The six-state New England region's population grew by a sluggish 3.8% between 2000 and 2010—while the nation's as a whole grew by 9.7%, according to U.S. Census Bureau’s 2010 population figures released in December.

Among other highlights:

• United Van Lines, the nation’s largest household goods mover, classified four of the six New England ...]]> Updated May 2012 ...

The six-state New England region's population grew by a sluggish 3.8% between 2000 and 2010—while the nation's as a whole grew by 9.7%, according to U.S. Census Bureau’s 2010 population figures released in December.

Among other highlights:

• United Van Lines, the nation’s largest household goods mover, classified four of the six New England states as “high outbound” (55% or more moves going out of the state) in 2011. They were: Rhode Island (56.3%), New Hampshire (56.1%), Connecticut (55.8%) and Maine (55.8%).

• It's not your grandfather's New England. Exhibit A: The first Somali families moved to Lewiston, Maine, in late Jan. 2001. Ten years later, nearly 10 percent of the city's population is Somali.

• The Massachusetts population grew by only 3.1%—and the state was the only one in New England to lose a congressional district. Massachusetts had 16 districts in the early 20th century, but will sink to nine in the next Congress.

• As the U.S. population seeks warmth, Texas will gain four seats and Florida two. New York and Ohio will each lose two. Michigan will lose one.

• The historical shift in population from New England to the South and West has gradually brought with it political power, research dollars and college enrollment.

For other trend data, visit Newslink and Trends & Indicators: Continually Updated Stats on New England’s Education and Economy.

Figure DEM 1: Resident Population of New England and the United States: 2010 and 2000 Census

Click on the chart to enlarge.

Note: U.S. data do not include Puerto Rico.
Source: New England Board of Higher Education analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data.

Fig. DEM 2: Resident Population of New England and the United States: 1970-2010 Census

Fig. DEM 3: Percentage Change in New England and United States Population by Decades

Click on the chart to enlarge.

Note: U.S. data do not include Puerto Rico.
Source: New England Board of Higher Education analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data.

Fig. DEM 4: Percentage Change in Population by Decades

Click on the chart to enlarge.

Note: U.S. data do not include Puerto Rico.
Source: New England Board of Higher Education analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data.

Fig. DEM 5: Change in Population, 2000 to 2010, New England States and Other Regions

Click on the chart to enlarge.

Note: Middle Atlantic includes New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania. East North Central includes Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Wisconsin. West North Central includes Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas. South Atlantic includes Delaware, Maryland, District of Columbia, Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida. East South Central includes Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi. West South Central includes Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Texas. Mountain includes Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, Nevada. Pacific includes Washington, Oregon, California, Alaska, Hawaii.

Source: New England Board of Higher Education analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data.

Fig. DEM 6: Population of New England by Race, 2010

Click on the chart to enlarge.

Note: The above categories reflect the U.S. Census Bureau Guidance on the Presentation and Comparison of Race and Hispanic Origin.

Source: New England Board of Higher Education analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data.

Fig. DEM 7: State Projections of Population Aged 60 and Over

Click on the chart to enlarge.

Source: New England Board of Higher Education analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data.

Fig. DEM 8: Racial Composition of Northern and Southern New England, 2011

Click on the chart to enlarge.

Source: New England Board of Higher Education analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data.

Fig. DEM 9: Growth in the Number of Persons Obtaining Legal Permanent Resident Status in New England, 2000 to 2010

Click on the chart to enlarge.

Source: New England Board of Higher Education analysis of U.S. Department of Homeland Security data.

Back to Trends & Indicators>>

Maine’s Skowhegan ...]]> Maine has been focusing on the importance of postsecondary training. As the Maine Department of Education’s Pre-K-16 Task Force noted: “To guarantee a more promising future for Maine youth and to ensure economic vitality in our state, we need to dramatically increase the number of citizens with either an associate or a baccalaureate degree.”

Maine’s Skowhegan Area High School (SAHS) and Somerset Career and Technical Center (SCTC) have partnered in a Multiple Pathways initiative (funded by the Nellie Mae Education Foundation) to increase students’ high school completion rate and to increase enrollment in postsecondary education of their graduates. Integral to these goals is ensuring that all students graduate with skills they need to succeed in postsecondary education, careers and civic engagement. According to the Partnership for 21^st Century Skills, these skills include literacy, numeracy, critical thinking, communications, collaboration and creativity.

