Welcome to The Senate Site

By Lyle Hillyard
Senate Chair of Executive Appropriations

While the issues of mission creep are always involved with any discussion about challenges for Higher Education, Utah has two movements that will really test the future of this state. First, are the smaller schools that feel they need to expand their offerings and become what their area must have to be competitive. We have been able to address some of that needed expansion with the large amounts of new money we have been receiving.

Those days are gone for now but the pent up demand is still there. Where will we get the money? Each of the big schools can also show that they also have unmet needs that require that they receive a substantial boost in funding. While every legislator is supportive of higher education, they seem to be more supportive of the schools in their area or where they attended than for the system as a whole. If we begin taking money from one and giving to another for what ever reason, it will create war and could risk stopping the good system we have had since 1969 of a Board of Regents to govern all the schools.

The other challenge comes from the UCAT’s who want to pull away from the control of the Board of Regents but still offer credit to the students who want it so that they can transfer that credit to one of the regular colleges as they progress towards graduation. That is currently being handled by articulation agreements between the various UCAT schools and a higher education facility. If the legislature gives a blanket approval for such a transfer of credit, I am concerned that we could jeopardize the credibility of these current schools to have their graduates move on out of state into graduate programs with this credit on their transcript. A second problem in my view is if teachers at the UCAT programs are teaching classes that have the same credit as classes at the local universities then why should they not be paid the same and why should the students not pay the same tuition? I am concerned that after this expansion is completed, some one will come to the legislature and say we need a new program that focuses on technical training where students are trained in skills that they need so they can move right into the workplace. UCATs provide an important service that could be lost with a change

I wish the Board of Regents good luck as they try to handle these issues and then present their recommendations. We do want what is best for the students, economy, and educational establishments of the state. We are talking about big bucks here.

1 Comments:

 Free Market Advocate said...

Why don't you privatize the higher education institution and free up the education market to meet students needs? Why do you think you need to micromanage the offerings? I thought we were conservatives who believed the private sector is generally better suited to solve society's problems, not big government programs.

7/02/2008 9:56 PM  

Post a Comment

<< Home