Gittell will assume the post in February, succeeding J. Bonnie Newman, who has served as interim chancellor since August, while the national search for a permanent chancellor was underway.

A distinguished professor at ...]]>

Trustees of the Community College System of New Hampshire (CCSNH) appointed University of New Hampshire economist Ross Gittell to be the system's new chancellor.

Gittell will assume the post in February, succeeding J. Bonnie Newman, who has served as interim chancellor since August, while the national search for a permanent chancellor was underway.

A distinguished professor at the University of New Hampshire's Whittemore School of Business and Economics, Gittell has been a frequent contributor to NEJHE on issues of regional economic analysis and forecasting. He has most recently written for NEJHE about the forecast of the New England Economic Partnership where he is vice president, and the Green Launching Pad, a business accelerator program he co-founded.

The Community College System of New Hampshire consists of seven colleges located throughout the state, offering associate degree and certificate programs, workforce training and transfer pathways to four-year colleges and universities.

Holding onto research  power

University of Connecticut Vice President for Research Suman Singha reported to university trustees that ...]]>

A look at recent developments in New England higher education shows a region struggling to hold onto its historical research  prowess and adding new health programs, but also facing rising costs and declining funds.

Holding onto research  power

University of Connecticut Vice President for Research Suman Singha reported to university trustees that research dollars are drying up. Research funding has declined by approximately 10% over the past two years. For FY11, total research dollars were approximately $225 million and the loss of one-time federal stimulus funds of $52.9 million accounted for nearly 25% of UConn’s research dollars last fiscal year, Singha said

Last year, UConn received $61.4 million in grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). But NIH officials said thousands of grants will be eliminated, and UConn CFO Richard Gray warned of a “funding cliff.”

Still, UConn officials point to Gov. Dannel P. Malloy’s support of two initiatives expected to increase federal funds for research. One is the expansion of UConn’s Health Center. The other is the opening at UConn's Storrs campus of the Maine-based Jackson Laboratories and new technology center.

University of New Hampshire President Mark Huddleston told the New Hampshire Senate Finance Committee that UNH captures more federal research dollars per faculty member than any other land grant university in New England. “Since 2001, we have had 174 invention disclosures, filed 83 patent applications, executed 97 license agreements, spun-off eight start-up companies, and received almost $2 million in royalties.”

University of Massachusetts President Robert Caret has set his sights on increasing research funding and bringing in $750 million—about $200 million more than last year.

University of Maine Receives $3M  Grant from EDA

The University of Maine’s Advanced Engineering and Wood Composites Center received a $3 million grant from the U.S. Commerce Department's Economic Development Administration. Funds will be used to buy robotics equipment. Center Director Habib Dagher notes that robotics will create composite materials with a precision and speed that can’t be matched by existing technology. Those composites will be used in turbine blades, towers and bases. The grant, announced in the fall will help create the center’s “robotics manufacturing cell.” Dagher said the new cell will help bring all of the design, engineering, manufacturing and testing functions to a single place, increasing efficiency and saving costs. The center, at the Orono campus, was expanded to include the Offshore Wind Laboratory. The lab formally was scheduled to open in November with the aim of advancing the work designing, building and testing deepwater, wind-generating technology in which the center is a national leader.

“This investment will advance efforts to develop deepwater offshore wind power in Maine,” said U.S. Rep. Michael Michaud (D-Maine). “The work being done by the university has the potential to help break our dependence on foreign oil while creating good-paying jobs in our state.”

Preparing healthcare providers

The University of New England’s College of Dental Medicine is slated to open its doors at the Portland campus by fall 2012. This will be the first dental school in northern New England. Founding dean James J. Koelbi submitted UNE’s application for accreditation to the American Dental Association in March 2011. An accreditation team will visit the campus in spring 2012 and a final decision on accrediting is expected in late summer 2012. Harvard, Tufts and Boston universities and the University of Connecticut are currently the only New England universities with dental schools. UConn’s School of Dental Medicine offers qualified New England students whose states do not have a dental school, reduced tuition under NEBHE's Regional Student Program.

In Rhode Island, healthcare is the largest industry. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics indicated that nationally the healthcare sector will generate 3.2 million jobs between 2008 and 2018—more than any other sector. U.S. Rep. James Langevin (D-R.I.), Lt. Gov. Elizabeth Roberts (D-R.I.) and state Sen. V. Susan Sosnowski (D-R.I.) joined URI President David M. Dooley to announce the university’s new health studies major. The new major offers an interdisciplinary approach which focuses on health services, health promotion and/or global and environmental health, by bringing together 28 departments and eight colleges on URI’s Kingston campus.

