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October 12, 2021

Glenn Cummings Comings and Goings ... Glenn Cummings announced he will step down as president of the University of Southern Maine at the end of June 2022 after seven years in charge and return to the university’s faculty as a professor of public policy and educational leadership. Cummings also served as president of the University of Maine at Augusta for...

October 5, 2021

Comings and Goings ... Sister Janet Eisner America's longest-serving woman college president, Sister Janet Eisner, announced that she will leave the presidency of Emmanuel College next year after four decades leading the Catholic liberal arts college in Boston’s Fenway area. Among her accomplishments, Eisner led Emmanuel's transition from an all-women’s college to a coeducational college and brought Merck Research Laboratories-Boston...

October 4, 2021

DC Shuttle ... Hearings & Markups of Interest (Due to current limited access to the U.S. Capitol complex, the general public is encouraged to view these hearings via live stream.) The U.S. House Education and Labor Committee will hold a hearing on Homecoming: The Historical Roots and Continued Contributions of HBCUs on Wednesday, Oct. 6 at 12 p.m. The Senate...

September 28, 2021

Eric S. Rosengren Comings and Goings ... Boston Fed President and CEO Eric S. Rosengren, who had long planned to retire in June 2022, now says he will leave the post Sept. 30 of this year to deal with a worsening kidney condition. Rosengren announced that he has had the condition for many years and is qualified for the kidney...

September 27, 2021

DC Shuttle ... Hearings & Markups of Interest(Due to current limited access to the U.S. Capitol complex, the general public is encouraged to view these hearings via live stream.) The U.S. House Education and Labor Committee will hold a hearing on Back to School: Highlighting Best Practices for Safely Reopening Schools on Wednesday, Sept. 29 at 10:15 a.m. The U.S....

September 24, 2021

Amid a lingering pandemic, a surprise merger proposal and strong efforts to make college free or debt-free, the 2021 legislative session in New England was one for the books. ­­­­­Visit NEBHE’s complete 2021 Legislative Session Summary here. Let’s take a look at some of the highlights of this year’s state legislative sessions ... Sexual misconduct and assault Lawmakers in Connecticut...

September 22, 2021

Rank of Massachusetts among U.S. states in Haitian population: 3rd U.S. Census Bureau (Florida ranks #1, New York ranks #2) Rank of Connecticut among U.S. states in Haitian population: 7th U.S. Census Bureau Amount women nationally earn for every dollar earned by the average white, non-Hispanic man: $0.82 National Women’s Law Center Amount women make in Vermont, the state with...

September 14, 2021

Comings and Goings ... Michaele Whelan Wheaton College named Emerson College Provost and VP for Academic Affairs Michaele Whelan to be the Norton, Mass., college's ninth president, succeeding Dennis M. Hanno, who last year announced he would step down after leading the college since 2014. Biddy Martin announced she will leave the presidency of Amherst College next summer after 11...

September 7, 2021

Comings and Goings ... Betsy Libby The Maine Community College System named Central Maine Community College interim President Betsy Libby to the permanent presidency of the Auburn-based community college. Libby had become interim president of the campus in summer 2020. Political theorist and professor John Tomasi will depart Brown University after 25 years to serve as inaugural president of Heterodox...

September 7, 2021

NEBHE adds a new Cost Savings program ... Creative Commons (CC) has joined NEBHE’s Cost Savings Programs and will offer a 15% regional discount on individual and institution purchases of CC professional learning opportunities through June 30, 2022. Creative Commons is a nonprofit organization that provides Creative Commons licenses and public domain tools that give every person and organization in...

August 31, 2021

Comings and Goings ... Charlene M. Russell-Tucker Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont nominated Charlene M. Russell-Tucker as the state's next commissioner of education, succeeding Miguel Cardona, who was tapped earlier this year to serve as U.S. secretary of education. A 20-year employee of the Connecticut Education Department, Russell-Tucker oversaw its Office of Student Supports and Organizational Effectiveness before becoming deputy commissioner...

August 24, 2021

Key takeaways from data on adult learners in New England ... Educational opportunities for those age 25 and older allow people already in the workforce to improve their skills, employment opportunities and wages in ways that they may not otherwise be able to. Changing economic conditions, which increasingly limit opportunities to those with postsecondary degrees, mean that the incentives for...