Though a major goal for the project is to increase the high school graduation rate, the Multiple Pathways vision applies to students from a cross-section of achievement levels. Through engaging, in-depth learning, the project seeks to advance all students' attitudes and skills.

Implementing multiple pathways

Drawing from Multiple Pathways frameworks, in 2009, SAHS and SCTS began planning the campuswide initiative. SAHS is a regional high school serving six communities and led by a principal. SCTC is located on the SAHS campus but is a distinct school serving juniors and seniors from SAHS and four other high schools. It is led by a director.

A major part of this Multiple Pathways initiative is to move toward more cooperation between SCTC and SAHS. In this way, students’ perceptions of the relevance of their academic subjects could increase, through connections made to career/technical subjects. Also, pathways might be created for students to fulfill part or all of an academic class’s requirements through participation in a career/technical class, as long as required academic standards are achieved.

Some students attend SAHS classes, focused on academic objectives, as well as SCTC classes, focused on career and technical skills. If a high school teacher has a student who doesn’t understanding a math concept, for example, a carpentry instructor might be able to show the student how the math relates to carpentry or architecture.

Goals also include incorporating more learning activities that capture students’ interest, while maintaining academic rigor, ensuring students gain 21^st Century Skills, and increasing connections with community, business and higher education partners.

The first step in this partnership was a Multiple Pathways workshop in summer 2009. Faculty from both schools identified possible Multiple Pathways projects. During the 2009-10 planning year, educators from SAHS and SCTC visited Searsport High School to see its program incorporating students’ interests and standards-based learning.

In June 2010, a Multiple Pathways Administrative Liaison was hired to help communicate about Multiple Pathways. Two summer workshops were held to discuss how to achieve a more integrated SCTC/SAHS campus. Faculty and staff created a draft campus mission statement that was edited later that summer at a third, smaller meeting of faculty and staff. This mission was later adopted by the faculty and staff in fall 2010.

In September, faculty who attended the summer workshops, related goals and activities planned at the workshops, to the rest of the faculty, and launched a monthly Multiple Pathways newsletter emphasizing learning experiences faculty provide for students.

In October, faculty met to share their projects aligned with Multiple Pathways goals—both projects newly devised and projects in which they had been involved before the grant. A public relations company, Encompass, was contracted to help get the word out to the larger community about SCTC’s programs and the Multiple Pathways initiative. A Multiple Pathways Advisory Board—consisting of students, faculty, parent, district administrators, school board members, business and community leaders, and statewide education leaders—met to discuss the progress of the initiative. Follow-up meetings were planned to identify community resources with which Multiple Pathways learning activities can connect.

In December 2010, a new staff position, Extended Learning Opportunities Coordinator, was created to work towards increasing the availability of engaging, personalized learning experiences for students, for which high school credits can be granted.

Multiple pathways projects

The number and variety of Multiple Pathways projects at SAHS/SCTC continues to grow. The current projects include the following:

Senior Tech Math Math teacher Jodi Abbott designed a class that incorporates students’ career interests into the curriculum. The second semester of the course will count as the equivalent of a Kennebec Valley Community College (KVCC) math class; if students pass it, they will receive three college math credits tuition-free.

Sustainable Gardening Students, faculty and staff visited Unity College’s student-run organic garden where they interacted with Unity College students, faculty and staff, asking questions and discussing garden plans. A garden site on our campus has been prepared for planting, which is scheduled for spring 2011. Students, faculty, administration, higher education staff, local farmers, community members, district staff and Town of Skowhegan staff are involved in the planning.

Technical Center Tours Tenth-graders at SAHS take tours of the SCTC programs and facilities.

Career Exploration Day A career exploration day, which in the past ninth-grade SCTC girls attended, is expanding to all SAHS ninth-grade girls. The careers presented will expand to include professional careers, in addition to the traditional trades that were presented in past years.

Inter-School Newspaper The high school student newspaper has expanded to an SAHS/SCTC campuswide student publication.

Robotics An SAHS physics teacher plans to involve his class in a robotics project that has been implemented solely by an SCTC Information Systems Technology instructor in the past.

Civil Rights Team The SAHS Civil Rights Team, which previously had only SAHS faculty assistance, now includes a SCTC staff member.

