College Relations

As appeared in the Salem News, May 31, 2005

By Wayne Burton Nancy Harrington and David Hartleb

Residents of Massachusetts take pride in our "world-class" colleges and universities.

However, the presence of those well-known private academic institutions has lulled us into a false sense that investment in and development of our public system of higher education need not be a priority. Nothing could be further from the truth.

The halls of Massachusetts-based private colleges used to be filled with local students. Today more than 60 percent of their seats are filled by out-of-state students, many of whom leave Massachusetts upon graduation.

On the other hand, it is the commonwealth's five University of Massachusetts campuses, nine state colleges and 15 community colleges - our public higher education system - that educates the majority of the professional and technically-skilled work force demanded by our growing, knowledge-based economy.

In 2002, 67 percent of Massachusetts students who entered college in-state went to a public college or university - up from 59 percent in 1996. Fully 85 percent of the 800,000 Massachusetts public higher education alumni are living, working, raising their families and paying taxes in Massachusetts.

More and more of our students, and our future work force, are looking to Massachusetts' public colleges and universities as the source for building their futures. But the commonwealth's response has been far from encouraging.

Massachusetts currently ranks 47th in the nation in per capita funding of public higher education. The Senate Public Higher Education Task Force reports that Massachusetts public higher education is underfunded by $400 million compared to what our competitor states are investing.

While Massachusetts public colleges and universities have been forced to put a hold on important building projects, reduce full-time faculty, and increase student charges to make up for dwindling state funding, competitor states have not wavered in their support of public higher education. For example, Connecticut is nearing completion of a $1 billion educational capital investment program for the University of Connecticut alone.

With the cost of many private schools reaching $40,000 a year and with employers demanding workers with a college degree, the time has come to recognize and support the critical role of public higher education.

Our public colleges and universities take great pride in our commitment to improve the lives of not only our students, but also our communities. We bring expertise and resources to share, advancing the economic, educational and cultural life of our students and the commonwealth.

For example, at North Shore Community College, MCAS remedial programs are helping teens pass the MCAS test so college becomes an option; English as a Second Language learners in the new Summit Program will be exploring health and human services fields while studying English; students of all ages are training for jobs in booming, short-staffed biotech and food safety industries; and businesses are turning to NSCC's award-winning Institute for Corporate Training and Technology for customized training on campus or at the workplace.

Salem State College has recently partnered with the Massachusetts Department of Social Services (DSS) and the University of Massachusetts Medical School in the creation of the Massachusetts Child Welfare Institute. Housed with Salem State's School of Social Work, the institute will provide degree programs, workshops and seminars to hundreds of DSS workers around the commonwealth. Drawing on the strength of Salem State's existing social work program, this supports a unique collaborative effort that highlights Salem States as the primary provider of childcare training in the state. "Smart classroom" and videoconferencing technology enables social workers from other communities to participate via computer network.

Northern Essex Community College and other public institutions are addressing the growing need for healthcare workers. In the fall of 2004, 450 local residents were enrolled in healthcare programs at Northern Essex, including a brand new Polysomnography Program, designed to prepare sleep technicians. These students - the great majority of whom are adults making a career change - are preparing for well-paying careers (the average salary for graduates after 12 months is $36,364) in an industry that is desperate for people with their skills. To address the demand, Northern Essex has expanded the capacity of its Registered Nursing, Dental Assisting and Mental Assisting programs and is working to expand its Radiologic Technology Program.

These and other initiatives developed by our public colleges and universities are helping to meet the growing demand for college educated workers, support the needs of business, and lure jobs and investment to the commonwealth. There are currently 68,000 unfilled jobs in Massachusetts because of a shortage of skilled labor. Raising education and skill levels across the population is essential, but public colleges and universities cannot expand to meet this demand without additional investment.

States with strong public higher education systems are acutely aware of the importance of making public higher education a priority for investment. The best and the brightest will be attracted to those public colleges and universities with the most resources, the least costs and the strongest academic programs - in other words, "world-class" public systems of higher education.

Across the state, it is commencement season. On Beacon Hill, it is budget season. Now is the time to recognize the vital role our public colleges and universities play in the wealth and economic health of the state and take a hard look at how we support this vital resource.

Wayne Burton is president of North Shore Community College; Nancy Harrington is president of Salem State College; and David Hartleb is president of Northern Essex Community College.