Date: 12/17/2013
Final
Presentation by the Department of Higher Education
COMMITTEE ON JOINT EDUCATION
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01:07 PM -- Presentation by the Department of Higher Education
Representative Hamner welcomed the committee, the representatives of the Department of Higher Education (DHE), and audience members. She introduced Lt. Governor Joe Garcia, who welcomed the opportunity to discuss the direction of DHE. He provided the committee members with an overview of his presentation and a copy of the department's master plan, "Colorado Competes" (Attachment A).
13JtEd1217AttachA.pdf
01:08 PM
Lt. Governor Garcia remarked that he would first provide a snapshot of higher education in Colorado, then move into a discussion of the SMART Act requirements.
01:10 PM
Lt. Governor Garcia discussed the role of the Colorado Commission on Higher Education (CCHE), the roles played by institutional governing boards, and the role of the department.
Lt. Governor Garcia discussed the department's two main divisions funded by appropriations - the executive office and the Division of Private Occupational Schools (DPOS). He offered that the other four divisions receive largely federal funds or funds from other sources.
01:15 PM
Lt. Governor Garcia offered a snapshot of higher education in Colorado. He provided statistical data about Colorado's public institutions of higher education and commented that the department will get better reporting from private institutions in the future.
The Lt. Governor spoke about how the department intends to plan for demographic changes. He discussed the state's future workforce needs as well as demographic populations that lag behind in degree attainment.
01:23 PM
Lt. Governor Garcia offered evidence that the department is meeting its challenges with innovative policies, changing approaches and focusing not just on enrolling new students but on graduating them. He discussed the department's efforts to measure the performance of institutions with greater accountability and transparency. According to Lt. Governor Garcia, the department has set goals in its master plan, but gives institutions autonomy to create their own strategic plans. Lt. Governor Garcia mentioned that those institutional plans need to address the four goals in the statewide master plan:
• increase degree attainment;
• improve student success;
• reduce gaps in achievement between groups; and
• restore fiscal balance.
He expressed the department's intention to meet these goals through individual performance contracts with each institution. These contracts will ensure that institutions are achieving the goals set by the department. The department recently completed its performance funding allocation plan.
01:28 PM
Lt. Governor Garcia declared that the department has completed about half the requirements set forth in statute. It has finished its performance funding allocation plan and is now gathering data from institutions to report to the legislature so funds can be awarded when available.
01:28 PM
Lt. Governor Garcia spoke about the department's budget request. He explained that tuition has grown as operating dollars have been cut by the state and stated that the department got a commitment from institutions that tuition would not rise more than 6 percent, but conveyed his expectation that the average hike will be closer to 3 or 4 percent. Lt. Governor Garcia expressed his expectation that the increased budget request will allow for the advancement of the department's master plan goals. He explained how the department intends to allocate its funding under the current budget request. Lt. Governor Garcia discussed the various types of aid institutions provide to students.
He discussed the department's intent to use financial aid for institutions to incentivize degree attainment. He relayed the department's intent to provide incentives to institutions that keep students moving through school.
Lt. Governor Garcia provided information about smaller parts of the department's budget request, including $836,000 for Ft Lewis College Native American tuition waivers. Currently, the state pays all tuition for Native Americans who enroll at Ft Lewis, whether or not they are Colorado residents. The Lt. Governor also discussed the $250,000 budget request for the Dependent Tuition Assistance Program, which assists students whose parents are disabled first responders.
Lt. Governor Garcia mentioned StudyColorado, an effort by the department to increase the number of international students coming to Colorado. Higher education institutions use non-resident and international tuition to subsidize in-state students, according to the Lt. Governor.
The Lt. Governor responded to questions from the committee.