August 17, 2021

Comings and Goings ... Matthew Derr Sterling College announced that President Matthew Derr will step down from the role in October. The trustees named Lori Collins-Hall, a former Antioch College provost and Teagle Scholar who joined Sterling in March, to be interim president. An avid birder, Derr will pursue the American Birding Association Big Year challenge to record as many...

August 10, 2021

Comings and Goings ... Makeeba McCreary (photo by bizjournals.com) The New Commonwealth Racial Equity and Social Justice Fund named Makeeba McCreary to be the first president of the fund launched by 19 local Black and Brown executives a few weeks after the killing of George Floyd. McCreary recently served as chief of learning and community engagement at the Boston Museum...

August 3, 2021

Comings and Goings ... Natalie Nevárez Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) appointed Natalie Nevárez to be the first chief diversity, equity and inclusion officer at the nonprofit research organization on Cape Cod. Nevárez formerly served as associate director for faculty diversity and development at Columbia University's School of Arts and Sciences. Montserrat College of Art announced three new leadership appointments....

July 27, 2021

Comings and Goings ... Amy K. Donahue Amy K. Donahue, formerly vice provost for academic operations at the University of Connecticut, became the first provost of the U.S. Coast Guard Academy. In addition to service to the Army and NASA, Donahue served as a professor of public policy at UConn and was the inaugural director of the Stephenson Disaster Management...

July 26, 2021

DC Shuttle ... Hearings & Markups of Interest (Due to current limited access to the U.S. Capitol complex, the general public is encouraged to view these hearings via live stream.) The U.S. Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee will hold a hearing on Protecting Student Loan Borrowers and the Economy in Upcomig Transitions on Tuesday, June 27 at 10:15...

July 20, 2021

Comings and Goings ... Jacquie Moloney UMass Lowell Chancellor Jacquie Moloney announced she will step down as chancellor in June 2022 after six years as chancellor and, before that, eight years as executive vice chancellor, in her 37-year tenure at the university. Among other accomplishments, Moloney has been a national leader in integrating entrepreneurial lessons in campus life and fostering...

July 19, 2021

DC Shuttle ... Education Department Reduces Verification of Student Aid. The U.S. Department of Education announced temporary changes to the federal student aid verification process for the 2021–22 award year. The temporary changes are intended to help students and colleges facing challenges as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and will require less verification for many students. The department will...

July 13, 2021

Comings and Goings ... Terrill L. Drake Harvard Business School appointed Terrill L. Drake as its inaugural chief diversity and inclusion officer. His work will focus on implementing the B-school’s Racial Equity Action Plan. Currently associate dean for strategic initiatives and head diversity officer at the Villanova School of Business, Drake is among a wave of New England college hires...

July 12, 2021

The New England Board of Higher Education (NEBHE), supported by an eight-month planning grant from the Arthur Vining Davis Foundation and the Teagle Foundation, is slated to begin scaling the New England Transfer Guarantee (the Guarantee) to Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont this month. The northern expansion of the Guarantee is an extension of the current initiative, which was implemented...

July 6, 2021

Comings and Goings ... Rubinstein The Community College System of NH (CCSNH) Board of Trustees named Granite State College (GSC) President Mark Rubinstein to be the system's next chancellor, succeeding Susan Huard who plans to retire. CCSNH Chair Kathy Bogle Shields, who led the search, said Rubinstein made GSC one of the "most transfer-friendly institutions for community college graduates" and...

June 29, 2021

Comings and Goings ... Yves Salomon-Fernández Yves Salomon-Fernández announced she will step down as president of Greenfield Community College on Aug. 15 and become senior vice president at Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU). She previously served as president of Cumberland County College in New Jersey and interim president of MassBay Community College. Salomon-Fernández has authored several pieces for NEJHE. In...

June 28, 2021

DC Shuttle ... Hearings & Markups of Interest (Due to current limited access to the U.S. Capitol complex, the general public is encouraged to view this hearing via the live stream.) The U.S. House Ways and Means Committee Oversight Subcommittee will hold a hearing on Expanding Access to Higher Education and the Promise It Holds on Thursday, June 29 at...

June 22, 2021

Comings and Goings ... Hocoy Goddard College, the Vermont institution known for progressive education, named licensed clinical psychologist Dan Hocoy as its next president, effective Aug. 1. Hocoy will succeed Bernard Bull, who is assuming the presidency of Concordia University in Nebraska. During 24 years in higher education, Hocoy has served as president of Antioch University in Seattle, president of...