UMass Dartmouth, Bristol and Massasoit community colleges signed an articulation agreement to provide a smooth transfer process for community college students into a new health services degree program offered at UMass Dartmouth. Officials from the three campuses hailed the agreement as an example of a partnership to prepare students for employment in high-demand areas such as radiology and dental hygiene provided they meet certain requirements.

But danger lurks

Prior to the passage of the state budget for FY12, state support for the University System of New Hampshire hovered around 13% of its operating funds. In the last budget cycle, state support fell to 6% when funding was reduced to $48.5 million. The system has taken steps to adjust by freezing wages and hiring, cutting 200 positions, cutting other expenses and raising tuition and fees. Also, the system is increasing its efforts in fundraising, making improvements in the licensing of intellectual property and adding new degree and certificate programs.

UNH associate professor of economics Neil Niman raises the issue of privatizing the system and reviewing costs such as the administrative offices of the system, Cooperative Extension and other programs that come with the university’s designation as a land-, sea- and space-grant university.

"If the state says we're not going to support those [programs], does the university then continue to have that kind of commitment?" Niman said. "Is it fair to ask you [the students] to pay for those sorts of activities through your tuition?"

Huddleston remains committed to keeping the university’s public status. He noted that much can be learned from private universities in areas such as philanthropy. He plans to step up those efforts and work toward providing a more flexible structure for the university.

Former Maine state Senate President Mark Lawrence suggested a single tuition rate for in-state and out-of-state students. In-state rates would be adjusted based on the funds appropriated by the legislature.

NH college grads have highest debt in U.S.

Students graduating from public and private colleges and universities in New Hampshire had accumulated an average debt of $31,048 by the time they graduated, compared with $25,250 nationally, according to the Project on Student Debt’s report, “Student Debt and the Class of 2010.”

Students graduating from the most prestigious and most expensive schools accumulated less debt, which is attributed to large endowments, scholarships and parents with more resources. Dartmouth College graduates had an average debt load of $18,700 while students graduating from the UNH had an average debt of $32,320. More than three-quarters of students at UNH have loans.

In other higher ed news around New England ...

Judicial Watch, a public interest group that investigates and prosecutes violations of federal law, has advised the Rhode Island Board of Governors for Higher Education that recent changes allowing undocumented students to pay in-state tuition rates violate the law. Twelve states now have laws that permit undocumented students to pay in-state tuition rates.

Rhode Island has a policy but not a law. The Rhode Island General Assembly has consistently rejected in-state rates for undocumented students. The policy approved by the Board of Governors is scheduled to go into effect in the fall 2012. It will apply to all public colleges, community colleges and the University of Rhode Island. Eligible students are those who have attended a high school in the state for at least three years and graduated or received a GED. Students must also make a commitment to seek legal status as soon as they are eligible.

In Vermont,  the University of Vermont Interim President John Bramley says a review of the relationship between UVM and the state of Vermont is long overdue. Gov. Peter Shumlin supports such a review and has appointed a task force to reevaluate the relationship between the university and the state. The state contributes $40 million to UVM’s $600 million budget. Shumlin says the state needs to better target the money it spends on UVM.

Business leaders have advised both Shumlin and Bramley that they would like to see more focus on STEM fields. The task force will make recommendations to Shumlin and the new president of UVM in the summer of 2012.

Bramley points out that out-of-state students subsidize in-state students whose numbers continue to decrease. In 1989, approximately 50% of students were residents of Vermont. That share declined to 33% in 2011. Bramley adds that the pool of students graduating from high school is also declining. He notes that all universities face similar funding challenges and all are looking for new sources of revenue. Aside from tuition revenue, Bramley sees some promising areas such as online education, using facilities at UVM for conferences and other events as new sources of revenue.

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

Maine State Budget

After a rocky start, Maine's newly elected Republican Gov. Paul LePage got much of what he asked for, as the Republican-controlled Legislature ...]]>

In mid-June, we reported that Connecticut and Vermont had completed budgets in record time. Now it's Maine and New Hampshire's turn in this very difficult budget year.

Maine State Budget

After a rocky start, Maine's newly elected Republican Gov. Paul LePage got much of what he asked for, as the Republican-controlled Legislature approved a $6.1 billion two-year budget, which included the elimination of a $1.3 billion shortfall, tax cuts, pension reform and welfare reform.

