The Board of Higher Education's meeting on June 16, 2015, provided an overview of fiscal year 2014-15, highlighting a general increase in enrollments and new degree programs, while performing a wrap-up on state financial aid and grant allocations. Key developmental priorities included enhancing the Vision Project, managing fiscal resources better, and improving data usage and interactions between the Board and campuses. The overall goal is to strengthen public higher education in Massachusetts while addressing challenges like funding inadequacies and performance metrics.

1. Board of Higher Education Meeting | June 16, 2015

2. Commissioner’s FY15 Wrap-Up
 The Big Picture
Overview of 2014–15
 Developmental Priorities
BHE-Approved Goals
 Other BHE/DHE Activities
 ValedictoryThoughts
Summary of Presentation

3. Overview of 2014–15

4. The Big Picture: Overview of 2014–15
 Enrollments
 FY15 total figures not yet available; generally +30% from fall
 Fall 2014 Community Colleges = 96,888 (-3% from fall 2013)
 Fall 2014 State Universities = 51,799 (flat since fall 2013)
 Degrees & Certificates Awarded
 FY15 figures not yet available; some growth from FY14 anticipated
due to substantial enrollment increases over 2007–2010
 FY14 Community Colleges = 14,706 (+7% from FY13)
 FY14 State Universities = 11,137 (+2% from FY13)
Students

5. The Big Picture: Overview of 2014–15
 State Financial Aid Awarded
 FY15 State Scholarships =
Over 80,000 recipients: $96 million (+4% from FY14)
▪ Includes FY15 MASSGrantAwards =
54,000 recipients: $41 million (+7% from FY14)
 FY15 Completion Incentive Grants:
1,000 recipients: $1 million (-22% from FY14)
Financial Aid

6. The Big Picture: Overview of 2014–15
 New Programs Approved by BHE
 48 new public degree programs (+140% from FY14)
 2 new independent degree programs (-96% from FY14)
 5 new public certificate programs w/ 30+ credits
(-86% since FY14)
 New Programs Approved by DHE Staff
 40 other public certificate programs
Degree Programs

7. The Big Picture: Overview of 2014–15
 2008 Bond Bill
 9 projects completed or under construction
in AY15 (-9 from last year)
 5 projects in design or study (-3 from last year)
 Massachusetts State College Building Authority (MSCBA)
 10 projects (new buildings or renovations)
completed (-6 from last year)
Capital Projects

8. The Big Picture: Overview of 2014–15
 Performance Incentive Fund
 No new grants due to FY15 funding constraints
 Continuation grants = 37 campus grants +
5 consortium grants + 2 system-wide grants
 Total awarded in FY15 = $3.25 million (-54% from FY14)
 Campus Convening Mini-Grants—Supporting multi-campus convenings
to learn about best practices supporting “BigThree” strategies
 12 grants = $54,000
Grants Awarded

9. The Big Picture: Overview of 2014–15
 Commonwealth Dual Enrollment Program
 28 participating campuses = $750,000 (flat since FY14)
 2,060 enrollments supported in full or in part
 Bridges to College
 4 sites = $380,000 (+34% from FY14)
Grants Awarded (cont'd)

10. The Big Picture: Overview of 2014–15
 College Access Challenge Grant
 Awarded in FY14; used in FY15 =
8 regional partnership projects: $835,500
(-43% from FY13)
 Awarded in FY15; to be used in FY16 =
7 regional partnership projects + 1 research project +
1 pilot project: $1.3 million (+56% from FY14)
 ImprovingTeacher Quality—Currently supports professional development
for early educators to close achievement gaps for children
 6 partnership projects = $1.6 million (flat since FY14)
▪ Principals & leaders component added in FY15 = $160,oo0
Grants Awarded (cont'd)

11. The Big Picture: Overview of 2014–15
 Workforce Development—STEM
 STEM Starter Academy
▪ 15 community colleges = $2.2 million (-50% from FY14)
 STEM Retention & Completion—new faculty-led initiative
focused on identifying and scaling up best practices
▪ 8 state universities = $320,000
 STEM Regional Networks
▪ 9 networks = $360,000 (+13% from FY14; 1 new network)
 @Scale Grants
▪ Awarded in FY15, used in FY15 = 11 projects: $320,000
▪ Awarded in FY15, used in FY16 = 11 projects: $323,000
▪ Total = $643,000 (+57% from FY14)
Grants Awarded (cont'd)

