SILOAM SPRINGS, Ark. (July 31, 2009) – A dip in the college-going rate in Arkansas was reported to the Arkansas Higher Education Coordinating Board (AHECB) today, with the overall public institutions reporting 58.3 percent of graduating Arkansas seniors enrolling in college in the fall 2008 term. That represents a drop of 1.1 percent over the fall 2007 term.
The college-going rate for public and private institutions in Arkansas was reported to be 63.4 percent of graduating seniors, a decrease of 1.3 percent over the previous fall term. Nationally, the college-going rate for fall 2007 was 67.3 percent, placing Arkansas 3.9 percent below the national average for that year.
“Obviously, for Arkansas to be competitive in the global marketplace, these numbers have to improve,” said Dr. Jim Purcell, director of the Arkansas Department of Higher Education (ADHE). “We think we will see some dramatic improvements in the near future due to initiatives that have been put into place in both K-12 and postsecondary education, but these numbers indicate that we have a lot of work left to do to ensure that all of our citizens understand the value of education beyond high school in the modern economy.”
Since the fall 1980 term, the Arkansas college-going rate rose from 43 percent to 64.7 percent. During the same period nationally, the rate rose from 49.3 percent to 67.2 percent.
“I think it goes without saying that in the past 28 years, citizens in Arkansas and throughout the country are seeing that higher education is the key that opens the door to the American Dream,” said Dr. Purcell. “Our job is to continue building upon that message and to make sure that everyone is given the opportunity to pursue that dream.”
Prior to the meeting, Finance Committee Chairman Dan Grant welcomed Sarah Argue, the newest member of the Coordinating Board, to the board.
“I think it is entirely appropriate for the oldest member of the Coordinating Board to welcome the youngest member of the Coordinating Board,” Grant said. “We definitely welcome new blood onto this board.”
The Coordinating Board approved operating funding recommendations for the 2011 fiscal year, but recommended further study on non-classified personnel line item salary maximum recommendations and for those recommendations to be presented in October.
Funds necessary to provide the state’s share of a 2.3 percent cost of living adjustment (COLA) for all unrestricted educational and general staff; and additional non-formula funds for Arkansas State University’s Delta Heritage Centers ($2.1 million), UALR-RAPS Nano-Technology Centers ($2.3 million), and the ADTEC (Arkansas Delta Training and Education Consortium), ADWIRED (Arkansas Delta Workforce Innovations for Regional Development) and the Crossroads Coalition ($3.2 million), and UAPB’s Land Grant matching funds ($0.5 million) were approved. The 2.3 percent COLA for all unrestricted educational and general salaries represents a cost of approximately $27.8 million of which the state’s portion is approximately $12 million.
During a public hearing on rules changes to five financial aid programs, the Coordinating Board approved changes to the Higher Education Opportunities Grant (GO! Grant), Military Dependents Scholarship Program, Law Enforcement Officers’ Dependents Scholarship, Governor’s Scholars Program, and the Arkansas Health Education Grant Program.
According to Financial Aid Coordinator Tara Smith, the most sweeping program change is in the GO! Grant, which is now open to non-traditional students as well as those within 12 months of graduation from an Arkansas high school. The in-state graduation requirement has been removed; however, applicants for the grant must have been a resident of the state of Arkansas for a minimum of the past 12 months. The household income requirement is the same at $25,000 adjusted gross income per household, but the definition of a household no longer requires that a dependent child under the age of 24 be living in the household. For each additional person in the household, regardless of age, the income requirement is raised by $5,000 per person up to a maximum of 10 persons per household.
“This change will make the GO! Grant available to many more Arkansans putting the goal of higher education within the reach of many of our non-traditional students as well as traditional students of limited means,” said Smith. “We’ve already seen a huge increase in the number of applicants for this grant, which tells us there is a lot of interest out there among Arkansans in furthering their education.”
The Arkansas Health Education Grant Program was amended to include add an optometry loan program to the current offerings. Students attending a school of optometry that contracts with the Southern Regional Education Board can receive loan amounts of up to $5,000 per year and must practice in Arkansas one year for each year the student is involved in the program.
In other business, the Coordinating Board approved six institutions for new academic programs. Arkansas Tech University in Russellville was approved for a technical certificate in Viticulture, a technical certificate in Enology, and a Department of Viticulture and Enology at the ATU Ozark campus. Dr. Bob Brown, president of ATU, noted that all classes would be held at the ATU Ozark campus and students would be required to be 21 years old or above to enroll.
Mid-South Community College was approved for a technical certificate and Associate of Applied Science in Transportation and Logistics at its West Memphis campus.
East Arkansas Community College was approved for an Associate of Applied Science in Occupation Therapy Assistant.
North West Arkansas Community College was approved for an Associate of Applied Science in Culinary Arts and a technical certificate in baking arts.
The University of Arkansas at Monticello was approved for a Bachelor of Arts in Modern Languages. The University of Arkansas at Little Rock was approved for a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance Performance.
The economic feasibility of a 30-year bond issue for South Arkansas Community College was approved for $3.59 million at an annual percentage rate not to exceed five percent for construction of a Health Sciences building.
The economic feasibility of a bond issue for North West Arkansas Community College was approved for $10.66 million at an interest rate of approximately five percent to be used to purchase property adjacent to the campus as an extension of education and general instructional space and offices.
The University of Arkansas at Mountain Home requested approval of the economic feasibility of a loan of about $2.5 million at an approximate interest rate of 5.5 percent to construct a Community Development Center. The center is to include a performing arts auditorium, banquet hall, concourse and art gallery space, an outdoor amphitheater, business and industry workforce/continuing education development offices and classrooms.
The Coordinating Board approved certification of intercollegiate athletic revenues and expenditures for the 2009-2010 academic year. Seven institutions reported that athletic fees will be increased in the coming year. Arkansas Tech University will increase its fee from $11 per student semester credit hour (SSCH) to $11.50. Henderson State University will increase its fee from $10.50 to $11.50 per SSCH. South Arkansas University will increase its fee from $11 to $12. The University of Arkansas at Fort Smith will increase its fee from $10 to $12. The University of Arkansas at Little Rock will increase its fee from $13.62 to $14. The University of Arkansas at Monticello will increase its fee from $10 to $11. The University of Central Arkansas will increase its fee from $13 to $14 per SSCH.
The University of Arkansas at Fayetteville and North Arkansas College have never charged an athletic fee and expect to continue to meet athletic operating costs without assessing a fee in the coming year.
The next meeting of the Arkansas Higher Education Coordinating Board meeting will be held on October 30 at the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith.