June 21, 2021

DC Shuttle ... Hearings & Markups of Interest (Due to current limited access to the U.S. Capitol complex, the general public is encouraged to view this hearing via the live stream.) The U.S. House Education and Labor Committee will hold a hearing on Examining the Policies and Priorities of the U.S. Department of Education on Thursday, June 24 at 10:15...

June 15, 2021

Comings and Goings ... Dayna Cunningham Civil rights attorney Dayna Cunningham, the founder and executive director of the Community Innovators Lab (CoLab) at MIT, was named the Pierre and Pamela Omidyar Dean of the Jonathan M. Tisch College of Civic Life at Tufts University. She will succeed Alan Solomont, who is retiring after eight years in the role. President Joe...

June 14, 2021

DC Shuttle ... Hearings & Markups of Interest (Due to current limited access to the U.S. Capitol complex, the general public is encouraged to view this hearing via the live stream.) The U.S. House Education and Labor Committee will hold a hearing on the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act Reauthorization on Tuesday, June 15 at 10:15 a.m. The U.S. Senate...

June 9, 2021

Comings and Goings ... Yolanda Smith Tufts University appointed special sheriff and superintendent of the Suffolk County (Massachusetts) Sheriff's Department Yolanda Smith to be its next executive director of public safety, which includes the role of chief of the Tufts University Police Department. One of her priorities will be to follow the recommendations of a Working Group on Campus Safety...

June 9, 2021

Women as a percentage of medical school students nationwide in 1978: 24% The New England Journal of Medicine In 2019: 51% The New England Journal of Medicine Black males as a percentage of medical students nationwide in 1978: 3.1% The New England Journal of Medicine In 2019: 2.9% The New England Journal of Medicine Percentage of graduating medical students in...

June 1, 2021

DC Shuttle ... President Releases Budget with Increased Education Funding. The U.S. Education Department would see an increase as part of the proposed budget the White House released Friday, which also proposes billions of dollars in new programs for school infrastructure and technical education. The department would receive a 40% increase in fiscal 2022 over the current fiscal year, the...

May 25, 2021

Comings and Goings ... Dr. Andrew Agwunobi The University of Connecticut Board of Trustees appointed UConn Health CEO Dr. Andrew Agwunobi as interim president, the first person of color to hold the position in the history of the university. Agwunobi’s appointment follows the resignation of current University of Connecticut President Thomas C. Katsouleas, who will step down June 30 but...

May 24, 2021

DC Shuttle ... Hearings & Markups of Interest The U.S. House House Appropriations Committee will hold a hearing on the Budget Request for the National Institutes of Health on Tuesday, May 25 at 10 a.m. The Senate Appropriations Committee will hold a hearing on the Budget Request for the National Institutes of Health on Wednesday, May 26 at 10 a.m....

May 19, 2021

Comings and Goings ... Tom Katsouleas University of Connecticut President Tom Katsouleas told the university’s trustees that he will step down as president, effective June 30, less than two years after taking the job. He plans to remain at UConn as a tenured faculty member in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. The trustees said in an email to...

May 17, 2021

DC Shuttle ... Hearings & Markups of Interest The U.S. House Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary and Secondary Education will hold a heading on Students Experiencing Homelessness and Children in Foster Care on Wednesday, May 19 at 10:15 a.m. via Zoom. The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee on the Healthcare Workforce on Thursday, May 20 at 10 a.m....

May 11, 2021

Comings and Goings ... Terrence Chang The Connecticut State Colleges and Universities (CSCU) Board of Regents appointed Terrence Cheng to be president of the system, which serves more than 72,000 students at Connecticut's 12 community colleges, four regional universities and Charter Oak State College. Currently director of the University of Connecticut’s Stamford campus and an English professor, Cheng will succeed...

May 4, 2021

Comings and Goings ... Mary K. Grant The Massachusetts Board of Higher Education named Mary K. Grant as the next president of Massachusetts College of Art and Design (MassArt). Grant’s three decades of public higher education leadership include serving as president of Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA) and chancellor of the University of North Carolina Asheville. Most recently, as...

