New pilot program to raise awareness of student debt
The Utah System of Higher Education worked with the 2017 Utah Legislature to adopt a new statewide program aimed at increasing awareness of student debt. Even though Utah students comparatively accrue the least amount of debt in the country, more awareness of student debt is needed. Some background on student debt in Utah: Utah has […]
Summary of the 2017 Legislative Session
The 2017 Legislative Session concluded on March 9, 2017. There were over 100 bills impacting public higher education during the 2017 Legislative Session on a variety of issues including mental health, student debt and student privacy. Commissioner Buhler will provide a more exhaustive report on the 2017 Session, including budgetary impacts, at the meeting of the […]
SLCC hosts third-annual Title IX Symposium
Last Friday, March 3, Salt Lake Community College hosted the third annual Title IX Symposium at its Jordan campus. This year’s event, Not Alone: Best Practices and Building Bridges Towards Inclusivity, featured a keynote by Liz Seccuro, who is an author, activist, and rape survivor. She spoke about the current crisis of gender-based violence, what we’ve […]
2017 Legislative Update – Week 6
2017-2018 Budget The Executive Appropriations Committee approved its first round of funding items on Friday. For higher education, initial items include: Compensation: 2% labor market adjustment increase (plus funding for health insurance rate increases), with the ratio of funding at 75% from state funds and 25% of tuition funds. Student Enrollment Growth: $3.5 million ongoing for […]
Higher ed in Utah is efficient, innovative and collaborative
*This op-ed from Commissioner David Buhler ran in the Deseret News on Sunday, February 26, 2017. In response to the recent editorial in the Deseret News, Utahns can be pleased that our eight public colleges and universities are the envy of the nation when it comes to scalable collaboration, innovation, and efficiency. Part of what […]
Making campus advocates confidential may help increase reporting & access to services
House Bill 251, Campus Advocate Confidentiality Amendments, by Rep. Angela Romero, prohibits the disclosure of confidential communications related to advocacy services at a Utah institution of higher education. As of today, the bill passed the House and has been sent to the Senate Rules Committee. Why do campus advocates need confidentiality? Currently, students and survivors on […]
2017 Legislative Update – Week 5
2017-2018 Budget With revised revenue projections announced last week, significant budget decisions continue to loom before a final budget takes shape. There is still a lot of work on the budget as well as several bills that continue their march through the legislative process. Legislation of Interest HB 100, Institutions of Higher Education Disclosure Requirements […]
2017 Legislative Update – Week 4
Higher Education Luncheon Regents, Trustees, Presidents and student leaders gathered on Friday for the annual higher education luncheon in the Capitol Rotunda. Attended by over 75 legislators, including members of legislative leadership, it was a good opportunity to re-emphasize USHE’s budget and capital development priorities. The Higher Education Appropriations Subcommittee The Higher Education Appropriations Subcommittee […]
Utah College Application Week reaches record 32 Utah school districts
During November 2016, almost 20,000 high school seniors from 32 school districts (117 high schools) throughout the state participated in Utah College Application Week (UCAW) events. Utah College Application Week events give high school seniors the opportunity to apply to college during the school day, with advisors available to help with the application process as needed. Lieutenant […]
Need for mental health services increases across Utah, including on higher ed campuses
There’s been a marked increase in Utahns seeking mental health services in recent years. This increase is exacerbated by a shortage of mental health professionals in Utah, especially in rural areas, and difficulty recruiting and retaining qualified professionals. In fact, most states have serious shortage issues for mental health professionals. Along with general statewide growth, there […]