Identification of Curriculum Power Standards Each SAHS department has identified several curriculum standards that are essential to their subject area. In addition to other uses in students’ learning, this can facilitate collaborations between SAHS and SCTC classes.

WorkReady Several SAHS and SCTC faculty members attended a presentation about WorkReady, a program sponsored by the Maine Department of Education and the Somerset Workforce Development Team, which can be integrated into other curriculum to give students certification as possessing global skills employers seek.

Supporting the goals

Progress in the Multiple Pathways initiative depends on the organizational climate within SAHS and SCTC. Recent initiatives within Skowhegan Area High School support Multiple Pathways goals.

Professional Learning Groups Interdisciplinary professional learning groups are at SAHS. These groups, which give SAHS faculty opportunities to solve inevitable curriculum and classroom management challenges, provide forums to discuss best strategies for planning, implementing and assessing 21^st Century skills and academic content.

Student Advisories Planning at SAHS has begun for student advisories. These groups will help foster relationships and a feeling of belonging to help students achieve to their capacity, to feel engaged with their school experience, and to complete it.

Extended Learning Time Advisories might take place during an Extended Learning time—if not in 2011-12, perhaps in the following year. This time might be used for tutoring, promoting the Multiple Pathways goals of rigorous learning, literacy and numeracy. Extended Learning time also supports opportunities for enrichment and other personalized learning opportunities.

Faculty Leadership Student Advisories planning is led by faculty members. A new Principal’s Advisory group and a continuing Department Head group also provide faculty leadership. Faculty members led some of the Multiple Pathways planning groups at summer workshops and presented to the rest of the faculty. An organization infrastructure of faculty with constructive leadership abilities, which are developed with support and through experience, is essential for implementation and sustainability of major initiatives, including Multiple Pathways.

Rachel’s Challenge In response to a statewide directive for anti-bullying programs, the campus began participating in a program called Rachel’s Challenge in January. The increased climate of caring, safety for all, and community that the program could help develop would support Multiple Pathways goals. Since absenteeism and dropping-out are high among students who are marginalized and made to feel unsafe, improving school climate could bolster the number of students finishing school and being well prepared for next steps.

Next steps

Work has begun to implement a framework that helps students complete high school and be willing and able to participate in postsecondary education and citizenship. There are many areas that need to be addressed.

One such area is SCTC/SAHS collaboration. While there are several examples of high school and technical center teachers working together, they are still the exception rather than the norm. Courses at SCTC center on project learning, and SCTC instructors have in-depth expertise in implementing it. Deeper collaborations between the two wings of campus could bring SAHS faculty who desire to begin or deepen project learning, additional project learning strategies. Increased collaborations and teaming between SCTC and SAHS faculty could create pathways for students to fulfill part or all of an academic class’s requirements through participation in a career and technical class. Collaborations with high school faculty would allow SCTC faculty to be aware of SAHS academic objectives so they can reinforce them.

More collaboration would allow faculty in the two wings to discuss challenges and remedies for students they share. Collegial conversations would allow discussion of academic strengths and deficits that become apparent in the process of students’ project learning in SCTC classes and 21^st Century skills strengths and deficits that have been observed in either SAHS or SCTC classes. A curriculum alliance model that integrates academic and career curriculum, was presented as a goal to faculty who attended Multiple Pathways summer workshops. An adaptation of this model might be a promising way to further the goals of the initiative.

Students’ personalized/extended learning opportunities will be the special focus in 2011-12. Further community resources will be identified and made available not only for personalized learning but as a resource for classroom teachers.

Tapping into faculty wisdom and know-how is essential, and continued efforts and supports for this should continue. In addition, SCTC and SAHS educators have attended conferences, workshops, and meetings in Maine and New Hampshire, and visited programs to learn about best practices. This professional development needs to continue.

Multiple Pathways is an encompassing approach that potentially affects, and is affected by, everything that the high school and center do. As such, further development of the initiative requires further thinking of how best to meet the needs of all learners. Through the identification of school and community resources, connections to students’ interests, and the commitment to the importance of this team approach, Multiple Pathways at Somerset Career and Technical Center and Skowhegan Area High School could have a substantial effect on the lives of students.

Lee Anna Stirling teaches graduate education leadership and curriculum courses and was a teacher, administrator and instructional coach in schools. In 2010-11 she served as Multiple Pathways Administrative Liaison at Skowhegan Area High School/Somerset Career and Technical Center.

