ERIC ED365219: A Commitment to Opportunity: 1992 Update of the Master Plan for Higher Education.

58 Pages·1993·1.4 MB·English

by  ERIC

DOCUMENT RESUME
ED 365 219
HE 027 011
TITLE
A Commitment to Opportunity: 1992 Update of the
Master Plan for Higher Education.
INSTITUTION
Washington State Higher Education Coordinating Board,
Olympia.
PUB DATE
[93]
NOTE
58p.; For the master plan, see HE 027 010.
PUB TYPE
Legal/Legislative/Regulatory Materials (090)
EDRS PRICE
MF01/PC03 Plus Postage.
DESCRIPTORS
*Access to Education; Budgets; Economic Impact;
*Educational Demand; *Educational Finance;
Educational Planning; *Educational Quality;
Enrollment; Financial Problems; Government School
Relationship; *Higher Education; *Master Plans;
Retrenchment; School Pusiness Relationship; School
Community Relationship; Statewide Planning;
Undergraduate Stud.
IDENTIFIERS
*Washington
ABSTRACT
This report concerns the status of postsecondary
education within the state of Washington, the major challenges that
exist, and proposals for meeting the needs of its current and future
students. Planning priorities are discussed as well as a series of
recommendations that address those priorities. The report notes that
the 1991 recession has produced a sluggish economy within the state
and that the state's population is also increasing, resulting in
increased demand for most services in the presence of severely
limited resources. Because demand for higher education is also
increasing, the Higher Education Coordinating Board has identified
increased enrollments throughout postsecondary education as the top
priority for 1992. Long-range educational planning, therefore, will
focus on expanding access to education while simultaneously
delivering a quality product within tighter budgetary constraints.
Recommendations for accomplishing this are discussed in detail and
involve three strategies: (1) strategic planning that focuses on
efficient resource allocation; (2) improved partnerships with public
schools, businesses, and the community; and (3) a new alignment of
responsibilities, based on trust, between the state and its
postsecondary education institutions. The final section also contains
the 1992 implementation schedule of the Master Plan for each
strategy. (GLR)
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Coordinating Board
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Members
Steven T. Seward
Chair
Seattle
4
Ralph DiSibio
Richland
5
Kelso .Gil lendater
Tacoma
M. Lyle Jacobsen
Olympia
Mary. James
Photos courtesy of Eastern Washington Uni-
WapatO
versity, (1); The University of Washingtonz by pho-
tographer Jeff Zaruba, (2), (4); Washington State
Vicki McNeill
University, (3); Shoreline Community College, (5),
(6); and The Evergreen State College (7).
Spokane
Gay Selby
For further information, contact :
Kelso
Higher Education
David K. Y. Tang
Coordinating Board
Seattle
917 Lakeridge Way
Olympia, WA 98504-3430
Judith Wiseman
Bellingham
[phone]
Ann Daley
Executive Director
Printed on recycled paper
(>*4;146"18
1
contents
Overview
i-iv
Executive Summary
v-ix
I. Introduction
1
A. Education: Compact with the Future
2
B. Role of the HECB
4
4
1. Review of 1987 Master Plan
2. 1988 Tuition/Aid Study
5
3. 1989 Assessment Policy
5
4. 1990 Enrollment Policy
6
5. 1991 Policy on Minority Participa; Ion and Diversity
6
6. 1991 Plan for Graduate Education
7
II. Reexamine the Environment
9
A. Process for Reexamination
10
B. Context for Postseconday Education
11
1. Demographic Trends
11
2. Economic Changes
15
3. Washington's Expenditure Patterns
16
4. Funding Outlook for Postsecondary Education
19
III. Focus on "Critical Challenges"
21
22
A. Access Equity
1. Brief History
22
2. Changing Environment
22
3. Current Programs
23
4. Preliminary Conclusions
23
23
B. Access for Societal Benefit
1. Introduction
23
2. Production/Demand
24
3. Preliminary Conclusions
27
C. Undergraduate Excellence
27
1. Introduction
27
2. Current Environment
28
3. Preliminary Conclusions
28
D. Partnerships
28
28
1. Introduction
2. Current Environment
29
30
3. Preliminary Conclusions
E. Funding
31
1. Introduction
31
31