12. The Big Picture: Overview of 2014–15
 Workforce Development—Other
 Seamless Academic Progression in Nursing =
▪ 3 projects = $144,000
 Rapid Response Fund
▪ 6 community colleges = $405,000 (-8% from FY14)
Grants Awarded (cont'd)

13.  Third Vision Project
Annual Report
 Arguably the best-received so far;
powerful tool for communicating
about higher ed agenda
 Launch event at The Boston
Foundation; forums for business
leaders at Microsoft (Cambridge),
Springfield, Pittsfield
 Strong editorial support from The
Boston Globe, BusinessWest
 5 presidents co-authored local
op-eds with Commissioner
in support of findings
The Big Picture: Overview of 2014–15
Public Communications

14. The Big Picture: Overview of 2014–15
 Media Coverage
 News Stories, Op-Eds, Editorials = 63 (-43% from FY14)
 News Releases = 10
 Social Media & Email Marketing
 Twitter = 3,047 followers (+52% since June 2014)
 DHE News Clips and DHE Forward =
1,622 unduplicated subscribers (+14% since June 2014)
 Events
 49 DHE events including 5th
annual 29Who Shine
 7 Go Public events reaching 5,165 HS students and parents
Public Communications

15. BHE-Approved Goals

16. Developmental Priorities: BHE-Approved Goals
1. Further Development of the
Vision Project
2. Management of Fiscal Resources
3. Improved Use of Performance
Metrics & Data
4. Further Development of Interactions
Between BHE & Campuses
BHE Approved Goals: 2014–15

17. Developmental Priorities: BHE-Approved Goals
1. Further Development
of theVision Project
“Big Three” Strategy

18. Developmental Priorities: BHE-Approved Goals
1. Further Development
of theVision Project (cont’d)
 February System-Wide
Conference
 Focus on scaling “BigThree”
best practices
 Campus-specific plans
 12 DHE grants for
follow-up initiatives

19. Developmental Priorities: BHE-Approved Goals
1. Further Development
of theVision Project (cont’d)
 Study of
Enrollment
Potential Among
Underserved
Groups
 Analysis of
Adams Scholarship
 Dev’l Math
Experiment
Launched
 System-wide
Transfer Pathways
Developed for
Six Majors
 Guided Pathways
to Success
 Low-Income Males
/ Males of Color
 Cross-agency work
w/ EEC and ESE
 Pilot in
Gateway Cities
Boost College
Completion Rates
Close
Achievement Gaps
Attract & Graduate
More Students from
Underserved
Populations

20. Developmental Priorities: BHE-Approved Goals
1. Further Development
of theVision Project (cont’d)
 OtherVision Project Priorities
 College Readiness
▪ PARCC
▪ Participation in Piloting/RefiningTest
▪ Continued Campus Engagement
▪ Teacher Education
▪ CampusWork on Strategies to Promote Diversity
 Learning Outcomes Assessment
▪ AMCOATeam Meetings,Workshops, Conferences
▪ Multistate Collaborative: 9-state Pilot

21. Developmental Priorities: BHE-Approved Goals
1. Further Development
of theVision Project (cont’d)
 OtherVision Project Priorities (cont’d)
 Civic Learning Policy
▪ Statewide Conference
▪ Report of Data CollectionTeam
▪ Project Director Hired
 Workforce Alignment
▪ STEM Starter Academy Implementation
▪ STEM Retention and Completion Project Launched
▪ Industry-Specific Strategic Plans
 Continued Implementation of Nursing, Allied Health, IT
 New Plan for Advanced Manufacturing

22. Developmental Priorities: BHE-Approved Goals
 Partnership to Advance Collaboration
and Efficiencies (PACE)
 Data collection and reporting by campuses
▪ Reported $212m in collaborative or campus-specific savings
▪ Development of standard format for reporting savings
 Developed assessments/plans for:
▪ Cyber Security
▪ Enterprise Resource Planning
▪ Bookstores
▪ Insurance
▪ Energy
 Sponsored training forTitle IX and IT security
2. Management of Fiscal Resources

23. Developmental Priorities: BHE-Approved Goals
 Funding Formulas
 Continued implementation of Community College Formula
▪ No changes
 Development of new State University Formula
 BHE Fiscal Oversight
 FAAP review and recommendations
 Professional Development for CampusTrustees
 Implemented program
 OTR collaboration with IG, AG, Ethics Commission
 Consideration ofTuition Retention
2. Management of Fiscal Resources (cont’d)