April 27, 2021

The National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA), with support from the National Center for Higher Education Management Systems (NCHEMS), released a new report that illustrates the cost savings associated with SARA participation for colleges and universities. SARA establishes comparable national standards for interstate distance education program offerings. These reciprocity agreements help streamline distance education regulations, improve coordination between...

April 27, 2021

Comings and Goings ... Ray DiPasquale The Massasoit Community College Board of Trustees announced it will recommend Ray DiPasquale to the Massachusetts Board of Higher Education as the college’s seventh president. DiPasquale currently serves as president of Clinton Community College in Plattsburgh, N.Y. He was president of the Community College of Rhode Island from July 2006 to January 2016 and...

April 26, 2021

DC Shuttle ... Hearings/Markups of Interest The Senate Indian Affairs Committee will hold a hearing on COVID-19's Impact on Native Education Systems on Wednesday, April 28 at 2:30 p.m. The House Science, Space and Technology Committee will hold a hearing on National Science Foundation Research on Wednesday, April 28 at 10 a.m. The House Education and Labor Committee will hold...

April 20, 2021

Comings and Goings ... Denise Forte The Education Trust’s Board of Directors named Denise Forte, currently the national organization’s senior vice president for partnerships and engagement, to serve as interim CEO, while John B. King Jr., the group’s current president and former U.S. secretary of education, pursues a gubernatorial bid in the state of Maryland. Western New England University (WNEU)...

April 19, 2021

DC Shuttle ... Hearings/Markups of Interest. The House Committee on Appropriations will hold a hearing on Increasing Investments in Community Colleges on Tuesday, April 20 at 10 a.m. The House Education and Labor Committee will hold a hearing on For-Profit College Accountability and Fraud Prevention on Tuesday, April 20 at 10:15 a.m. via Zoom. The Senate Health, Education, Labor and...

April 13, 2021

Comings and Goings ... Parlange The University of Rhode Island (URI) Board of Trustees chose Marc B. Parlange, currently provost and senior vice president of Monash University in Australia, as the Rhode Island flagship’s 12th president. He'll succeed David M. Dooley, who joined URI in July 2009 and oversaw the university's transformation into a leading research institution. Born in Providence,...

April 6, 2021

A few upcoming free events of interest ... virtually speaking ... Teale Lecture Series of the University of Connecticut: Dr. Robert Bullard, The Quest For Environmental and Climate Justice Thursday, April 8, 2021, 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Eastern Robert Bullard, distinguished professor of urban planning and environmental policy at Texas Southern University, who has often been described as the...

April 6, 2021

Lindsay Comings and Goings ... D. Michael Lindsay, who since 2011 has been president of Gordon College, the Wenham, Mass. Christian college, was named president of Taylor University, a Christian institution in Indiana. He'll succeed Taylor Board Chair Paige Comstock Cunningham, who has served as interim president of the university since August 2019. Western New England University appointed current Suffolk...

March 30, 2021

Comings and Goings ... The Connecticut Board of Regents for Higher Education (BOR) selected five campus chief executive officers responsible for overseeing day-to-day operations. The BOR announcement noted the major reorganization of Connecticut's community college system and plans to merge the 12, independent community colleges into a single accredited institution, known as Connecticut State Community College, by 2023. The new...

March 29, 2021

DC Shuttle ... Administration Holds National Safe School Reopening Summit. The Biden administration and the U.S. Education Department held a National Safe School Reopening Summit, with remarks from President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, First Lady Jill Biden, Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona and Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Dr. Rochelle Welensky. At the summit,...

March 23, 2021

New England’s state lawmakers in 2020 sessions focused almost exclusively to COVID-19-related legislation and state budget concerns. In 2021, COVID-19-related legislation continues to be a major focus, but other issues are also taking center stage. These include: Expanding Work-Based Learning Opportunities HB.6227 (Connecticut): Would establish a task force to identify high-growth, high-demand jobs and analyze the implementation of partnerships that...

March 23, 2021

5 takeaways from NEBHE's Legislative Advisory Committee meeting ... At its peak, the COVID-19 pandemic forced 55 million American children temporarily out of school. While many education systems have attempted varying degrees of remote learning, many researchers accept that the closures will produce substantial losses in learning, according to recent research by the World Bank Group and by Megan Kuhfeld...

