Higher Ed Authority Overview

Massachusetts Board of Higher Education, University of Massachusetts Board of Trustees and Community College and State University Board of Trustees



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Comparison of Major Authority: General

Board of Trustees of University of Massachusetts Massachusetts Board of Higher Education Board of Trustees of Community Colleges and State Universities
  Analyze present and future goals, needs, and requirements of public higher education and establish goals to achieve a well coordinated quality system of public higher education in the Commonwealth. Ch. 15A, §9(c)  
Submit five-year master plan to BHE and Secretary of Education for approval. Ch. 15A, §9(l); Ch. 75 §1A(l) The institutional five-year master plans for public higher education are submitted to the BHE and the Secretary of Education for review and approval. Submit five-year master plan to BHE and Secretary of Education for approval. Ch. 15A, §9(l) and §22(l)
  Prepare a five-year master plan for public higher education, subject to the approval of the Secretary of Education, taking into account the BHE’s analysis of present and future goals, needs and requirements of public higher education, and the five-year plans submitted by individual boards of trustees.
Ch. 15A, §9(f) and (c)
 
Develop and submit institutional mission statements for approval by the BHE and the Secretary of Education. Ch. 75, §1A(n) The institutional mission statements are submitted to the BHE and the Secretary of Education for review and approval. Ch. 15A, §7 Develop and submit institutional mission statements for approval by the BHE and the Secretary of Education. Ch. 15A, §22(n)
  Develop mission statement for the overall system of public higher education and segmental mission statements for approval by the Secretary of Education. Ch. 15A, §7  
Develop a performance measurement system for the University, in consultation with the Secretary and the Board of Higher Education. Ch. 15A, §7A Develop a performance measurement system in consultation with the institutions and the Secretary (for the state universities and community colleges). Ch. 15A, §7A and §22(0)  
The University board of trustees shall have all authority, responsibility, rights, privileges, powers and duties customarily and traditionally exercised by governing boards of higher education institutions and shall not be subject to other state entities except as specified in statute. Ch. 75, §1    
Establish policies for administrative management of staff services, and general business of university. Ch. 75, §1   Establish policies for administrative management of staff services, and general business of institution. Ch. 15A, §22(c )
  Coordinate activities among the public institutions, and engage in advocacy on their behalf. Ch. 15A, §5 and §42  
  Collect, analyze and maintain data from institutions of public higher education as may be relevant to the discharge of its purposes, functions, and duties. Ch. 15A, §9(s)  
  Coordinate among postsecondary institutions, public or private, and resolve conflicts of policies or operations arising in public higher education. Ch. 15A, §9(u)  

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Comparison of Major Authority: Fiscal Affairs

Board of Trustees of University of Massachusetts Massachusetts Board of Higher Education Board of Trustees of Community Colleges and State Universities
Set tuition rate for UMass. Ch. 75, §1(b) Set tuition rate for state universities and community colleges. Ch. 15A, §9(i)  
Establish all fees. Ch. 75, §1(a), (b)
No authority. Establish all fees. Ch.15A, §22(b)
Prepare estimates and requests for the Secretary to use in maintenance and capital outlay requests.
Ch. 75, §1A (q)
The Secretary of Education shall submit budget requests for the system of public institutions of higher education in accordance with legislatively prescribed procedures. Ch. 15A, §15 and §15B Prepare estimates and requests for the Secretary and BHE to use in maintenance and capital outlay requests. Ch. 15A, §22(a)
Have overall responsibility for property, real and personal, owned or occupied by the University. Ch. 75, §1A(d) Have overall responsibility for the property real and personal, owned or occupied by the BHE, the state universities, and the community colleges. Ch. 15A, §9(m)  
Apply to BHE for BHE to submit applications to HEFA to undertake projects for the University. Ch. 15A, §9(aa) Submit written applications to HEFA requesting they undertake projects on behalf of one or more public institutions of higher education in accordance with legislative prescribed procedures. Ch. 15A, §9(aa)  
Approve charges established by the University of Massachusetts Building Authority for use of Authority buildings. Ch. 75 App., §1-9 Approve charges established by the State College Building Authority for use of Authority buildings. Ch. 73 App., §1-9  

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Comparison of Major Authority: Academic and Student Affairs

Board of Trustees of University of Massachusetts Massachusetts Board of Higher Education Board of Trustees of Community Colleges and State Universities
Subject to general authority of the Secretary and the BHE, establish, locate, support, consolidate or abolish classes, courses, curricula, departments, divisions, schools or colleges. Ch. 75, §2 Define and authorize new functions or new programs, consolidate, discontinue or transfer existing functions, educational activities and programs. Ch. 15A, §9(b)  
Submit admission standards and program standards to BHE/subject to disapproval by BHE. Ch. 75, §2 Require boards of trustees to submit admission standards and program standards, which shall be published by the Board if not disapproved. Ch. 15A, §9(h) Submit admission standards and program standards to BHE subject to disapproval by BHE. Ch. 15A, §22(h)
Subject to BHE authorization, offer degree programs and award degrees, submit program approval requests to BHE. Ch. 75, §1a and §1k Confer degree powers on public institutions. Ch. 15A, §9(a) Subject to BHE authorization offer degree programs and award degrees, submit program approval requests to BHE. Ch. 15A, §22(j), (k)
Establish and operate programs, including summer and evening, in accordance with degree authority. Summer and evening programs are self-sustaining. Ch. 15A, §26; Ch. 75, §51(a)(j)   Establish and operate programs, including summer and evening, in accordance with degree authority. Summer and evening programs are self-sustaining. Ch. 15A, §22(j) and §26
Offer doctoral programs independently, or with other public institutions with BHE approval. Ch. 75, §2    
Establish standards for promotion, graduation. Ch. 75, §1A and §2   Establish standards for promotion, graduation. Ch. 15A, §22 and §22(g)
Confer honorary degrees. BHE gives power. Ch. 75, §2
  Confer honorary degrees. BHE gives power. Ch. 15A, §22(k)
  Establish guidelines for and administer financial assistance/scholarship programs authorized by legislature. Ch. 15A, §16  
Administer graduate student waivers. Submit to BHE annual report on graduate tuition waiver policies and distribution of said waivers. Ch. 15A, §19 Administer a tuition waiver
program. Ch. 15A, §19
Administer graduate student waivers. Submit to BHE annual report on graduate tuition waiver policies and distribution of said waivers. Ch. 15A, §19
  Develop and implement a transfer compact among public institutions.
Ch. 15A, §9(k)(v)
 
  Review enrollment levels for each institution in the system (subject to disapproval of BHE). Ch. 15A, §9(k)  
  Administer the Police Career Incentive Pay Program (PCIPP) for cities and towns and the state police. Ch. 41, §108(l)
 
  Prepare a system of student assessment to measure student improvement at public institutions of higher education between the first and fourth years.
Ch. 15A, §32
 
  License independent institutions of higher education. Ch. 69, §30 and §31  
  Respond to consumer complaints.
Ch. 69, §30 and §31; Ch.15A, §9(u) and §22
 

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