Science (Non)-Fiction … The Latest from NE Campuses

A look at recent developments in New England higher education shows a region struggling to hold onto its historical research  prowess and adding new health programs, but also facing rising costs and declining funds.

Holding onto research  power

University of Connecticut Vice President for Research Suman Singha reported to university trustees that research dollars are drying up. Research funding has declined by approximately 10% over the past two years. For FY11, total research dollars were approximately $225 million and the loss of one-time federal stimulus funds of $52.9 million accounted for nearly 25% of UConn’s research dollars last fiscal year, Singha said

Last year, UConn received $61.4 million in grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). But NIH officials said thousands of grants will be eliminated, and UConn CFO Richard Gray warned of a “funding cliff.”

Still, UConn officials point to Gov. Dannel P. Malloy’s support of two initiatives expected to increase federal funds for research. One is the expansion of UConn’s Health Center. The other is the opening at UConn’s Storrs campus of the Maine-based Jackson Laboratories and new technology center.

University of New Hampshire President Mark Huddleston told the New Hampshire Senate Finance Committee that UNH captures more federal research dollars per faculty member than any other land grant university in New England. “Since 2001, we have had 174 invention disclosures, filed 83 patent applications, executed 97 license agreements, spun-off eight start-up companies, and received almost $2 million in royalties.”

University of Massachusetts President Robert Caret has set his sights on increasing research funding and bringing in $750 million—about $200 million more than last year.

University of Maine Receives $3M  Grant from EDA

The University of Maine’s Advanced Engineering and Wood Composites Center received a $3 million grant from the U.S. Commerce Department’s Economic Development Administration. Funds will be used to buy robotics equipment. Center Director Habib Dagher notes that robotics will create composite materials with a precision and speed that can’t be matched by existing technology. Those composites will be used in turbine blades, towers and bases. The grant, announced in the fall will help create the center’s “robotics manufacturing cell.” Dagher said the new cell will help bring all of the design, engineering, manufacturing and testing functions to a single place, increasing efficiency and saving costs. The center, at the Orono campus, was expanded to include the Offshore Wind Laboratory. The lab formally was scheduled to open in November with the aim of advancing the work designing, building and testing deepwater, wind-generating technology in which the center is a national leader.

“This investment will advance efforts to develop deepwater offshore wind power in Maine,” said U.S. Rep. Michael Michaud (D-Maine). “The work being done by the university has the potential to help break our dependence on foreign oil while creating good-paying jobs in our state.”

Preparing healthcare providers

The University of New England’s College of Dental Medicine is slated to open its doors at the Portland campus by fall 2012. This will be the first dental school in northern New England. Founding dean James J. Koelbi submitted UNE’s application for accreditation to the American Dental Association in March 2011. An accreditation team will visit the campus in spring 2012 and a final decision on accrediting is expected in late summer 2012. Harvard, Tufts and Boston universities and the University of Connecticut are currently the only New England universities with dental schools. UConn’s School of Dental Medicine offers qualified New England students whose states do not have a dental school, reduced tuition under NEBHE’s Regional Student Program.

In Rhode Island, healthcare is the largest industry. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics indicated that nationally the healthcare sector will generate 3.2 million jobs between 2008 and 2018—more than any other sector. U.S. Rep. James Langevin (D-R.I.), Lt. Gov. Elizabeth Roberts (D-R.I.) and state Sen. V. Susan Sosnowski (D-R.I.) joined URI President David M. Dooley to announce the university’s new health studies major. The new major offers an interdisciplinary approach which focuses on health services, health promotion and/or global and environmental health, by bringing together 28 departments and eight colleges on URI’s Kingston campus.

UMass Dartmouth, Bristol and Massasoit community colleges signed an articulation agreement to provide a smooth transfer process for community college students into a new health services degree program offered at UMass Dartmouth. Officials from the three campuses hailed the agreement as an example of a partnership to prepare students for employment in high-demand areas such as radiology and dental hygiene provided they meet certain requirements.

But danger lurks

Prior to the passage of the state budget for FY12, state support for the University System of New Hampshire hovered around 13% of its operating funds. In the last budget cycle, state support fell to 6% when funding was reduced to $48.5 million. The system has taken steps to adjust by freezing wages and hiring, cutting 200 positions, cutting other expenses and raising tuition and fees. Also, the system is increasing its efforts in fundraising, making improvements in the licensing of intellectual property and adding new degree and certificate programs.

UNH associate professor of economics Neil Niman raises the issue of privatizing the system and reviewing costs such as the administrative offices of the system, Cooperative Extension and other programs that come with the university’s designation as a land-, sea- and space-grant university.

“If the state says we’re not going to support those [programs], does the university then continue to have that kind of commitment?” Niman said. “Is it fair to ask you [the students] to pay for those sorts of activities through your tuition?”

Huddleston remains committed to keeping the university’s public status. He noted that much can be learned from private universities in areas such as philanthropy. He plans to step up those efforts and work toward providing a more flexible structure for the university.

Former Maine state Senate President Mark Lawrence suggested a single tuition rate for in-state and out-of-state students. In-state rates would be adjusted based on the funds appropriated by the legislature.

NH college grads have highest debt in U.S.

Students graduating from public and private colleges and universities in New Hampshire had accumulated an average debt of $31,048 by the time they graduated, compared with $25,250 nationally, according to the Project on Student Debt’s report, “Student Debt and the Class of 2010.”

Students graduating from the most prestigious and most expensive schools accumulated less debt, which is attributed to large endowments, scholarships and parents with more resources. Dartmouth College graduates had an average debt load of $18,700 while students graduating from the UNH had an average debt of $32,320. More than three-quarters of students at UNH have loans.

In other higher ed news around New England …

Judicial Watch, a public interest group that investigates and prosecutes violations of federal law, has advised the Rhode Island Board of Governors for Higher Education that recent changes allowing undocumented students to pay in-state tuition rates violate the law. Twelve states now have laws that permit undocumented students to pay in-state tuition rates.

Rhode Island has a policy but not a law. The Rhode Island General Assembly has consistently rejected in-state rates for undocumented students. The policy approved by the Board of Governors is scheduled to go into effect in the fall 2012. It will apply to all public colleges, community colleges and the University of Rhode Island. Eligible students are those who have attended a high school in the state for at least three years and graduated or received a GED. Students must also make a commitment to seek legal status as soon as they are eligible.

In Vermont,  the University of Vermont Interim President John Bramley says a review of the relationship between UVM and the state of Vermont is long overdue. Gov. Peter Shumlin supports such a review and has appointed a task force to reevaluate the relationship between the university and the state. The state contributes $40 million to UVM’s $600 million budget. Shumlin says the state needs to better target the money it spends on UVM.

Business leaders have advised both Shumlin and Bramley that they would like to see more focus on STEM fields. The task force will make recommendations to Shumlin and the new president of UVM in the summer of 2012.

Bramley points out that out-of-state students subsidize in-state students whose numbers continue to decrease. In 1989, approximately 50% of students were residents of Vermont. That share declined to 33% in 2011. Bramley adds that the pool of students graduating from high school is also declining. He notes that all universities face similar funding challenges and all are looking for new sources of revenue. Aside from tuition revenue, Bramley sees some promising areas such as online education, using facilities at UVM for conferences and other events as new sources of revenue.

Carolyn Morwick is a consultant at NEBHE and former director of the Caucus of New England State Legislatures.