Data Connection: New England’s Patriots and More

From time to time we revive the collection of facts and figures called "Data Connection" that we had published quarterly for nearly 20 years in the print editions of The New England Journal of Higher Education (formerly Connection). The latest ... "Patriotic" rank of northern New England states measured by indicators such as share of enlisted military population, share of adults who voted in...

Tuition Comes Due

The affordability of public colleges and universities, whose primary mission is to serve state residents, is top-of-mind for students and parents, institutional leaders and state policymakers. NEBHE's 2016-17 tuition & fees report New England Fast Facts: The Price of Public Colleges in New England, 2016-17 shows that since fall 2011, tuition and required fees have risen 16% at community c...

Affirming Action?

DC Shuttle ... Justice Dept Memo Suggests Lawsuit on College Discrimination. A leaked document suggested that the U.S. Justice Department may soon begin investigating whether colleges are discriminating in the way they use race in admissions. An internal Justice Department posting seeking lawyers for "investigations and possible litigation" relating to university affirmative action policies was l...

Keene State Names New Interim Prez; Bentley Taps Interim Provost; RSP Grad to Mark History in RI

Treadwell Comings and Goings ... The University System of New Hampshire appointed Antioch University Provost and CEO Melinda Treadwell to be interim president of Keene State College, succeeding Anne Huot, who resigned after four years as president and will return to her faculty position as a biology professor after a year-long unpaid leave of absence. Treadwell previously served as interim provo...

Forever GIs

DC Shuttle ... House Passes Forever GI Bill. The U.S. House of Representatives passed the Forever GI Bill (H.R. 3218) with overwhelming support, 405-0. The House Veterans' Affairs Committee passed the bill the previous Wednesday and it moved quickly through the House. A companion bill has been introduced in the Senate and moved through committee last week. The legislation, a rare bipartisan respo...

Bill Gutting US Ed Dept Moves to Full House

DC Shuttle ... House Appropriations Committee Passes Education Funding Bill. The House Appropriations Committee held a hearing and adopted the fiscal year 2018 Labor, Health and Human Services and Education Appropriations bill by a vote of 28 to 22. The legislation would cut nearly $2.4 billion from the Education Department's budget, but did not include many of the cuts recommended by the adminis...

Agency Split in NH Among Midsummer Transformations

Comings and Goings ... New Hampshire divided its Department of Resources and Economic Development into two new agencies. Gov. Chris Sununu nominated Taylor Caswell, who is currently executive director of the New Hampshire Community Development Finance Authority, to serve as commissioner of the new Department of Business and Economic Affairs, while Jeff Rose, the current commissioner of that age...

House Bill Would Cut $2.4 Billion from US Dept of Ed

DC Shuttle ... Appropriations Bill Cuts Ed Dept Funding. The House Appropriations Committee released a draft Labor-HHS-Education spending bill which would significantly decrease the U.S. Education Department's budget. The bill would provide more money for charter schools but cut training programs, according to the House Appropriations Committee draft bill. The House Appropriations Labor-HHS-Educa...

Moving On

Luczko Comings and Goings ... Kate Luczko announced she will step down as president and CEO of Stay Work Play New Hampshire, a nonprofit dedicated to retention and attraction of young talent in New Hampshire. Lawrence McHugh announced he will step down as chair of the University of Connecticut Board of Trustees after eight years. McHugh received a New England Higher Education Excellence Award i...

Out to Kill an Ed Rule? Date Set for Comments to Feds

DC Shuttle ... Ed Dept Requests Comment on Regulations. The U.S. Department of Education put out notice calling for public comment regarding which regulations should be targeted for elimination. The comment period will be open until Aug. 21, 2017. Bill Addresses Income-Share Agreements. Lawmakers introduced a bill that would set new legal frameworks for income-share agreements. The bill filed by...