2. Brief History
3. Current Environment
33
34
4. Preliminary Conclusions
4
IV. Update Planning Priorities and Recommendations
35
36
A. Planning Priorities
1. Access: Commitment to Opportunity
36
2. Quality: Demonstrated Improvements, Expanded Partnerships
37
3. Public Investment: Stability, Efficiency and Accountability
38
38
B. Recommendations
1. Preserving Washington's Commitment to Opportunity
38
2. Enhancing the Quality of Postsecondary Education
40
42
3. Protecting the Public Investment
FIGURES
Summary of HECB Activities: 1987-1993
8
#1
1992 Master Plan Update
Five "Critical Challenges"
10
#2
Washington Population Projections: 1990-2020
#3
11
Washington K-12 Enrollment
#4
By Race/Ethnicity: 1980-81 and 1991-92
12
Postsecondary Education Enrollment Trends
12
#5
Washington Participation Rates: Fall, 1985
13
#6
Washington Participation Rates: Fall, 1990
14
#7
Washington Population Projections: Adults 17 to 25
14
#8
Alternative Enrollment Forecasts for Population Aged 17-44
15
#9
Washington Poverty Rates by Race/Ethnicity: 1989
16
#10
Washington Poverty Rates by Education Levels: 1989-90
17
#11
State General Fund Expenditures: 1973-75 to 1991-93
18
#12
24
Associate Degrees: 1979-80 Compared to 1990-91
#13
Bachelors Degrees: 1979-80 Compared to 1990-91
25
#14
Masters Degrees: 1979-80 Compared to 1990-91
26
#15
26
Doctoral Degrees: 1979-80 Compared to 1990-91
#16
27
Professional Degrees: 1979-80 Compared to 1990-91
#17
State General Fund: 1973-75 and 1991-93
32
#18
Public Higher Education
#19
Resident Tuition and Fees: 1981-82 to 1991-92
33
44
Implementation Plan for 1992 Update Recommendations
#20
5
overview
Immi..11...1111.=
i
6
Rising Demand for
The conditions affecting higher educa-
tion are changing dramatically. Among the
Postsecondary Education
most significant are the state's long-term
fiscal situation, a rapidly growing and in-
Concurrently, the state's population is
creasingly diverse population, and the
growing. Over the past decade, the state's
economy's urgent and growing need for a
population has increased by 734,000 while
skilled and literate workforce. These trends
enrollment in public colleges and universi-
are reviewed in detail in the body of this
ties has dropped. Significantly, the tradi-
report.
those aged
tional college-going population
is expected to increase dramati-
17 to 25
Of critical concern, however, is the con-
cally in the next decade. Twenty thousand
vergence of what appears to be a chronic de-
more seniors are expected to graduate from
ficiency of state fiscal resources with
Washington high schools in the year 2001
economic and demographic trends which de-
than graduated last spring. And a growing
mand expansion of postsecondary education.
proportion of this age group is composed of
This need for expansion is made all the more
low-income and minority individuals.
of
critical by the state's decade-long
limiting access to its public educational in-
the
demand
Adding
for
to
stitutions. If enrollments over the past de-
postsecondary education will be increased
cade had kept pace with population growth,
numbers of adults seeking access to pro-
another 50,000 full-time equivalent students
grams for workforce preparation and retrain-
would be enrolled today.
ing.
Changing State
Other symptoms of strain in the state's
Expenditure Patterns
postsecondary education system are also evi-
dent: student complaints about the time re-
quired to complete degrees and difficulties
Washington, like state governments
of getting into classes; low participation and
across the nation, is under pressure to fi-
high dropout rates for underrepresented mi-
nance more prisons, increased K-12 enroll-
norities; concern about low teaching loads;
ment, health care, and other social services.
anecdotal evidence of poor student achieve-
As expenditures for these services have
ment and other signs of neglect of under-
grown, expenditures for postsecondary edu-
gradun te education.
cation have declined. This shifting pattern
of state funding will further constrain the
Quality And Access
state's ability to support postsecondary edu-
cation for the foreseeable future.
