NMU official discusses budget shortfall - JT, ABC10

Northern Michigan University is facing budget cuts not just in one particular department, but across campus. The university projected an enrollment decline of 300-350 students for the fall semester. After the students were added up, NMU has 400 fewer students attending the university this fall compared to a year ago. NMU Assistant Vice President of University Marketing and Communications Derek Hall told ABC 10 today that the university is facing a budget shortfall of $2.8 million. http://abc10up.com/nmu-official-discusses-budget-shortfall/

Joliet area college students make case for MAP funding, urge state budget - LAUREN LEONE–CROSS, the Herald

Nicole Berard told a committee of Illinois lawmakers Thursday her enrollment at University of St. Francis this spring will be in jeopardy if they don't approve a state budget that funds tuition assistance for low-income college students. Berard, who is studying special education at USF, is among the 130,000 low-income students statewide who receive funding from Illinois’ Monetary Award Program to help pay for education. The funding has become entangled in Springfield's budget impasse, which is in its third month. http://www.theherald-news.com/2015/09/24/joliet-area-college-students-make-case-for-map-funding-urge-state-budget/ais0qlw/

Budget uncertainty ushers in SIU retrenchment era - Holden Kurwicki, WPSD

SIU President Randy Dunn says he is committed to maintaining SIU's status as an affordable research university. However, declining enrollment, coupled with a lack of state funding, has ushered in a new era in education. "The core mission that belongs to SIU isn't going to change," said Dunn. "We're not going anywhere. The processes, the means by which we get our work done, (and) the operating models that we follow have to adjust." Dunn has tried to create a one-year fix by cutting roughly $13.9 million from this year's budget, but he says MAP grants could be the first to go if state funding isn't in place by December. "These sacred cows that we've supported in the same way for 50 and 60 years as we move into this new era, we have to be open to looking at those," said Dunn. http://www.wpsdlocal6.com/story/30111382/budget-uncertainty-ushers-in-siu-retrenchment-era

SIU to advocate for employees in budget stalemate - Elizabeth Donald, BND

Southern Illinois University will “reshape” itself and weather the budget storms in Springfield, SIU President Randy Dunn said Tuesday, while helping employees with the health care crisis. Dunn gave his annual address at the Edwardsville campus describing the state of the university system, stating he intentionally would not be proposing major new programs, but focusing on survival and “reshaping” the university. Dunn also reassured employees caught in the budget stalemate in Springfield. Dunn said at the beginning that he did not intend to roll out a lot of new initiatives or goals for the university system. “That’s not where we are right now,” he said. http://www.bnd.com/news/local/education/article36094431.html

University faces budget cuts across the board - Jerry T, ABC10 UP

The School of Health and Human Performance at Northern Michigan University is facing massive budget cuts. ABC 10 has learned that the department is reducing its budget from $390,000 to $80,000. That’s a budget of $40,000 for the upcoming winter semester and the 2016 fall semester. The school of Health and Human Performance offers classes such as athletic training, exercise science, and community health, among others. There’s no word yet on what classes and instructors will be cut. NMU Assistant Vice President of University Marketing and Communications Derek Hall told ABC 10 Wednesday afternoon that enrollment is down and budgets will be reduced across campus. http://abc10up.com/university-faces-budget-cuts-across-the-board/

Illinois College Students Feeling the Heat from the Budget Stalemate - MyStateLine

Add Illinois college students to the growing list of those feeling the pain from the state's lack of a budget. Wednesday, Illinois Treasurer Mike Frerichs (D-IL) was joined by politicians, university officials and students in Chicago to urge Governor Bruce Rauner and the Illinois General Assembly to approve funding for MAP grants, which are tuition assistance to lower and middle income college students. Frierichs pointed out in a news release that the financial aid helps pay for tuition and fees that typically are due before classes start, and classes have already started. "A college education opens doors for life-long employment and feeds the pipeline of reliable workers that Illinois employers require," Frerichs said. http://www.mystateline.com/news/illinois-college-students-feeling-the-heat-from-the-budget-stalemate

Moody's: Smaller College Closures to Triple - Kellie Woodhouse, Inside Higher Ed

Closure rates of small colleges and universities will triple in the coming years, and mergers will double. Those are the predictions of a Moody’s Investor Service report released Friday that highlights a persistent inability among small colleges to increase revenue, which could lead as many as 15 institutions a year to shut their doors for good by 2017. https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2015/09/28/moodys-predicts-college-closures-triple-2017

So you want to slash college debt? - Politico

Free college is unlikely in the U.S., but within the higher-ed world, everyone from college presidents to financiers have been hatching ideas for getting costs and student debt under control. Some ideas would create new incentives for students, others would shift responsibility to colleges; some even involve new financial instruments. Linked below, 8 out-of-the-box ideas being floated or piloted right now. http://www.politico.com/agenda/story/2015/09/student-debt-crisis-000234

OnlyBoth benchmarks 1,899 private colleges - University Business

OnlyBoth today launched its collegiate financial benchmarking engine, which enables unbiased comparisons among 1,899 private, post-secondary educational institutions across the United States. Using federal data on colleges that follow the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) accounting standards, the new website highlights the power of benchmarking engines and the applications of automated writing. The engine delivers novel insights into how colleges perform across over a hundred financial attributes, such as income, spending, assets, salaries, gifts, grants, ratios, and endowments. Access the OnlyBoth collegiate financial benchmarking engine at http://financials.onlyboth.com. http://www.universitybusiness.com/news/onlyboth-benchmarks-1899-private-colleges