Note: A version of this article, entitled Multiple Pathways: Post-Secondary Education, Career and Citizenship Readiness for All Students, appeared in the Journal of Maine Education, Meeting the Needs of All Learners (2011), 8. Maine ASCD.

Multiple Pathways Frameworks

In their book, Beyond Tracking: Multiple Pathways to College, Career, and Civic Participation (Harvard University Press, 2008), Jeannie Oakes of the Ford Foundation, and Marisa Saunders of the University of California, Los Angeles, emphasize that schools should not track students as “vocational” or “academic.” They claim that rigorous learning refers to rigor in higher-order thinking skills, application of knowledge, and depth of academic knowledge. They caution against using exit exams that exclude adequate evaluation of these abilities. Academics and preparation for careers would both be within theme-based programs. Themes could be, for example, health, law, information technology, environment, social justice or performing arts. Within each theme-based program there is a college preparatory academic core, a career/technical core including academic and real world standards and field-based learning opportunities.

In the New Commission on the Skills of the American Workforce, Marc Tucker, president of the National Center on Education and the Economy, suggested that by the end of 10th grade students should take demanding tests of core subjects and the skills workplaces require of employees such as creativity, leadership and team work. If students pass the exams, they can go to community college at that point (one pathway), or continue in high school with rigorous courses such as Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate (a second pathway).

Robert Schwartz, academic dean at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, offers that states should design exit assessments of reading, math and writing that include American Diploma Project (ADP) benchmarks, which are based on entry-level expectations of higher education and high-level employers. The test might include extensive writing, multi-step math solutions, assessment of clear reasoning and problem-solving, creativity, leadership and team skills.

Finally, the National Youth Employment Coalition’s American Youth Policy Forum’s multiple-pathways model includes alternative placements for students not succeeding in schools. Both alternative schools and sending schools would include, among other curricula: GED preparation, community college programs, vocational skills programs, and high-quality afterschool programs

—Lee Anna Stirling

Last spring, 83% of Maine public high school students who began high school four years earlier received a diploma.

About 65% of those graduates likely enrolled in some form of postsecondary education—at a public university, private institution, community college or elsewhere.

A 2008 ...]]> NEJHE presents exclusive articles by New England's governors on higher education in their states ...

Last spring, 83% of Maine public high school students who began high school four years earlier received a diploma.

About 65% of those graduates likely enrolled in some form of postsecondary education—at a public university, private institution, community college or elsewhere.

A 2008 report from the Joint Standing Committee on Education and Culture Affairs of the Maine Legislature indicates a quarter of those who enrolled at a public university in Maine required a remedial course to catch them up to the level where they should have been when they completed high school.

Of those who began a degree program at Maine’s seven community colleges, 37% needed remedial courses in subjects like math, reading and writing.

Within six years, only 48% of those who started work on a University of Maine System bachelor’s degree in the fall of 2010 will have earned it. Of those who started work on an associate degree at that time, just 26% will have completed it within three years.

What do these numbers tell us?

Regardless of how hard we’ve tried and how much money we’ve spent, our public schools simply haven’t managed to equip many of our students with the skills they need to succeed in college.

The result?

Studies show, by 2018, nearly 60% of jobs in Maine will require at least some amount of college education. If we can’t get more of our students to complete high school and earn degrees, we won’t have the workforce required to meet the needs of a 21^st-century technology- and knowledge-driven economy.

If we don’t have the educated workforce we need, our hopes of creating high-quality jobs in Maine and enticing them to come here will be greatly diminished.

For many of our residents, that means the higher wages and healthier lifestyles that come with higher-skill jobs will be out of reach.

There’s no simple solution to this dilemma, but much of it depends on reforming our public education system so we can be sure the students we’re graduating are ready not only to enter college, but to succeed in college.

Part of the problem is that, as it’s designed, our public education system favors essentially one learning style—one that involves sitting in a classroom and absorbing information from lectures and books. That’s a format that doesn’t work well for the majority of students.

As a result, many of our students—especially boys—start losing interest in school at a young age. If they lose interest, they’re unlikely to engage with course materials, discover knowledge on their own and challenge themselves to go above and beyond the bare minimum requirements.

