State Jobs Task Force highlights System bonding

The state Jobs Task Force committee discussed bonding projects as one way to revive Minnesota’s economy. Alice Hausman, chair of the House Capital Improvement Committee said that the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities is a “poster child” for implementing projects swiftly and providing information on bonding project timelines.

Al Johnson, Associate Vice Chancellor for Facilities of the System, told the Jobs Task Force Committee that for each $1 million, a conservative estimate is that 20 jobs are created.

Johnson said 11 jobs on the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities request, approved by the Board of Trustees, would be immediately ready to start (hire workers) once the funds are released. He added that repair and replacement projects could also be out early. The maximum time for repair and replacement projects to be executed was a maximum two year time frame. “When you go out to campuses, you will see that people are already working,” Johnson said.

For a recap of the meeting, please go to the hearing archives.

Enrollment of new underrepresented students increases 22 percent this fall at Minnesota State Colleges and Universities

Enrollment of new students from groups traditionally underrepresented in higher education increased by 22 percent this fall at the 32 Minnesota State Colleges and Universities, according to a new report presented to the Board of Trustees. These groups include students of color, low-income students and students whose parents did not attend college.

The state colleges and universities system enrolled 7,300 new underrepresented students. In addition, 8,000 more underrepresented students returned to the system’s institutions this fall, a 15 percent increase over a year ago. The total number of underrepresented students this fall is 94,302, an increase of 18 percent.

"These increases are important for the state of Minnesota," said Chancellor James H. McCormick. "The numbers show we have made substantial progress in recruiting and retaining more underrepresented students, although the economy also played a role in the increase."

To help the state’s employers maintain their competitive edge in the global marketplace, Minnesota needs more students from these groups to complete postsecondary programs as aging baby boomers retire and the state’s population grows more diverse, McCormick said. The system produces 33,500 graduates each year. Eighty percent of them stay in Minnesota to work or continue their education.

Though the state colleges and universities have been working to improve recruitment and retention of underrepresented students for years, a system initiative called "Access, Opportunity and Success" began in the fall of 2007. The Board of Trustees allocated $11 million a year for the initiative.

The system provided funds to every college and university to expand programs and services that have proven to be effective. The best practices include programs to help new students succeed in the transition from high school, advisors who routinely initiate contact with students, learning communities of students, summer programs and tutoring.

Brochures, posters and a Web site in nine languages also reached out to students from non-English speaking backgrounds in the 8th through 10th grades to explain the benefits of attending college and to encourage them to prepare for college.

"Underrepresented students often face barriers to entering college and succeeding once they get there," McCormick said. "The Legislature and the governor have supported this initiative, and we are grateful for their interest. It is gratifying that we are making some notable progress, but we still are a long way from eliminating the achievement gap that separates low-income and minority students from others."

Enrollment was up in nearly all subgroups. The number of new students of color this fall grew by 16 percent, new first-generation college students increased by 21 percent and new students eligible for Pell grants increased by 37 percent. Pell grant eligibility is typically used by higher education institutions as an indication of family income. The numbers released today are the official enrollment count of students taking credit-based courses on the 30th day of the fall semester. Total fall enrollment was 198,792 students.

View attached pdf of underrepresented students by institution.

Booming enrollment growth at Minnesota State Colleges and Universities sets record high

More students poured into the 32 Minnesota State Colleges and Universities this fall than ever before, resulting in the largest increase in the number of students since the system began, officials said today in releasing enrollment figures.

The state colleges and universities system now has 198,792 students or 12,641 more students than last fall when 186,150 students were enrolled. That’s nearly a 7 percent increase. Previously, the largest increase in the fall headcount was 9,023 additional students in 1999. Also, this is the fourth consecutive year that the system’s fall enrollment has set a record high.

Enrollment increases were particularly strong at the system’s 25 community and technical colleges. Thirteen colleges had increases greater than 10 percent.

“We know the economy was a major factor driving this enrollment boom,” said Chancellor James H. McCormick. “This unprecedented growth comes at a time when budgets have been cut at the state colleges and universities so faculty and staff are working harder than ever to serve students. We especially welcome the opportunity to serve displaced workers seeking to retool and upgrade their knowledge and skills.”

Enrollment was up in nearly all categories. The number of students of color this fall grew by 18.7 percent, from 27,446 to 32,585, while enrollment of white students was up 8.6 percent. In recent years, the colleges and universities have expanded programs to recruit and retain more students from groups traditionally underrepresented in higher education – students of color, low-income students and students who are the first in their families to attend college.

Enrollment of high school students in college courses, through the Post-Secondary Enrollment Options program, grew by 4.8 percent. Under Minnesota law, high school students can take courses tuition-free at the state’s public colleges and universities.

The number of students taking online courses, which includes credit and noncredit courses, grew by 21.7 percent to 47,794 this fall. The system offers about 200 programs completely or predominantly online through Minnesota Online (http://www.minnesotaonline.org/), the largest provider of online education in the state.

Full-year-equivalent enrollment is projected to increase by almost 5.5 percent for the current year. (Full-year-equivalent enrollment is calculated by adding the credits taken by all students and dividing by the number of credits considered to be a full-time course load – 30 credits per year for undergraduates and 20 credits for graduate students.) The colleges and universities project a full-year-equivalent enrollment of 151,805 for the current year, compared with the actual full-year-equivalent enrollment of 143,924 for the 2008-2009 academic year.

The numbers released today are the official enrollment count of students taking credit-based courses on the 30th day of the fall semester.

View pdf Thirtieth Day Headcount Enrollment