The Maine House passed the budget by a margin of 123-19, while the Senate approved it 29-5. With support from Democratic legislators, both branches exceeded the two-thirds needed to enact the budget and to override any vetoes.

The Legislature’s Appropriations Committee struggled to craft a budget that addressed most of LePage’s requests, while rejecting the worst possible cuts in services to the poor. House Minority Leader Emily Cain (D-Orono) noted that no one is ever completely happy with a compromise budget, while Senate President Kevin Raye (R-Perry) praised legislators for the bipartisan process to forge the compromise.

Tax Cuts

The budget provides the largest tax cut in the state’s history including the following:

• reduces the top marginal personal income tax rate from 8.5% to 7.95%
• restructures the personal income tax rates, collapsing from four to three brackets, replacing current rates with 0%, 6.5% and 7.95%  and eliminates the payment of state income taxes for 70,000 low-income residents
• increases the standard deduction and personal exemption to the federal amounts
• eliminates the state’s alternative minimum tax
• raises the estate tax exemption threshold from $1 million to $2 million
• limits the value of the property tax circuit breaker to 80% of the total
• gives tax breaks to fishermen and redemption center owners
• provides tax credits for businesses when they invest in new equipment.

Pension Reform, State Employees

The budget reduces the $4.1 billion shortfall in the pension fund for state employees by $1.7 billion. This is accomplished by:

• eliminating the COLA for retirees for next three years, and after that, a COLA would only apply to the first $20,000 of an employee’s pension
• capping future increases at 3%

While the Legislature rejected LePage’s proposal to require state employees to contribute 2% more to their pensions, there was agreement on the following:

• state employees' wages will be frozen for two years
• no longevity payments will be issued to those not currently receiving such payments
• state employees must retire at full retirement age to be eligible for state-funded health insurance.

Welfare Reform

The Legislature rejected LePage’s plan to end MaineCare for 28,000 low-income families with children and a proposal to end MaineCare for childless adults. Also, the Legislature restored funding for dental care and other special services.

The governor and legislature agreed on the following:

• legal non-citizens currently receiving benefits will continue getting food stamps and federal welfare
• legal non-citizens receiving Medicaid will no longer be eligible if they have not lived in U.S. for five years
• a five-year cap will be imposed on those who receive federal welfare, i.e., Temporary Assistance for Needy Families/TANF.

Education, Higher Education Funding

LePage promised early on he would not cut funding for K-12 or higher education. The budget provides an increase of $65 million in funding for K-12 and level funding for higher education.

Health Insurance Reform

Republican lawmakers with scant support from Democrats rushed through a health insurance reform bill that purports to open up the insurance market in Maine and increase competition to the benefit of Maine residents.  The bill moves health insurance out of the state government arena into the marketplace.

Beginning in 2014, Maine residents who don’t’ wish to purchase insurance from their employers can shop for insurance in the other New England states except for Vermont. Insurance companies can’t deny coverage based on preexisting conditions, but opponents of the plan say the insurance industry is insulated with the creation of a high-risk pool to cover Maine residents who use more health services.

K-12: Maine Adopts Common Core Standards

Maine became the 42^nd state to adopt Common Core Standards. Commissioner of Education Stephen Bowen noted: "We need to give students and teachers clear expectations. As I’ve been traveling around the state, I have heard it over and over from teachers—they want us to adopt the Common Core. They are rigorous, and there is a sense there will be staying power to these standards so they can work with them for some time to come."

Maine Approves Charter Schools

LePage spearheaded a drive to make Maine the 41^st state to approve charter schools. The new law allows for no more than 10 charter schools to be established in 10 years. However, the law allows individual school boards to set up charter schools within their school districts, which would not be subject to the cap of 10 schools per year. Additional provisions of the law include the creation of a State Charter School Commission and setting a limit on the number of students who can attend them for the first three years.

Legislation Signed to Boost STEM Education

LePage signed into law, an initiative that will focus efforts on the teaching of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) in prekindergarten through postsecondary education. The law creates a STEM Council made up of teachers, representatives of state government, higher education and business. The council will address ways in which STEM can be integrated into the school curriculum. The new law will build on the efforts of the Maine Department of Education, which started a STEM team to work with businesses and other groups to advance STEM education.