March 23, 2021

Comings and Goings ... E. LaBrent Chrite E. LaBrent Chrite, president of Bethune-Cookman University and former dean of the University of Denver's Daniels College of Business, was named president of Bentley University, the first Black president in the university's 104-year history. He succeeds Alison Davis-Blake who left after two years in charge of the noted business college. Bryant University appointed...

March 22, 2021

DC Shuttle ... Hearings/Markups of Interest. The House Education and Labor’s Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary and Secondary Education will hold a hearing Charting the Path to Educational Equity Post-COVID-19 on Thursday, March 25 at 1 p.m. via Zoom. CDC Releases Updated School Safety Guidelines. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated its guidelines for physical distancing schools...

March 19, 2021

The New England states set new records for voter turnout in the 2020 presidential election. A significant percentage of absentee, mail-in ballots were cast in each state, ranging from 20% to 50% of the total vote. City and town clerks attributed the rising share of absentee, mail-in ballots to COVID. In the race for president, Democrat Joe Biden won all...

March 15, 2021

DC Shuttle ... Hearings/Markups of Interest. The House Education and Labor's Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Investment, will hold a hearing on The Future of Higher Education Post COVID-19 on Wednesday, March 17 at 1 p.m. via Zoom. Congress Passes, President Signs American Rescue Plan. President Joe Biden signed the law the American Rescue Plan Act, a $1.86 trillion...

March 9, 2021

The 2020-21 academic year was a year like no other as a pandemic caused unprecedented disruptions on college campuses. New England colleges and universities responded with agility as they worked to ensure safe campus operations for students, faculty and staff, while continuing to offer their programs through hybrid, in-classroom and remote formats. COVID-19 had a significant impact throughout the U.S....

March 8, 2021

DC Shuttle ... Senate Passes $1.9 Trillion Relief Measure. The U.S. Senate passed coronavirus relief legislation with $1.9 trillion in funding by a vote of 50 to 49, The Hill reports. The bill provides $128.6 billion for the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund and $39.6 billion to the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund. It also includes $39 billion...

March 2, 2021

Comings and Goings ... Thasunda Brown Duckett TIAA named JPMorgan Chase CEO of Consumer Banking Thasunda Brown Duckett to succeed Roger W. Ferguson, Jr., as president and CEO of the century-old provider of retirement investments and other financial services for people working in the academic, research, medical, cultural and government fields. As Boston City Council President Kim Janey prepares to...

March 1, 2021

DC Shuttle ... House Passes Coronavirus Relief Bill. The U.S. House passed $1.9 trillion pandemic relief legislation, the American Rescue Plan Act (HR 1319), by a vote of 219 to 212. The bill would authorize direct payments to households, extend unemployment insurance benefits and provide funding to states and localities, schools, transit systems, restaurants, vaccine distribution and virus testing. The...

February 24, 2021

Number of middle school students in afterschool programs, 2014: 2,300,000 Afterschool Alliance Number in 2020: 1,800,000 Afterschool Alliance Percentage of U.S. households with K–12 students that shifted to some form of online learning during the pandemic: 70%+ Georgetown Center on Education and the Workforce Percentage of households with incomes below $25,000 where the internet was always available: 55% Georgetown Center...

February 22, 2021

DC Shuttle ... House Moving Forward on Relief Package. Democratic leaders are working to pass the American Rescue Plan Act through the budget reconciliation process. House committees have been working on their areas of jurisdiction, with the full House potentially considering the legislation next week. The House Budget and Rules Committee plans to meet this week to put the pieces...

February 16, 2021

NEBHE offers a regional analysis of national Counting Credentials report ... The U.S. is in the midst of one of the most severe economic recessions in history, and now more than ever, it is important to acknowledge all possible pathways to gainful employment. On Feb. 10, 2021, Credential Engine released its third Counting Credentials report, which compiled and described the...

February 16, 2021

Vincent Rougeau Comings and Goings ... The College of the Holy Cross chose Boston College Law School Dean Vincent Rougeau to be the first-ever Black and first-ever layperson to serve as president of the 178-year-old Jesuit college in Worcester, Mass. Rougeau will succeed the Rev. Philip Boroughs on July 1, who led Holy Cross for nine years. Whitney Soule, senior...

February 9, 2021

Comings and Goings ... Nicholas C. Donohue The Nellie Mae Education Foundation announced that Nicholas C. Donohue will step down as the organization’s president and CEO at the end of 2021 after 14 years in charge. He focused the foundation on student-centered approaches to learning and re-emphasized its grantmaking strategy to advance racial equity. In addition to supporting various NEBHE...

