Performance college funding favorably received

Kelcy Dolan
Posted 5/7/15

Although administrators from the state’s public institutions of higher education seemed in support of Representative Joseph McNamara’s performance funding bill at a hearing last week, a former …

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Performance college funding favorably received

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Although administrators from the state’s public institutions of higher education seemed in support of Representative Joseph McNamara’s performance funding bill at a hearing last week, a former student questioned if the bill would send the money in the right direction.

As the bill is proposed, a funding formula would be established for the Community College of Rhode Island, Rhode Island College and the University of Rhode Island. The formula would be based on each of the three school’s mission and progress, and schools would be required to meet performance-based goals to receive new state funding.

Christian Potter, who has a degree from CCRI in general studies, said the bill does not address the problem of access and affordability of higher education to potential students. His solution would be to invest in scholarships. He said it is “nearly impossible” to graduate from CCRI on time.

Although he lived in Providence, he traveled Monday through Saturday to the Warwick campus because the specific program he was in, which would lead to a transfer to Rhode Island College, required classes only offered at the main campus.

Due to family challenges, he did not have his own car and took RIPTA to school every day. He listed off the cost of tuition, meal plans, books and a four-month bus pass, the total coming to nearly $4,500. The average Pell Grant, he said, is just under $3,000 for families living on a near poverty level.

“I’ve lived that life; it’s not easy,” Potter said.

Potter said occasionally students are $1,500 short, and when families are already struggling financially that can be a stumbling block.

“Invest in scholarships, invest in students. When students do well give them more money. The money deserves to go directly to the student,” he said.

McNamara agreed with Potter that the state should invest more into students but argued that one reason college does become increasingly expensive is because students are not graduating on time or receiving the support they need from schools, which adds “enormous debt” and burden to graduates.

He said, “I appreciate your comments and you’re right, but this legislation is a start.”

Potter asked if the legislation would slow the rising cost of tuition and make education more affordable for students, and McNamara replied, “It might.”

In a phone interview Friday, McNamara explained that currently there is no funding formula and the public institutions lobby the General Assembly but are never sure of what they will get from year to year.

By having a “predictable and reliable” formula, public colleges and universities can better plan and prepare and have more effective support systems that students need to graduate on time and excel in their studies.

“The funding and incentives for schools in this legislation is the type of initiative that will help these institutions perform better and possibly reduce the costs to their students,” McNamara said.

Nancy Carriuolo, president of RIC, said this makes “good sense for Rhode Island,” which is one of the only states without a funding formula.

She said by incentivizing positive action through public higher education, this legislation encourages and supports economic growth.

Although URI president David Dooley could not make the hearing, he was speaking to the student union about the legislation, explaining why the university favors it.

Dr. Donald DeHayes, provost for URI, spoke in favor of the legislation.

“We share the same goal, to enhance student success,” he said.

There was some concern because other states that enacted performance funding has found the policy ineffective and have since repealed the system.

The difference, as Jim Purcell, Commissioner of Post-Secondary Education, explained, is that the legislation doesn’t strive to be “punitive” by taking money away but supportive and has taken input from the whole of the academic community. He said other states’ legislation created measurements of success, where this one allows schools to collaborate with legislators and the commissioner’s office on determining the standards for funding.

“It declares an expectation,” Purcell said, “holding these schools accountable to their own scopes and missions.”

The bill also provides incentives for having majors in some of the upcoming STEM fields – science technology engineering and mathematics. Testimony from all the school administrators encouraged the committee to recognize that the humanities are just as important.

James Parisi, a field representative for the Rhode Island Federation of Teachers and Healthcare Professionals, said, “We believe any college degree moves an individual forward and every degree has economic value.”

Parisi wanted the committee to understand that there are also many other reasons a student may not graduate on time and giving the institutions the room to support those students.

Because of the rising cost of tuition and the varying other costs that come with attending an institution of higher education, students are more often full-time employees and full-time students.

He applauded the bill, saying Rhode Island is ranked 45th out of 50 states in funding higher education and believes this bill could lead to a “bright future.” He also thanked McNamara for “enhancing the voice” of faculty and staff.

“As long as we have a voice in the metrics of the measurements, we can support this bill,” Parisi said.

“I believe for true institutional change you need the input of everyone involved, administrators, faculty and staff,” McNamara said.

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