Revised Education Funding Formula Passed

Legislation was signed into law, which revises the school funding formula and shifts more money to many of Maine’s rural school districts. Proponents say this will provide additional funds to rural school districts in northern and eastern Maine and make the education funding formula more equitable. Opponents claim the law will politicize how school districts receive education funding. Under the new law, the City of Portland, which is the largest school district in the state, and communities in Southern Maine will receive less funding. All school districts will receive less funding in 2012-13 when federal stimulus funds are gone.

Higher Education

Trustees approved a tuition increases at the University of Maine where rates will go up by 4.5%—the smallest increase in eight years, according to Chancellor Richard Pattenaude. In the Maine Community Colleges system, which faces a potential deficit of $2.3 million, tuition will rise by 2.4%.

New Hampshire State Budget

New Hampshire lawmakers passed a lean two-year budget of $10.2 billion, which became law without the signature of Democratic Gov. John Lynch. Lynch in his initial budget message to the Legislature, proposed an across-the-board cut of 5%, but the Republican-controlled House and Senate went further and cut state spending by 11%. Casualties included hospitals, the poor, public employees and higher education. Major cuts in the budget are as follows:

Hospitals

• cuts $250 million over two years in state payments to hospitals, which hospital administrators say  will mean the loss of funds to treat Medicaid patients

Children and Families

• cuts funding for Children in Need of Services/CHINS program by 50%  and changes eligibility requirements which would result in turning away more than 500 children
• cuts $10 million from child care program that helps working parents or parents seeking employment
• cuts New Hampshire Healthy Kids Program by $6.6 million
• eliminates more than $7 million in funding for cash assistance for unemployed parents, state-supported volunteer programs for Alzheimer’s Disease Caregiver Program, State Tobacco Quit Line and the State Farmer’s Market Program.

Pensions, State Employees

New Hampshire’s state retirement system currently has an unfunded liability of $4.7 billion. A pension reform bill that made its way through the House and Senate was ultimately vetoed by Lynch. A revised pension reform plan wound up in the state budget and was approved by lawmakers. As of July 1, 2011, public employees will pay more for their state-funded pensions. Also, the new law requires cities, towns and counties to pay 100% of their contribution to the retirement system. Prior to the new law, the state contributed 35% to the system.

Unions representing public employees filed a lawsuit in opposition to the bill, and the New Hampshire Retirement System (NHRS)  is challenging whether the law supersedes the authority of the NHRS.

Mayors and municipal officials are seeking clarification of the new law. Many say they will pay the increased costs, but will have to find money within local budgets.

Public Employees

• Public employees will be required to pay an additional 2%  toward their pensions
• More than 1,000 jobs will be eliminated
• State agencies will be asked to cut $50 million across the board in salaries.

Education K-12

Legislation was filed to give lawmakers the authority to approve Common Core Standards, but failed to get approval. Nonetheless, the New Hampshire Board of Education adopted the Common Core Standards on July 8, after holding several public hearings. According to the Department of Education, school districts will receive support from the department in aligning current state standards with Common Core Standards, and in the transition from the New England Common Assessment Program (NECAP) to a new assessment based on the Common Core. This process will happen over the next five years.

Education Funding

Lawmakers weren’t able to reach final agreement on a proposal that would give them a role in targeting state education funding to revenue-poor communities.

Lawmakers put off increases in funding for school districts by passing a new education funding formula that spends the same annual amount in the next two years. After that, the law will limit any increases to no more than 5.5%.

Higher Education

In addition to the severe cut that hospitals sustained, an equally devastating cut was made to University System of New Hampshire. Lawmakers reduced state appropriations by $45 million or 48% for the University System. New Hampshire’s Community Colleges were cut by $20 million.  Total cuts to the public higher education system over two years will amount to $110 million in state appropriations.

New Hampshire currently ranks 50^th nationally in state funding for public higher education.

"We now have in New Hampshire the dubious distinction of having experienced the largest single cut to a public higher education system in the history of America, period," said University of New Hampshire President Mark Huddleston.

As a result of the cuts in funding, university officials will eliminate more than 200 positions, reduce employee benefits, put off facility repairs, cut costs on all campuses and raise tuition 8.7% for state residents attending UNH.

One freshman lawmaker cautioned that higher education could be in for more cuts. Rep. Dan McGuire, who sits on the House Finance Committee, said a bill has been filed to break apart the University System of New Hampshire and let each institution that is now part of the system, stand on its own. McGuire claimed: “That’s an area where we can maybe save money, cut bureaucracy and improve the universities along the way.”