Heightened competition for increas-
That Washington has so far been
ingly limited state resources will surely evoke
spared the deep cuts currently affecting
the perennial higher education policy debate
about quality versus access. The choice is
higher education in other states is no cause
frequently posed as an either-or proposition.
for comfort. Revenue forecasts for the up-
However, this presumption vastly oversim-
coming biennium fall far short of the level
needed to carry forward current state poli-
plifies the policy choice by neglecting the con-
sequences of choosing one at the expense of
cies, and plans to cut agency budgets by as
the other.
much as 16 percent are under review.
It is not possible to have a high qual-
ity system of public higher education if the
system severely restricts access. Conversely,
7
it is not possible to have a high quality
Section IV sets forth specific recommen-
system if access is not accompanied by
dations around these planning priorities.
The recommendations are to be accom-
adequate funding to ensure instructional
plished through three stra tegies.
effectiveness and student success.
The first emphasizes strategic plan-
The Board asserted in its 1987 Master
Plan that an excellent and effective system
ning to assure focused, efficient resource al-
location. Postsecondary education at all
of higher education must be characterized
as much by equitable and adequate access
levels will need to undertake strategic plan-
and student success as by adequate per
ning and make tough choices to assure that
limited resources are being targeted at ar-
student funding levels. That assertion con-
eas of highest priority.
tinues to apply.
Institutions will have to demonstrate
Today's competition for limited state
resources is also sure to prompt demands
that current resources are being spent wisely
in order to maintain and enhance funding
for greater efficiencies, intensified scrutiny
levels. The state, through the Higher Edu-
of institutional management practices, ad-
cation Coordinating Board (HECB) and its
ministrative structures and faculty produc-
partner agencies, will need to initiate
tivity, and insistence on positive indicators
systemwide improvements and efficiencies
of performance.
in the delivery of education services. Stra-
A New Compact
tegic planning thus becomes a critical cor-
nerstone for the future.
This conception of the shape of change
The second aims at improved part-
influences the priorities and strategies rec-
nerships with the public schools, the busi-
ommended in this 1992 Update. It can be
ness community, and local providers and
stated again: the critical challenge facing
organizations to assure that services are co-
this state's postsecondary education system
ordinated and programs not fragmented and
in the 1990s is educating more students in
duplicated. In particular, partnerships
an era of persistently restricted resources.
should be targeted toward assisting in the
This challenge must be met without renounc-
implementation of K-12 educational reforms,
ing educational quality and while insisting
toward enriching the K-12 teaching team,
on clear evidence of acceptable standards of
and toward providing increased opportuni-
student success.
ties for students "at risk" of dropping out of
school.
To meet this considerable challenge,
this Update stresses:
These are essential, but the third strat-
egy represents the overarching quest for this
A renewed commitment to opportu-
period. This is the accomplishment of a new
nity;
compact between the state and its
postsecondary education institutions, a com-
A restated dedication to quality, es-
pact based on trust, evidence and a new
pecially in undergraduate education;
alignment of responsibilities.
and
Rededicated attention to the public
investment in postsecondary educa-
tion.
The new compact will:
Achieve equitable and adequate en-
rollment by significantly raising en-
rollment lids, adequately funding
those increases, and providing suf-
ficient financial aid for the neediest
students;
Develop and employ of a new defini-
tion of quality measured by effective
the ef
operations and clear results
ficient use of funds to achieve well-
educated students;
Create a new resource management
relationship that removes the state
from "micro-management," allows in-
stitutions greater management au-
tonomy to focus resources on essential
functions, and encourages innova-
tion; and
Develop a system ofcoordinated plan-
ning and information "feedback" to
assure policymakers and citizens
that students are succeeding and re-
sources are being prudently deployed.
The Board is convinced that such a new
compact will lead to stabilized funding,
improved productivity through local man-
agement flexibility, and heightened confi-
dence that resources are directed toward
achievement of state objectives.
These activities
which constitute an
will guide the work of
ambitious agenda
the Higher Education Coordinating Board
during the next biennium. The process,
findings, and recommendations that corn-
prise this 1992 Update c f the Master Plan
for Higher Education '.re described more
fully in the following report.
iv
9
executive
summary
; 0
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