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What's New at the BHE

Board of Higher Education Meeting: April 25

The Board of Higher Education met on April 25, 2008. Among the Board's business was:

Nine academic program approvals, three at independent institutions and six within the University of Massachusetts system. The majority of the programs address critical workforce needs in the health care sector, including three Doctor of Nursing Practice programs at University of Massachusetts campuses in Boston, Lowell, and Worcester.
A presentation on and acceptance of the Report on the Review of State College Business Programs.
Discussion of the current crisis in the student loan market, including a presentation by Thomas Graf, executive director of the Massachusetts Educational Financing Authority.

Student Leadership Conference Features Congresswoman Niki Tsongas as Keynote Speaker

The Department of Higher Education's seventh annual Student Leadership Conference was held on Friday, March 28, 2008, at Framingham State College. The event featured a keynote speech by U.S. Congresswoman Niki Tsongas. The annual student leadership conference is held each spring to provide a forum for students to identify issues of importance regarding campus life and the public higher education experience and to share these issues with leaders in higher education and state government.

For more information on the conference, see www.mass.edu/SLC2008.

Education Reorganization Takes Effect

On March 10, 2008, Governor Deval L. Patrick's reorganization of the education bureaucracy in Massachusetts took effect. As of that date:

Executive Office: The new Executive Office of Education was created to coordinate policy across all sectors of education—early education and care, K-12 and higher education. Paul Reville, the president of the Rennie Center for Education Research and Policy, was named Secretary of Education and will accept the post on July 1, 2008.
Higher Education: The staff of the Board of Higher Education was renamed the Department of Higher Education. The Board itself remains the Board of Higher Education, but the number of members was increased from 11 to 13.
K-12: The agency overseeing K-12 education, formerly the Department of Education, was renamed the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education . The subsequently renamed Board of Elementary and Secondary Education was increased from 9 to 11 members.
Early Education: The Department of Early Education and Care and its Board retained their original names.

More information on the reorganization is available on the Governor's website .

State-Level School-to-College Report Released

The Massachusetts School-to-College State Level Report was released in February 2008. A result of collaboration between the Massachusetts Board of Higher Education and the Massachusetts Department of Education, the report provides detailed information on how Massachusetts public high school graduates perform in the Commonwealth’s public colleges and universities. The report is intended to serve as a catalyst for discussion and action—statewide, within regions, and at high schools—about the academic preparation and performance of the Commonwealth’s public school students and was produced in part with the financial support of the National Governors Association and the Nellie Mae Foundation. The full report is available in the Policy and Report Library.

Board of Higher Education Meeting: February 29

The Board of Higher Education met on February 29, 2008. Among the Board's business was:

2007 Performance Measurement Report: The Board accepted the 2007 Performance Measurement Report, which tracks progress on a variety of performance indicators and goals established by the Board of Higher Education in collaboration with the state and community colleges. For more information, see the 2007 Performance Measurement Page of our Policy and Report Library.
FY2009 Tuition Rates: The Board passed resident and non-resident tuition rates for FY2009 for all community colleges, state colleges, and University of Massachusetts campuses. For more information, see the Tuition Rates page of our Policy and Report Library.

Board of Higher Education Announces $3.2 Million in STEM Pipeline Fund Grants

The Board of Higher Education announced 10 grants totaling $3.2 million from the Science, Technology, Engineering & Math (STEM) Pipeline Fund, a workforce development initiative designed to increase student interest and teacher preparation in STEM subjects. The grants were competitively awarded from more than $8 million in requests.

Nursing Initiative Releases New Request for Proposals

The Board of Higher Education Nursing Initiative has issued a request for response from public and independent higher education nursing programs and healthcare facilities to enhance the use of simulation technology in nursing education and practice settings. Contracts will be awarded for the acquisition of simulation mannequins and/or the development of simulation scenarios related to the Nurse of the Future Competencies.

Board of Higher Education Meeting: January 11

The Board of Higher Education held its third Board meeting of the academic year on January 11, 2008. The Board passed motions on:

FY2009 Budget Request: The Board's request (.PDF) includes a total of $1.19 billion for FY09, representing an increase of $117.8 million, or 11%, over FY08. Of this increase, more than half—$55.8 million—will help close the $382 million revenue gap at the colleges and University.
Presidential Appointments: The Board unanimously approved Dr. Evan Dobelle (.PDF) as the next President of Westfield State College and Dr. Paul Raverta (.PDF) as President of Berkshire Community College.
New Degree Program: The Board approved a Ph.D. program in Behavior Analysis (.PDF) at Western New England College, the first doctoral degree to be offered by the institution.

Admissions Advisory Committee Discusses Enrollment, Articulation, and Transfer Processes

The Board of Higher Education’s (P-16) Admissions Advisory Committee met on November 2, 2007, at the University of Massachusetts Collaborative Facility in Shrewsbury. During the meeting, University of Massachusetts Boston presented on its experience with a $2.5 million, Title III grant-funded pilot with five two-year colleges (Bunker Hill, Roxbury, Massasoit, Mass Bay, and Quincy) and feeder high schools. The pilot is designed to increase student retention through improved articulation, transfer, enrollment systems, and use of new portal technology.

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