24. Developmental Priorities: BHE-Approved Goals
3. Improved Use of
Performance Metrics and Data
 Use of Campus Data Dashboards
 Included in presidential evaluation letters
 Discussed with boards, senior teams during campus visits
 Informing DHE work on campus strategic plans
 Dashboard Enhancements for Spring 2015
 Added verbal executive summaries
 Enhanced information on campus performance vs.
segmental and national peers
 Expanded with data from Performance Measurement
 Analysis of Resource Allocation AmongThree Segments

25. Developmental Priorities: BHE-Approved Goals
4. Further Development of Interactions
Between BHE & Campuses
 Campus Strategic Planning
 Guidelines for implementation approved by BHE
 BHE Strategic Planning Committee formalized
▪ Consultations with five pilot campuses and meeting
with campus presidents and trustees at February
Vision Project Conference
▪ Formal approval of one strategic plan and first convening
with next year’s cohort of six campuses
▪ First strategic planning conference
▪ Multi-year plan for BHE activity

26. Developmental Priorities: BHE-Approved Goals
4. Further Development of Interactions
Between BHE & Campuses (cont’d)
 Office ofTrustee Relations
 Annual conference; Commissioner’s campus visits
 Expanded trustee orientation and training
 Expanded communication program
 Resource for Secretary of Education and
Governor’s Appointment Office
 Program Approval Procedures
 Implemented streamlined procedures for non-profits
 Developed plan for approval of out-of-state, online
providers; engagement with SARA initiative

27. Developmental Priorities: BHE-Approved Goals
4. Further Development of Interactions
Between BHE & Campuses (cont’d)
 Responding to SexualViolence
 Extended BHE discussion of current national and state
context plus current campus policies
 Adoption by BHE of statement pledging “highest
standards” to prevent, identify, report, respond
 BHE approval of segmental Affirmative Action Plans
 Awaiting legislative action of budget request to support
further development of unified policies/procedures for
public higher education

29.  Presidential Searches
 5 state university searches—3 completed, 2 in process
 1 community college search—completed
 New guidelines effective
 Campus-Specific Work
 Resolution ofWestfield State issues
 Support of Roxbury Community College (w/ IG, Comptroller)
 Administration & Finance
 Building Naming Policy approved by BHE
Other BHE/DHE Activities

30.  Legal/Regulatory Issues
 5 major lawsuits
 5 cease-and-desist orders to institutions
 3 referrals to Attorney General
 2 ongoing investigations
 56 complaints against institutions
 Collective Bargaining & Employee Benefits
 Successful negotiation of MSCA, APA and
AFSCME contracts
 Continued implementation of transfer of ORP participants
into state pension system (“Section 60”)
Other BHE/DHE Activities

32. ValedictoryThoughts
 Building Stronger Support for Public Higher Education
within State Government, Business & Employer
Communities, and General Public
 Elevating Performance of Public Higher Education with
Respect to Key Institutional Outcomes
 Fostering a More Integrated System of Public Higher
Education Capable of Responding to Statewide Needs in a
More CoordinatedWay
MajorThemes of Past SixYears

33. ValedictoryThoughts
 TheVision Project & the Need for Excellence
 Emphasis on Inadequate Funding and
Average Performance
 Growing Support in Media and
Employer Community
 Higher Education Finance Commission
 Encouragement of Baker/Polito Administration
Building Stronger Support

34. ValedictoryThoughts
 TheVision Project & Goal of National Leadership
 Emphasis on Accountability
 System-wide Planning, Conferences, Grants
(PIF, STEM)
 Affiliation with National Efforts
(PARCC, AAC&U, SHEEO, Complete College America)
 Presidential Searches
Elevating Performance

35. ValedictoryThoughts
 TheVision Project
 Unifying vehicle for all three segments
 Campus Strategic Plans and Dashboards
 Presidential Evaluations and System-level Goals
 Funding Formulas
 Office ofTrustee Relations
Fostering an Integrated System

36. Thank You
Board of Higher Education Members
Presidents, Trustees, Faculty, and Campus Staff
Department of Higher Education Staff
Partners in State Government
and Across the State
Summing Up
Progress but… a long way to go
on all three themes