February 2, 2021

NEBHE explores higher education and incarceration ... Congress voted in December to lift the 26-year-old ban on Pell Grants for incarcerated students. A bipartisan effort to direct Pell Grants to a population that has long been deprived of federal funding for higher education reflects the growing desire for increased education in our prisons and jails across the U.S., especially in...

January 26, 2021

NEBHE announced that 16 Massachusetts four-year independent institutions, along with all of the state’s 15 community colleges, have signed onto the Massachusetts Independent College Transfer Guarantee. Supported by a grant from the Teagle Foundation and the Davis Educational Foundation, the "Massachusetts Guarantee" is a statewide effort to establish systematic transfer pathways between Massachusetts community colleges and four-year independent institutions, focusing...

January 19, 2021

Comings and Goings ... Eric Lander Eric Lander, president and founding director of the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, and Maria Zuber, MIT’s vice president for research, were tapped by President-elect Joe Biden for top science roles in his administration. Lander, who co-chaired the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) for President Barack Obama for eight...

January 19, 2021

The number of students nationwide enrolled in distance education programs rose to nearly 3 million in fall 2019, a 7.5% increase over 2018 enrollment data, according to a new report by the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA). And that’s before the COVID-19 pandemic prompted an unprecedented shift to virtual course delivery. ...

January 12, 2021

Comings and Goings ... Walsh Raimondo President-elect Joe Biden nominated Rhode Island Gov. Gina M. Raimondo as the next U.S. secretary of commerce and Boston Mayor Marty Walsh as the next U.S. secretary of labor. Raimondo, who chaired NEBHE's Commission of Higher Education & Employability, will be succeeded in Rhode Island by Lieutenant Gov. Daniel J. McKee, who earned a...

January 5, 2021

Comings and Goings ... Cardona President-elect Joe Biden chose Connecticut Education Commissioner Miguel Cardona to be the next U.S. education secretary, succeeding Betsy DeVos, the champion of private schools who served as secretary since the beginning of the Trump administration. Cardona, in contrast, was raised in a housing project in Meriden, Conn., where he attended the city’s public schools then...

December 16, 2020

The number of new high school graduates in New England is expected to shrink by nearly 13% by 2037, according to the 10th edition of Knocking at the College Door: Projections of High School Graduates, released this week by the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE). Published by WICHE every four years, Knocking at the College Door is a...

December 16, 2020

Decline from 2019 to 2020 in number of high school graduates who went to college immediately after high school: 22% The National Student Clearinghouse Decline from 2019 to 2020 in college enrollment rates for students from high-income high schools: 17% The National Student Clearinghouse Decline for students from low-income high schools: 29% The National Student Clearinghouse Of associate and bachelor’s...

December 15, 2020

Dennis M. Hanno Comings and Goings ... Wheaton College President Dennis M. Hanno announced he will step down in late 2021, or earlier if a successor is named. Stonehill College appointed DeBrenna LaFa Agbényiga, the former provost and vice president for academic affairs and professor of social work at Bowie State University in Maryland, to be the new provost and...

December 8, 2020

Pelton Comings and Goings ... The Boston Foundation named Emerson College President M. Lee Pelton to be the community foundation's next president and chief executive officer, effective in June 2021. He will succeed Paul Grogan, who led the foundation for nearly 20 years. In June, Pelton was named by Boston Mayor Marty Walsh to lead the Boston Racial Equity Fund....

November 24, 2020

Jane McBride Gates Comings and Goings ... The Connecticut State Colleges and Universities Board of Regents appointed its provost and senior vice president for academic and student affairs, Jane McBride Gates, to serve as the system's interim president, while the board searches for a permanent replacement for outgoing President Mark Ojakian. Rev. Brian J. Shanley, who was president of Providence...

November 18, 2020

Last week, Inside Higher Ed reported that "President-elect Joe Biden’s transition team is drawing significantly [from] the nation’s colleges and universities to prepare to take the reins of government on Jan. 20." A bit of déjà vu ... In Spring 2009, when Barack Obama was stocking his first administration, NEJHE ran an item headlined "New England Goes to D.C.," noting:...