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

Walter attended William and Mary College and the University of New Hampshire before serving as a naval officer in the Pacific theater of World War II. After the war, he graduated from Dartmouth College. ...]]>

New Hampshire governor and longtime NEBHE delegate and chair, Walter Peterson died at age 88 on Wednesday, June 1.

Walter attended William and Mary College and the University of New Hampshire before serving as a naval officer in the Pacific theater of World War II. After the war, he graduated from Dartmouth College. In 1948, with his father and brother, he founded The Petersons Inc. Real Estate in Peterborough, N.H.

He served four terms in the New Hampshire Legislature, one as majority leader and two as speaker. He was elected governor in 1968 and served two terms. He served as president of the New Hampshire Constitutional Convention in 1974.

He was president of Franklin Pierce College (now university) for 20 years and, in retirement, he served as interim president of UNH and interim commissioner of the New Hampshire Community Technical Colleges. He also chaired the New Hampshire Postsecondary Education Commission, the New Hampshire College and University Council, the New Hampshire Charitable Fund and NEBHE and was a director of the New England Education Loan Marketing Corporation.

NEBHE President Michael K. Thomas told NEBHE friends: "It would be difficult to overstate the value and impact of Walter's leadership and his support for NEBHE over many years.  Moreover, his leadership in government, business and education have had a long and lasting impact in New Hampshire, New England and beyond."

Thomas visited Walter and his wife Dorothy a few weeks ago at their home in Peterborough. "Despite his disease and treatment, both he and Dorothy were upbeat and positive, talking of happenings in the community and church and New Hampshire politics. He talked fondly of his time as president of Franklin Pierce and his pleasure with how the institution continued to move forward. He reflected upon his philosophy of leadership, which was to endeavor to get people of different views and interests to 'work it out' and to 'get things done.' Dorothy showed me a wall filled with photos of big game hunts as a young man with his father, his time as a legislator and governor and as a college president.  She laughed at how some people joked that his official portrait as president of Franklin Pierce, with Walter attired in  academic robes, made him look like a Pope. The photos encapsulated a life of service, leadership and a pragmatic optimism."

Thomas's predecessor, former NEBHE President Jack Hoy, called Peterson "unflappable throughout his career with a great sense of humor and a very kind man." Hoy lauded Peterson for his retirement accomplishments of chairing and serving as acting president of UNH and creating "the amalgamation of tech colleges into a full-scale community college system." Hoy quipped that "every bloody Republican presidential candidate in the county would come down in abeyance to Walter's door."

I remember Walter as utterly unpretentious. When he stepped in to be interim president at UNH, I mentioned to him that my brother's paintings were being shown in the UNH gallery. His face lit up. "I go there once in a while. I like art," he said innocently. A bear of a man and avid sports fan who played semi-pro basketball himself, he took pride in his pioneering work to recruit international students to Franklin Pierce for basketball and academics.

Not surprisingly, NEBHE named its highest award the Governor Walter R. Peterson Award for Leadership. Recipients have fittingly included great New England leaders George Mitchell, Jeanne Shaheen, Patrick Leahy and the late Ted Kennedy.

The University of Massachusetts selected Robert Caret, president of Towson University, to succeed Jack M. Wilson as head of the five-campus university.

A chemist with degrees from the University of New Hampshire and Suffolk University, Caret will need to concoct an effective potion for UMass, which the Boston Globe described as "struggling to climb into ...]]>

The University of Massachusetts selected Robert Caret, president of Towson University, to succeed Jack M. Wilson as head of the five-campus university.

A chemist with degrees from the University of New Hampshire and Suffolk University, Caret will need to concoct an effective potion for UMass, which the Boston Globe described as "struggling to climb into the elite ranks of public universities while contending with multiple rounds of cuts in state funding."

Other finalists for the UMass job were MIT Chancellor Phillip Clay and Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis Chancellor Charles Bantz.

****

Bristol Community College hired former Massachusetts state Sen. Joan Menard to lead workforce development, lifelong learning, grant development and external affairs at the Fall River, Mass. community college. Menard chaired NEBHE from 2007 to 2010 and represented the area as a Democrat in the state Legislature for 30 years. She is a former teacher and special education director in Somerset, Mass.

Kiplinger's Personal Finance Magazine announced the “Best Values in Public Colleges 2011," its annual ranking of 100 public colleges and universities in the U.S.

Four New England institutions are on the list: the University of Connecticut, the University of Massachusetts Amherst, the University of New Hampshire and the University of Vermont. Among the 100 public colleges ...]]>

Kiplinger's Personal Finance Magazine announced the “Best Values in Public Colleges 2011," its annual ranking of 100 public colleges and universities in the U.S.