If we’re not engaging students, but still promoting them from grade level to grade level, they’re graduating from high school unprepared for the rigors of college coursework. If they even enroll in college, it’s those students who are most likely to need remediation, and most likely to drop out before they earn a degree.

What we need in Maine is an education system that holds students to rigorous standards, encourages students to take charge of their own learning and has flexibility and relevance at its core.

In other words, our education system needs to offer all students—especially those at-risk of falling behind—more opportunities to be successful in school.

We in Maine took an early step toward that goal earlier this spring by fully adopting the Common Core state standards. Rigorous standards for all of our students are at the crux of our reform efforts. If we have high expectations for our students, they’ll meet them.

What’s not spelled out by these world-class standards is how our students meet them. That’s the province of our teachers, administrators and school boards. It should also be up to the students themselves.

Our students need more power to decide on the environment in which they’ll learn and attend school. This choice takes a few different forms:

• More of our public schools need to embrace a standards-based environment, in which students advance to the next level only once they’ve mastered what’s expected of them at the previous level. In this environment, students determine how they learn what they need to learn and how they demonstrate proficiency. The teacher becomes a facilitator who helps her students become independent learners and promotes them only once they’ve proven worthy of promotion. A handful of Maine schools have become early adopters of this standards-based format, and are confident it will make the high school diplomas they award more meaningful. Other Maine schools can learn from their experiences. My Commissioner of Education Stephen Bowen is working to share this model with more schools throughout the state.

• High school students need to be able to transfer seamlessly among different learning environments and earn credit from all of them. Depending on their needs and interests, students should be able to earn credit through a mix of online classes, adult education classes, community college and university courses, independent projects and internships.

• More of our students need to be able to enroll in career and technical education courses at our vocational schools. They need to be able to enroll there full-time, and before they reach their junior year in high school. Our vocational schools promote hands-on learning that many students find more relevant than the traditional academic atmosphere. Many of our career and technical education students find the vocational environment brings to life the lessons they learn in math, science and other courses.

• Our students also need another option: the opportunity to enroll at a charter school where a committed operator is innovating—and being held accountable—to find the right way to reach students who aren’t succeeding in the traditional setting. Maine is one of 10 states that don’t allow charter schools, but that’s something we expect to change in the coming weeks.

Our institutions of higher education in Maine would do well to learn some lessons from the innovations we’re planning for our K-12 system.

Just as we expect our public schools and teachers to meet the needs and learning styles of all students, our colleges and universities have the same obligation.

They need to hire professors who care about teaching. They need to be held accountable for their outcomes.

I urge those in charge of both our K-12 and postsecondary systems of education to get to work on improving. The success of one system depends on the other. And the success of our most important asset—our students—depends on them both.

Paul R. LePage is serving his first term as Maine’s governor.

The current snapshot of New England’s economy relative to other areas is favorable. The region suffered less decline during the recent recession than the national average, and the region’s recovery has ...]]> There is an exciting new opportunity for universities and colleges to advance the New England economy and at the same time help address environmental concerns.

The current snapshot of New England’s economy relative to other areas is favorable. The region suffered less decline during the recent recession than the national average, and the region’s recovery has been stronger than the national average. Neither of these were true for the previous three recessions. The problem is that having a relatively strong economy in these economic times is not very good. Unemployment rates in the region are still significantly higher than they were before the recession, and with the current rate of job growth, it would take over three years to recover the jobs lost in the Great Recession in the region.

After the recessions of the early 1980s and early 1990s, the region benefited from significant growth in growing technology industries. In the growth periods after the last two recessions, New England was one of the leading regions in the nation in the fast-growing, technology-based industries of those times. Coming out of this recession, the region has an opportunity to lead in a new technology-based industry: the so-called “clean tech” industry.

The term clean tech describes a group of emerging technologies that provide energy with minimum climate and environmental impact and use resources efficiently. Examples include wind power and solar energy and other new technologies in renewable energy generation and energy, materials and resource conservation.

In New England, the clean-tech economy is already evident and can be expanded. All the states in the region are relatively well-positioned in clean-tech industry development. The industry, however, is still very small compared with other sectors of the economy in New England, and it does not appear to be growing currently at a rate that would make it a very significant sector in terms of percentage of total employment anytime soon (e.g., over the next decade).