November 17, 2020

The total number of enrolled international students at New England colleges and universities increased by 2% at all academic levels in academic year 2019-20, according to the 2020 Open Doors Report on International Education Exchange. The study, published annually by IIE since 1948-49, and in partnership with the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs since 1972,...

November 17, 2020

Joseph Cooper Comings and Goings ... The University of Massachusetts Boston appointed Joseph Cooper to be its first special assistant for Black Life, a senior management position that Marcelo Suárez-Orozco pledged to create when he became the the UMass Boston chancellor in August. UMass Medical School named Brown University Assistant Vice President of Academic Diversity Marlina Duncan to be the...

November 3, 2020

Diversity. Equity. Inclusion. These words have dominated the national conversation in recent weeks. From the racial justice protests that have sprung up across the U.S. since the death of George Floyd, to the White House’s recent executive order against the “malign ideology” of diversity training efforts in federally funded programs, individuals from both sides of the political aisle have had...

October 27, 2020

Comings and Goings ... Muhl Berklee College of Music named Erica Muhl, a composer who has led music and arts schools at the University of Southern California, to be its first female president, succeeding Roger Brown, who is stepping down after leading the college for 17 years. The University of Rhode Island named Gaurav Khanna, currently a physics professor at...

October 20, 2020

In New England, as with the rest of the country, the price of tuition is one of the main factors that goes into students’ higher education enrollment decisions. As the coronavirus wreaks havoc on both our New England and national economies and people reckon with job losses and wage cuts, this factor seems more relevant than ever. NEBHE’s recently released...

October 20, 2020

Dan Egan Comings and Goings ... Dan Egan, president of the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities of Rhode Island (AICURI), was named the new co-chair, of the New England Council's Higher Education Committee, succeeding Tim Leshan, who stepped down from the committee role when he was recently promoted in his work at Northeastern University to vice provost for research,...

October 13, 2020

New England higher education lost another giant last week when Joseph M. Cronin died at age 85. The former president of Bentley College (now University) and first Massachusetts secretary of education, Joe Cronin was a longtime friend of NEBHE and a frequent contributor to NEJHE. Many of his articles for the journal focused on equity. His book reviews read like...

October 5, 2020

DC Shuttle ... House Passes $2.2 Trillion Recovery Legislation. The U.S. House of Representatives passed pandemic recovery support legislation (H.R. 8406). Though it is unlikely to become law in its current form, this legislation serves as a benchmark for Democrats in negotiations with the Trump administration and Senate Republicans. Democratic leaders said they wanted to outline their negotiating priorities and...

September 30, 2020

Among 112 New England colleges and universities surveyed by the Boston Globe, number with a Black athletic director: 5 Boston Globe Among New England's 58 collegiate football programs, number led by Black head coaches: 2 Boston Globe Percentage of American adults who had an interaction with a police officer in the past year and say the interaction was an overall...

September 29, 2020

Comings and Goings ... Laura R. Walker Media executive Laura R. Walker, recognized for transforming New York Public Radio (NYPR) into a media powerhouse, began as president of Bennington College. She succeeds Mariko Silver, who stepped down in July 2019, and Isabel Roche, who served for the past year as interim president. The Rev. Philip L. Boroughs announced he will...

September 29, 2020

NEBHE announced that eight Connecticut four-year independent institutions and all 12 of the state's community colleges signed onto the Connecticut Independent College Transfer Guarantee (Connecticut Guarantee). Supported by grants from the Teagle Foundation and the Davis Educational Foundation, the Connecticut Guarantee is a statewide effort to establish systematic transfer pathways between Connecticut's community colleges and four-year independent institutions, which focus...

September 28, 2020

DC Shuttle ... House Marks Up Apprenticeship Legislation. The House Education and Labor Committee held a markup of the National Apprenticeship Act (H.R. 8294), reporting the legislation out of committee by a vote of 26 to 16. The bill would reauthorize and make changes to the National Apprenticeship Act, which was originally passed in 1937. The bill would invest nearly...

September 21, 2020

DC Shuttle ... Senate Holds FAFSA Hearing. The Senate Health, Education Labor & Pensions Committee held a hearing entitled "Time to Finish Fixing the FAFSA." The hearing could be the last education hearing under the chairmanship of Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN), who plans to retire following this congressional session. He held the hearing to push for changes to the FAFSA,...

