Posts Categorized: Newslink Topic

Big Fall Changes: Suffolk Appoints Turnaround Leader; Another Prez to Leave UMaine System; Burlington College Chief Resigns; Conn. Ed Commish Who Battled Unions Out

Comings and Goings ... Suffolk University named Norman R. Smith interim president, beginning Sept. 1, replacing James McCarthy. Described as a turnaround expert at Wagner College in New York City, Smith is a member of the Registry for College and University Presidents—a service that matches veteran education leaders to interim positions, where they are viewed as freer to make unpopular...

New Hampshire Legislative Session: Bipartisan Efforts Produce Results in Healthcare

State Capital Notes … In the 2014 session, the second year of the biennium, not a budget-writing year, two issues that were holdovers from the first session, commanded the attention of the governor, lawmakers, attorney general, state healthcare agencies, hospitals and other healthcare providers. Gov. Maggie Hassan and state lawmakers reached agreement on the Health Care Protection Program...

MCLA’s Grant Named Chancellor at UNC Asheville; UMA’s Handley to Nat’l U

Mary Grant Comings and Goings ... The University of North Carolina Board chose Mary K. Grant to be chancellor of UNC Asheville, the state's public liberal arts university, effective Jan. 5, 2015. Grant, the president of Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts since 2002 and recipient of NEBHE's 2014 Massachusetts State Merit Award, will succeed Anne Ponder who served as UNC Asheville chancellor fo...

Closing Time?

Much of NEBHE's Higher Education Innovation Challenge is based on fears that economic and demographic pressures will make the current number of degree-granting institutions (about 250 in New England and 4,600 nationally) unsustainable—especially for those that rely heavily on tuition, have low endowments and are not well-differentiated. This fear has lurked in various guises for decades. In 1...

New England’s High “Average Net Prices” and Why We Should Care (or Not)

The University of Southern Maine and Maine Maritime Academy were recently identified as Maine’s most expensive public colleges as measured by average net price in 2011-12 based on a recent update to the U.S. Department of Education’s College Affordability and Transparency Center. The College Affordability and Transparency Center’s interactive search tool highlights institutions ...

USM Taps Power-ful Prez; Former NEBHE Delegate Coderre Appointed to HHS; Sloan-C Gets New Name, CEO

Comings and Goings ... The University of Maine System name former Central Maine Power President David T. Flanagan to be president of the University of Southern Maine. In addition to leading the utility's response to Maine's 1998 Ice Storm, Flanagan served previously as assistant Maine attorney general and as chief legal counsel to Maine Gov. Joseph Brennan. Former NEBHE delegate Tom Coderre ...

Vermont Lawmakers Boost Economic Development

State Capital Notes … Vermont lawmakers passed a $5.5 billion budget along with $5.5 million in new taxes. Property taxes were raised 5%. Spending overall increased by 4.1% over the prior year. The budget included a 1.6% increase in reimbursement rates for health care providers who accept Medicaid payments, which will cost $2.6 million. Lawmakers also increased the cigarette tax by 13 cen...

Connecticut Enacts $19 Billion Budget

State Capital Notes … In the second session of the biennium, Connecticut legislators approved a $19 billion budget for FY15 that increases spending by 2.5%. Toward the end of the session, revised revenue forecasts forced lawmakers to scale back in a number of areas. Gov. Dannel Malloy’s promise to provide Connecticut taxpayers with a $55 rebate was put on hold as projections for dec...

Former NEBHE Chair Cowan to Leave Middlesex CC; UMaine Names First Woman Prez; RI Snags Commish from Louisiana

Carole Cowan Comings and Goings ... Middlesex Community College President Carole Cowan said she will retire during the upcoming academic year. Cowan joined the college in 1976 as a professor in the business department and, in 1990, was chosen to become MCC's third president. Cowan chaired NEBHE from 2002 to 2004. University of Maine System Chancellor James H. Page selected Susan J. Hunter to b...

Excellence 2015!

Now accepting nominations ... The New England Board of Higher Education (NEBHE) is now seeking nominations for our twelfth annual New England Higher Education Excellence Awards. Five regional awards and six state merit awards will be presented to the recipients on the evening of Friday, March 13, 2015 in Boston. Nominees should be individuals, programs or organizations i...