McNamara bill would link college funds to graduation rate

Kelcy Dolan
Posted 3/10/15

To receive new state funding public institutions of higher education would have to meet specific performance based goals under legislation introduced by Representative Joseph McNamara (D-District 19) …

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McNamara bill would link college funds to graduation rate

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To receive new state funding public institutions of higher education would have to meet specific performance based goals under legislation introduced by Representative Joseph McNamara (D-District 19) and Teresa Paiva Weed (D- District 13).

And, so far, there’s interest in the proposal from the state’s colleges and university.

The Performance Funding Act would require the Community College of Rhode Island, University of Rhode Island and Rhode Island College meet standards, determined by the commissioner of post secondary education, to qualify for any additional state funding.

McNamara said, “We need to incentivize colleges and universities to set measurable and obtainable goals to help improve the graduation rate with degrees and certifications.”

Currently, McNamara said the schools average a 30 percent on-time graduation rate, a percentage he finds “unacceptable.”

He said that many students take between five and six years to finish a four-year degree and that performance funding would promote colleges and universities to help students finish on time either by streamlining curriculum or encouraging students to take more credits per semester.

McNamara explained that on average it takes 120 credits to graduate, but 12 credits a semester is still considered a full course load when to graduate on time students would need to take at least 15 per semester.

“We are doing a disservice to students and their families by having the graduation rates at five to six years. The result is that students are leaving their educational institutions with a tremendous sum added to their student debt and credits they didn’t necessarily need.”

Similarly, McNamara said that the bill would also help workforce development. He said college grads need to meet employers’ needs and “the evidence shows we aren’t.”

Along with an incentive to improvement in graduation rates, the legislation aims to see certain majors promoted.

McNamara said colleges and universities need to focus on majors that employers are seeking to ensure that our workforce isn’t leaving the state to find employment.

So far, McNamara said there has been support from the commissioner as well as the schools.

Director of Marketing for CCRI Richard Coren said the college felt commenting would be too “premature” because the institutions have not met on the subject yet.

Although they did not expound on the topic, the presidents at URI and RIC expressed their support for the bill.

In an email David Dooley, president of URI, said, “The University of Rhode Island is strongly committed to excellence and accountability. Over the past several years we have designed and implemented numerous successful strategies that are entirely consistent with the goals of the legislation sponsored by Senate President Paiva Weed and Chairman McNamara.  We look forward to working with them, the speaker and Governor Raimondo, the Board of Education, and Commissioner Purcell to serve our students and the people of Rhode Island.”

In an email from Laura Hart, the director of communications and marketing for Rhode Island College, RIC president Nancy Carriuolo was quoted, “We would like to commend Senate President Paiva Weed and Representative McNamara for introducing the Performance Funding Act of 2015. RIC shares their strong commitment to student success.”

Jim Purcell, commissioner for Post-secondary education, is also in support of the bill and thinks legislators “got it right.” He said that in other states with performance funding, legislators set the metrics, but Rhode Island’s bill allows for people within the industry to create the standards for each school.

Purcell said, “Determining success for each institution is going to be very different. We need to understand the scope and mission of each institution to best assess what metrics we should set.”

He said that this bill aligns with what the institutions have already been developing and working on over the last few years.

“The commissioner and the schools are supportive because they realize we have to improve,” McNamara said. “Young people work very hard first to pay their tuition and deserve a cost-effective system, a high quality system that will prepare them for the work force and help them find employment upon graduation.”

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