Five of the six New England states are among the top one-third of states in employment concentration in clean-tech using the frequently cited Pew Charitable Trust definition of clean tech. Maine leads the region and is second in the nation, behind only Oregon, in clean-tech employment concentration with 0.85% of total employment in clean tech. Massachusetts follows close behind, ranking third among the 50 states with 0.69% of total employment in clean tech, followed by Vermont with the 5th highest concentration (0.59%) in clean-tech employment in the nation. New Hampshire (12th) and Connecticut (16th) are also among the top third of states in clean-tech employment concentration. Rhode Island is the only state in the region with clean- tech employment concentration (0.42%) below the U.S. average overall of 0.49%. The regional average at 0.61% is 20% higher than the national average.

There are many initiatives across the region to try to build on the research oriented clean- technology base in the region to create jobs and enhance employment growth. This article reviews and updates information from a June 2010 New England Journal of Higher Education article on one novel effort, the Green Launching Pad (GLP) in New Hampshire, that has produced significant results in a short period of time and offers a model for other states to consider. It is university-created and based and suggestive of the role that colleges and universities can play in the next industrial revolution in the region.

To help further stimulate activity in clean-tech industries, in February 2010, University of New Hampshire (UNH) President Mark Huddleston and New Hampshire Gov. John Lynch announced the start-up of the GLP project. Green Launching Pad is a strategic partnership UNH and the New Hampshire Office of Energy and Planning, with American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funding from the U.S. Department of Energy. The GLP is a business acceleration program to commercialize clean technology. Ventures funded under the program are subject to a double-bottom line criteria. They are required to produce economic and environmental benefits. Faculty and students from UNH and Dartmouth and professionals from New Hampshire’s leading businesses including law firms, major utilities, manufacturing, and investment firms have been involved with the GLP.

Since its inauguration in February 2010, the GLP has selected 11 ventures to participate in the program from over 120 proposals. Selection is on a competitive basis and done by an advisory council of judges from industry and the nonprofit sector. The selection criteria include: 1) the potential for ventures to increase energy efficiency, reduce energy use and lower carbon emissions; 2) their potential to contribute to economic development—job creation and growth opportunities; 3) technology capability; 4) market feasibility; and 5) experience and capabilities of the leadership team. Winning teams consist of entrepreneurs, faculty, and students. Winners receive funding up to $100,000 each and receive accelerated business development assistance, including mentorship and coaching from experts in scientific, technical, business and legal areas.

In the first round of funding in 2010 (GLP 1.0), five winners were selected. They included a mix of companies applying a range of different clean technologies. All are based in the New Hampshire. Green Clean Heat in Newton Junction designs and builds fully-integrated “turnkey” efficient wood-fired heating systems for commercial and municipal facilities. EnerTrac in Hudson has developed low-cost smart metering technology and a corresponding monitoring service for propane gas and other uses that can reduce CO2 emissions by 30% or more. Revolution Energy in Dover develops renewable energy projects using third-party financing and creative incentive leveraging. Innovacene in Durham manufactures high-performing organic semiconductors for flexible organic solar cells and organic light-emitting diodes for lighting and displays. Air Power Analytics in Bedford improves energy efficiency of industrial compressed air systems, reducing electric consumption, and saving money while reducing upstream greenhouse-gas emissions.

The five first-round GLP companies have increased employment and developed business and marketing plans. Four of the five companies have begun to sell new products or services. All the companies have used student interns from UNH and Dartmouth. And all the companies are well-positioned for future growth and will be adding employees this year.

In April 2011, the second round (2.0) GLP funding competition was completed. Overall, the applicant pool was stronger than in the first round. There were six winning teams selected, again all New Hampshire-based, and again representing a diverse mix of clean tech.

SustainX in Lebanon provides a new non-toxic technology for low-cost scalable energy storage. The company’s new technology enables efficient storage of renewables (e.g., wind and solar) and can potentially be a game-changer in the economics of renewables. The energy storage technology is modular and allows for siting anywhere, from low-scale to grid-scale storage. Blue2green in Ashland will promote hydroelectric power production by restoring dams to produce renewable energy and attracting investors to suitable dams and mill-restoration projects. The revitalization of hydroelectric power in small- to medium-sized former industrial mill towns can help produce renewable energy, create jobs and preserve community history.

