2018 Legislative Update – Week 3
Higher Education Appropriations Subcommittee The Subcommittee met for its final scheduled hearing this week, focusing on the Board of Regents’ budget Priorities. The committee also considered other budget requests as well as the budget priorities of the Utah System of Technical Colleges. A major focus for the Subcommittee and the Commissioner’s Office has been restoration […]
Utah students saved over $8M through WICHE out-of-state tuition-discount programs in 2017-18
America’s largest interstate higher education tuition-discount programs set records in 2017-18 for students enrolled and dollars saved. 42,240 students saved more than $403 million—up 7% from 2016-17—on three programs managed by the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE) in its 16 member states and territories, the agency announced today. In Utah specifically, 1,049 residents […]
2018 Legislative Update – Week 2
The Higher Education Appropriations Subcommittee met twice this week, hearing from five of the eight USHE presidents. Each president advocated the Board of Regents’ unified budget priorities, and highlighted specific student successes and efficiencies in the past year. The subcommittee, as directed by the Executive Appropriations Committee, advanced three major adjustments to reduce the base […]
2018 Legislative Update – Week 1
The 45-day 2018 Legislative Session commenced on Monday, January 22, 2018. With over 1,200 legislative bills filled, several are expected to impact Utah’s public colleges and universities. The early weeks of the session focus on the budget and capital development priorities; however, several pieces of legislation are up for consideration. 2018-19 Budget According to the […]
Top 11 facts about higher ed in Utah
1.) 8 out of 10 Utah high school graduates who go on to college, enroll in a USHE institution. The vast majority of Utah high school graduates who go on to college attend a USHE institution. 80% of Utah high school graduates attended a USHE institution, 11% a Utah private institution, 5% public out-of-state, and […]
Ruth V. Watkins named 16th president of the University of Utah
The Utah State Board of Regents has selected Ruth V. Watkins as the 16th president of the University of Utah. Watkins is the first woman to lead the University of Utah — the state’s oldest, largest and only Research 1 higher education institution — in its 168-year history. (Jerilyn S. McIntyre served as interim president […]
Three finalists named in University of Utah presidential search
The University of Utah Presidential Search Committee has recommended three finalists to the State Board of Regents for the position of University of Utah President: Dr. Nicholas P. Jones, Dr. Thomas Katsouleas and Dr. Ruth V. Watkins.
The ROI of Utah’s College Graduates
For every tax dollar the state invests in higher education, there is a 3 dollar increase in tax revenues to the state. Further, a Utahn who invests a year’s worth of tuition in a college education will realize at least a 41% wage increase in the first year working after college.
Making a Difference in Math
Legislative math initiative increases college math completion in high school by 28% SB 196 Math Competency Initiative (Millner/Gibson), passed during the 2015 Utah legislative session, encourages high school students to complete a higher education math, or Quantitative Literacy (QL), requirement prior to graduating from high school. A new issue brief from the Office of the Commissioner of […]
Federal action directly impacting higher education moves forward
The United State Congress and U.S. federal agencies have embarked on several actions in recent weeks impacting higher education. A lot of action is still in motion, with much of the focus on tax reform in the coming week. Below is an up-to-date summary of recent actions: House GOP Higher Education Authorization Bill Released The House Education […]