September 15, 2020

Susan Dynarski Comings and Goings ... Harvard Graduate School of Education announced that Susan Dynarski, currently professor of public policy, education and economics at the University of Michigan, will join the Harvard school as an education professor in July 2021. Alan D. Solomont, the Pierre and Pamela Omidyar Dean of the Jonathan M. Tisch College of Civic Life at Tufts...

September 1, 2020

Comings and Goings ... Thompson Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art leader Joseph Thompson announced he will step down at the end of October as director of the country’s largest museum for contemporary art. NEJHE covered the opening of Mass MoCA as a creative and economic development tool for the distressed area of western Massachusetts. Carmen Aguilar, former dean of the...

August 18, 2020

Ojakian Comings and Goings ... Connecticut State Colleges and Universities (CSCU) President Mark Ojakian announced we will retire after five years as CEO of the organization responsible for 17 higher education institutions, 9,000 employees and more than 100,000 students, effective Jan. 1, 2021. He has spent 40 years in state government, including three as chief of staff to then-Gov. Dannel...

August 11, 2020

Comings and Goings ... Dr. Angela Abraham Dr. Angela Abraham, a graduate of the University of Missouri-St. Louis School of Optometry and Smith College, was appointed to be the first-ever diversity and inclusion liaison for the New England College of Optometry (NECO), where she will work with the college's new Alliance for the Advancement of Diversity and Inclusion. Eboni S....

August 10, 2020

DC Shuttle ... House Holds Hearing on Reopening Schools. The House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis held a hearing on the safety concerns of reopening K-12 school systems. Witnesses, including former Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, called for Congress to provide $200 billion for school districts. Democrats pushed back on Republican proposals to maximize in-person teaching, the CT Mirror...

August 3, 2020

DC Shuttle ... Trump Administration Announces DACA Changes. The Trump administration announced it will no longer process new applications for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program and that it will limit the renewal term for current DACA recipients to one year instead of the usual two. Last month, the Supreme Court blocked the administration's effort to end the...

July 28, 2020

Comings and Goings ... Lisa Dresdner Connecticut State Colleges and Universities selected Naugatuck Valley Community College Dean of Academic Affairs Lisa Dresdner to serve as interim campus CEO of the community college with locations in Waterbury and Danbury. She will succeed Daisy Cocco De Filippis, who led the college for 12 years. Massasoit Community College President Gena Glickman announced she...

July 27, 2020

DC Shuttle ... Republican Guvs Call for Liability Protection. Republican governors from across the U.S. sent congressional leaders a letter asking that civil liability protections for healthcare workers, businesses and schools be included in the phase four relief package being considered in Congress. Senate Republicans recently drafted a proposal that would offer a five-year shield from coronavirus lawsuits as part...

July 20, 2020

DC Shuttle ... Upcoming Hearings & Markups. The House Education and Labor Committee will hold a hearing on How to Overcome Obstacles to Safely Reopen Public Schools on Wednesday, July 23 at 10:15 a.m. Administration Changes Plan for International Students and Online Classes. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security rescinded its July 6 policy directive that would have denied U.S....

July 13, 2020

DC Shuttle ... ICE Releases Rule on International Students. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) released guidance which would not allow international students to remain on visas if they are taking their classes online. The changes apply to the Student and Exchange Visitor Program for non-immigrant students on F-1 and M-1 visas for academic and vocational coursework. The State Department won't...

July 8, 2020

Comings and Goings ... Pelton Emerson College President Lee Pelton was tapped by Boston Mayor Marty Walsh to chair the new Boston Racial Equity Fund. Pelton has led Emerson since 2011. After the police murder of George Floyd, he wrote a widely regarded letter to the Emerson community about his life as a Black man. Arts education consultant Judith Bose,...

July 6, 2020

DC Shuttle ... Hearings/Markups of Interest. The House Education and Labor Committee's Higher Education and Workforce Investment Subcommittee scheduled a hearing on Examining the Impact of COVID-19 on the Future of Higher Education for Tuesday, July 7 at 12 p.m. The House Appropriations Committee's Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies Subcommittee scheduled the Markup of Education Appropriations...

June 29, 2020

DC Shuttle ... Attorneys General Sue Education Department Over New Title IX Rules. Eighteen state attorneys general filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Education and Education Secretary Betsy DeVos to block the department's new rules under Title IX of the Higher Education Act from going into effect in August. In the suit, the attorneys general argue that the...