Holase in Portsmouth has developed self-contained, solar-powered LED traffic signal lights that are low-cost and easy to set up and operate. New England Footwear in New Market has developed a sustainable solution to footwear manufacturing and a way to revive shoe manufacturing in the region through new technologies that use organic materials, molds (instead of stitch and sew) and modular design to allow for easy replacement and re-use. ThermaPAVER of Exeter invented an invisible low-cost solar collector and heat exchanger with a diversity of potential applications. Applications include winter time melting of snow and ice off of roofs and summer time cooling pool side pavements and heating pools. Walker Wellington of Portsmouth has developed a hydrokinetic turbine power generation system which will capture and produce off-grid renewable energy for on-site use. Primary users will be municipal waste water treatment facilities and drinking water delivery systems.

The 11 wining GLP teams have generated a lot of excitement across the UNH campus and in the state of New Hampshire. The GLP has been mentioned in the last two state of the state addresses by Gov. Lynch and also highlighted in UNH’s new strategic plan. What is striking is that the excitement and potential for green entrepreneurship (and ventures launched with the GLP) remains high even with all the energy and environmental policy uncertainty in Washington and with the NH state legislature.

Looking forward with the Green Launching Pad and with similar types of efforts that might be undertaken elsewhere in New England what are the lessons from the GLP? First and foremost is that entrepreneurs are well along on the next industrial revolution and that the public sector in general is lagging behind. Many of these entrepreneurs are interested in profit making and also environmental impact (they are both a priority). This provides a significant opportunity for colleges and universities to work with private industry to be in the lead on clean-tech industry development and environmental entrepreneurship.

It is clear that with broadening concern about sustainability comes market opportunities and there are large numbers of entrepreneurs across the region and some with very good ideas for clean-technology business creation. A competitive grant program can help to identify and focus efforts on the highest quality ideas with the greatest market potential and positive environmental impact. What many clean-tech entrepreneurs, particularly those that are academic-based, lack are business know-how and connections, such as connections to legal and marketing advise to help them to identify and then to tap into market opportunities.

Finally, marketing and market development are very important for launching successful clean-tech ventures. Marketing is essential in creating new markets and customers. New clean-tech ventures require assistance in identifying target customers and figuring out how to convince them to buy products or services that they did not know they needed. Marketing assistance is an area in which business students and faculty can help tremendously and benefit from. Clean-tech ventures provide a near perfect opportunity for business students to apply what they learn and in turn learn through their experience working with nascent ventures about clean-technology business enterprise. They can learn about entrepreneurship and how clean technology can be applied by business ventures for profit making and to achieve desired social ends.

A focus on the commercialization of clean technology and ideas and social entrepreneurship, not just on breakthrough research or the invention of new technologies, is a role that many colleges and universities can engage in. It is not limited to the region’s top-tier research institutions. Engaging in clean-tech industry development, with initiatives such as UNH’s Green Launching Pad, can provide an exciting opportunity for students, faculty and others on college campuses across the region to work with private industry to help strengthen the region’s economy and help to address environmental concerns and to learn a lot while doing it.

You can visit the Green Launching Pad at www.GreenLaunchingPad.org
____________________________________________________________________________
Ross Gittell is the James R. Carter Professor at the University of New Hampshire’s Whittemore School of Business and Economics and A.R Venkatachalam is a professor in UNH's Decision Sciences Department, They are the co-directors of the Green Launching Pad.

University of Maine System Chancellor Richard L. Pattenaude emphasized the confluence of economic development and higher education in a joint session of the Maine state Senate and House of Representatives in his "State of the University" biennial address on March 30.

“Historically, higher education has meant ...]]>

Pattenaude presenting at NEBHE's 2011 Excellence Awards

University of Maine System Chancellor Richard L. Pattenaude emphasized the confluence of economic development and higher education in a joint session of the Maine state Senate and House of Representatives in his "State of the University" biennial address on March 30.

“Historically, higher education has meant personal growth and discovery, creating and preserving knowledge, and helping our students become lifelong learners and better citizens,” Pattenaude noted. “Today, however, the new ‘normal’ in higher ed is all about rebuilding our economy and creating opportunities for our students to live and work in Maine.”

To steer a path to this "new normal," the chancellor outlined three initiatives already underway to improve: remediation rates, transfer issues and the University System’s responsiveness to business needs. He noted:

• UMS is partnering with the Maine Community College System and Maine Department of Education commissioner Stephen Bowen to prepare a “Complete College America” grant which will focus on college preparation, remediation and retention.

