caprio, chair of the Board of Governors for Higher Education, recommended a freeze on tuitions at the three state institutions for the academic year beginning in fall 2011. Maine’s seven community colleges have frozen tuition for six of the last 11 years.

New England has a notorious history of raising student charges to offset relatively low state funding. Yet, the CSUS decision reflects a different sentiment. As chair Karl J. Krapek said in a statement to CTnow.com, “we recognize the economic challenges facing many of our students and their families and will remain steadfast in our commitment to providing affordable, accessible, high-quality education.”

However, keeping tuition costs down for students has consequences for faculty and staff. Case and point: CSUS plans a salary freeze for close to 200 nonunion workers as well as layoffs for both maintenance workers and faculty in an attempt to replenish monies no longer provided through increases in tuition.

While the CSUS has made its commitment to affordability and access clear in its vote to not increase fees during the current recession, theory and practice may be hard to reconcile. In a state running a deficit of more than $3 billion, the tuition freeze could be reconsidered at a moment’s notice. As Krapek noted to the CTmirror.com, "If we get a brutal cut in the state budget ... we may have to revisit this, but for now I think it's the right thing to do.” Clearly, students like Sara Perran agree.

As Leaves Change, So Do College Officials

Shoshana Akins — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 17:35:00 +0000

College of the Atlantic President David F. Hales announced he will retire at the end of the academic year. During his tenure, the college became a carbon-neutral institution, expanded its faculty and diversified its academic programs. A search for a new president is underway for the 2011-12 academic year.

Suffolk University President David Sargent, whose high pay captured regional and national headlines, announced his immediate retirement after a special board meeting held Oct. 20.

Former Massachusetts state representative, champion of the state's Education Reform Act, and lead sponsor for its Gay Rights Bill, Mark Roosevelt will become president of Antioch College of Ohio.

Roger Williams University has not yet found a permanent president after the sudden resignation of its eighth president Roy Nirschel. An interim president has been named but the university is still looking for applicants.

Harvard University announced its newest vice president for capital planning and project management, Mark R. Johnson. Harvard says Johnson, with more than 20 years of experience in construction and architectural design, will be able to "balance the nature of academia with the practicalities of planning and budgets."

Boston University Provost David Campbell will be replaced by the University of Southern California's Jean Morrison at the end of the semester. Morrison, who is currently USC's executive vice provost for academic affairs and graduate programs, will succeed Campbell as BU's chief academic officer, overseeing educational and budget policies for the university's 14 schools and colleges.

The Connecticut State University System has experienced a slew of managerial rearrangements since the departure of Southern Connecticut State University President Cheryl J. Norton, the state attorney general's recent assertion of the board's misguided delegation of responsibility in this matter, and last month's surprise announcement by the chancellor of system Chancellor David Carter that he will retire next September.

The Chronicle of Higher Education noted that questions have been raised about whether the state system needs a major overhaul. (As former Quinebaug Valley Community College President Robert Miller wrote in NEJHE in Summer 1991 when the journal was called Connection: "The slogan that Connecticut seems to have embraced over the years as it contemplates the future of its higher education system is: 'If in doubt, reorganize.'"