Four New England institutions are on the list: the University of Connecticut, the University of Massachusetts Amherst, the University of New Hampshire and the University of Vermont. Among the 100 public colleges in terms of value for state residents, UConn ranks 32nd;  UVM, 72nd; UMass Amherst, 83rd; and UNH, 93rd.

For out-of-state students, UConn ranks 36th; UMass Amherst, 59th; UVM, 83rd; and UNH, 94th.

Kiplinger's bases the rankings on a combination of academics and affordability, using data from more than 500 public four-year schools, provided by Peterson's/Nelnet and its own research. Kiplinger's says it uses measurable criteria, such as student-faculty ratios, admission rates, on-time graduation rate, sticker price and financial aid awarded, to develop the rankings.

Wendy A. Lindsay is senior director of NEBHE's Tuition Break (Regional Student Program).

The College Sustainability Report Card 2011 is out today, revealing the profiles of 322 schools and their sustainability policies. The fifth edition of the report by the Sustainable Endowments Institute assesses 52 indicators, ranging from green initiatives to recycling programs, and uses an A to F letter-grading system to evaluate different colleges and universities nationwide.

Some ...]]>

The College Sustainability Report Card 2011 is out today, revealing the profiles of 322 schools and their sustainability policies. The fifth edition of the report by the Sustainable Endowments Institute assesses 52 indicators, ranging from green initiatives to recycling programs, and uses an A to F letter-grading system to evaluate different colleges and universities nationwide.

Some New England campuses made honor roll with A- grades, including Amherst College, Brown University, College of the Atlantic, Middlebury College, Smith College, University of New Hampshire, University of Vermont, Wesleyan University, Williams College, Yale University and Harvard University.

Others followed close behind with B+ grades, including Clark University, Colby College, Dartmouth College, MIT, Northeastern University and Worcester Polytechnic Institute.

For more information, visit GreenReportCard.org.

Employed wives brought home 47% of their family's total earnings in 2009, up from 45% in 2008, according to a new report by the Carsey Institute at the University of New Hampshire.

That “marks the largest single-year increase in 15 years,” according to the report Wives as Breadwinners: Wives’ Share of Family Earnings Hits Historic High ...]]>

Employed wives brought home 47% of their family's total earnings in 2009, up from 45% in 2008, according to a new report by the Carsey Institute at the University of New Hampshire.

That “marks the largest single-year increase in 15 years,” according to the report Wives as Breadwinners: Wives’ Share of Family Earnings Hits Historic High during the Second Year of the Great Recession.

The report's author Kristin Smith notes that the increase is not a sign of less wage disparity between men and women, but a disproportionate increase in the unemployment rate among males.  The median salary for women actually fell from $31,041 in 2007 to $30,000 in 2009.  The unemployment rate for husbands in these families jumped from 3% in 2007 to 7% in 2009.

Smith's earlier study noted that as the husband’s level of education increases, the wife’s proportional contribution decreases.  In families where a husband had less than a high school education, her contribution was 52%. When he had a college degree, her contribution was 40%.

In February 2010, The New England Journal of Higher Education published a study, Failure to Launch, by Lane A. Glen and Suzanne Van Wert.  This study shows that the achievement gaps between males and females is getting worse and that 80% of high school dropouts now are males.  Combining these two studies suggests that the importance of the wife as the “breadwinner” in a family will continue to grow in the future.

Access to healthy food is becoming increasingly difficult in some parts of New Hampshire, as grocery stores relocate and consolidate to cut down on costs, leaving some Granite State residents completely dependent on convenience and corner stores for basic goods.

The new study by Nena Stracuzzi and Sally Ward of ...]]>

Access to healthy food is becoming increasingly difficult in some parts of New Hampshire, as grocery stores relocate and consolidate to cut down on costs, leaving some Granite State residents completely dependent on convenience and corner stores for basic goods.

The new study by Nena Stracuzzi and Sally Ward of the University of New Hampshire's Carsey Institute finds that more than 10% of New Hampshire households lack food security, defined by the USDA as “consistent, dependable access to enough food for active, healthy living.” Studies show that low access to healthy food leads to higher rates of health conditions such as  obesity, diabetes and coronary heart disease.

The Carsey report "What's for Dinner? Finding and Affording Healthy Food in New Hampshire Communities" takes a look at recent data on food deserts in New Hampshire.