• Maine’s universities and community colleges will work to solve transfer problems among public institutions.  “We are committed to working collaboratively to make the transfer experience smooth, seamless and effective,” Pattenaude said.

• The University System is working to help address the state’s need for graduates in information technology and computer science programs.

Pattenaude said the University System has made significant progress since his 2009 biennial address, which kicked off the New Challenges, New Directions initiative to focus on achieving long-term financial stability, keep education affordable and meet Maine’s changing educational and research needs.

For a complete text of Pattenaude's speech, click here.

Featured speakers will include Sawin Millett, commissioner of the Maine Department of Administrative and Financial Services. Millett will make a presentation on the proposed biennial budget, which is scheduled ...]]>

Featured speakers will include Sawin Millett, commissioner of the Maine Department of Administrative and Financial Services. Millett will make a presentation on the proposed biennial budget, which is scheduled for release in early February.

Other scheduled speakers include Jeffrey Thompson, assistant research professor, at the Politicial Economy Research Institute at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Thompson is the author of Prioritizing Approaches to Economic Development in New England: Skills, Infrastructure and Tax Incentives.

The New England Board of Higher Education (NEBHE) will hold its ninth annual New England Higher Education Excellence Awards on Friday, March 11, at the Boston Marriott Long Wharf Hotel.

Each year, NEBHE presents Regional Excellence Awards to individuals and organizations that have shown exceptional leadership on behalf of higher education and the advancement ...]]>

The New England Board of Higher Education (NEBHE) will hold its ninth annual New England Higher Education Excellence Awards on Friday, March 11, at the Boston Marriott Long Wharf Hotel.

Each year, NEBHE presents Regional Excellence Awards to individuals and organizations that have shown exceptional leadership on behalf of higher education and the advancement of educational opportunity, and State Merit Awards to honor the innovative work of organizations, institutions or individuals in each New England state.

Please click the links below for more information on the individual awards and their recipients.

• The Hon. Patrick J. Leahy, U.S. Senator, Vermont (The Governor Walter R. Peterson Award for Leadership)
• Terrence MacTaggart, Former Chancellor, University of Maine System (The Eleanor M. McMahon Award for Lifetime Achievement)
• Eastern Connecticut State University & Quinebaug Valley Community College
  Dual Enrollment Program (The Robert J. McKenna Award for Program Achievement)
• Kimon Zachos, Trustee, Southern New Hampshire University (The David C. Knapp Award for Trusteeship)

• The Hon. Denise Merrill, Connecticut Secretary of State and former member of the Connecticut House of Representatives (Connecticut State Merit Award)
• The Bernard Osher Foundation (Maine State Merit Award)
• The Hon. Steven C. Panagiotakos, former member of the Massachusetts Senate (Massachusetts State Merit Award)
• NHHEAF’s Center for College Planning (New Hampshire State Merit Award)
• Dennis Littky & Big Picture Learning (Rhode Island State Merit Award)
• Vermont Dual Enrollment Program (Vermont State Merit Award)

For registration information, click here.

In August 2010, nine openly gay college leaders met to form a first-of-its-kind collegiate organization, the LGBTQ Presidents in Higher Education. Among their ranks were three officials from New England: Ralph Hexter, past Hampshire College president and among the first openly gay presidents; Katherine Ragsdale, president of Episcopal Divinity School in Cambridge; and Theo Kalikow, ...]]>

In August 2010, nine openly gay college leaders met to form a first-of-its-kind collegiate organization, the LGBTQ Presidents in Higher Education. Among their ranks were three officials from New England: Ralph Hexter, past Hampshire College president and among the first openly gay presidents; Katherine Ragsdale, president of Episcopal Divinity School in Cambridge; and Theo Kalikow, president of the University of Maine Farmington. The group's intention was to create a proper caucus for non-heternormative officials in the realm of higher education and bring issues concerning this population to a larger audience.

Four months later, the group put out an introductory video on YouTube in which the presidents expound on their purpose and hopes for the future of the LGBTQ community in higher education. Now including 25 openly gay college presidents in the U.S., the LGBTQ Presidents in Higher Education will make its official debut with a panel presentation at the March 2011 meeting of the American Council on Education in Washington, D.C.

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 ...]]>

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.