U of I research centers feel budget pain - Jeannine Otto, AgriNews

The state of Illinois’ ongoing budget woes have struck the state’s largest industry yet again. Four University of Illinois off-campus agriculture research centers will see their crop production research programs eliminated. “The decision has been made to make reductions in programs, specifically in research on crop production at four of the off-campus centers, Dixon Springs ag center, Brownstown, the ag center at DeKalb and the St. Charles horticulture research center,” said Neal Merchen, associate dean for research in the College of ACES. Merchen said the program reductions will affect nine jobs. http://agrinews-pubs.com/Content/News/MoneyNews/Article/U-of-I-research-centers-feel-budget-pain-/8/27/13280

Vancouver Community College's programs on the brink due to budget cuts - VANCITY BUZZ

It is not the way an organization typically celebrates a 50th anniversary, but Vancouver Community College (VCC) laid off 52 employees this past summer due to deep budget cuts. In response, students, ‘staff and concerned community groups have launched a coalition, dubbed ‘Save Our VCC, to rally public support to save the institution’s programs. The latest cuts add to last fall’s loss of 70 per cent of VCC’s ESL program, with over 70 layoffs, the new round of layoffs brings the total to over 120 within a year. Critics of the layoffs say new tuition fees imposed by the province are contributing to a 30 per cent enrolment drop in adult upgrading, the largest department at VCC. It now costs $408 to take a basic literacy course at the college. http://www.vancitybuzz.com/2015/09/vancouver-community-college-budget-cuts/

Colleges Flush With Cash Saddle Poorest Students With Debt - Annie Waldman and Sisi Wei, ProPublica

A ProPublica analysis based on new data from the U.S. Department of Education shows that students from low-income families graduate from NYU saddled with huge federal loans. The school’s Pell Grant recipients – students from families that make less than $30,000 a year – owe an average of $23,250 in federal loans after graduation. That’s more federal loan debt than low-income students take on at for-profit giant University of Phoenix, though NYU graduates have higher earnings and default less on their debt. NYU is not the only university with a billion-dollar endowment to leave its poorest students with heavy debt loads. More than a quarter of the nation’s 60 wealthiest universities leave their low-income students owing an average of more than $20,000 in federal loans. https://www.propublica.org/article/colleges-flush-with-cash-saddle-poorest-students-with-debt

What We’ve Learned From MOOCs - Candace Thille, John Mitchell and Mitchell Stevens, Inside Higher Ed

What no technology can solve is a failing business model for U.S. higher education. Citizens benefit most from education early in their lives when they are least able to pay for it themselves. Yet students and their families are now being asked to pay ever-larger proportions of the cost of higher education as government support for college has increasingly taken the form of subsidized loans. Students, parents, entrepreneurs and politicians alike are eagerly seeking alternative forms of higher education, and for a brief moment back in 2012 many wanted to believe that the simple Internet technologies embodied in MOOCs would be the next big thing. It’s not that simple. MOOCs have not fixed higher education, but they are poignant reminders of the urgent problems of college cost and access, potential forerunners of truly effective educational technology, and valuable tools for advancing the science of learning. That’s progress. https://www.insidehighered.com/views/2015/09/22/moocs-are-no-panacea-they-can-help-improve-learning-essay

EIU State of the University address date set - Jarad Jarman, JG-TC

Eastern Illinois University’s budget is expected to have a deficit of $12 million to $14 million if no changes in university expenses are made. To make up for the deficit, a majority of the cuts have to be made to personnel, which makes up a large majority of the operating budget. A majority of that deficit would hit Academic Affairs, with around $10 million needing to be cut. Most recently, Eastern officials laid off 67 employees as a result of the elimination of 118 civil service and administrative and professional positions. There were 51 positions that were already empty. The 51 vacated positions being eliminated were once held by employees who earlier retired or resigned from the university and who were not replaced. http://jg-tc.com/state-of-the-university-address-date-set/article_a95e8740-d37f-51b4-93fe-7f37d5ceea51.html

Glassman narrows budget gap, eliminates incentives - Daily Eastern News

Eastern president David Glassman sent an email to all university employees announcing his decision to no longer explore the possibility of implementing retirement incentives this fall. Glassman said he indicated the university was looking into retirement incentives as an agreement between the administration and the University Professionals of Illinois. He said saving on university costs and narrowing the gap between anticipated revenues and predictable costs for the 2016 fiscal year would have been the purpose for the incentives. http://www.dailyeasternnews.com/2015/09/17/glassman-narrows-budget-gap-eliminates-incentives/

UW-EC officials: Loss of funds from enrollment drop can be covered - Andrews Dowd, Leader-Telegram

UW-Eau Claire already is dealing with $7.7 million in state cuts, which makes a comparatively smaller decline in tuition income something the university expects it will be able to handle throughout the year. Currently down the equivalent of 62 full-time students from the same time last year, the university would expect about $456,400 less based on the price of in-state tuition, according to Mike Rindo, assistant chancellor for facilities and university relations. http://www.leadertelegram.com/News/Front-Page/2015/09/18/Officials-Enrollment-drop-can-be-covered.html

NIU trustees approve interim budget with $29M gulf between revenue, expenses - RHONDA GILLESPIE- Daily Chronicle

Northern Illinois University trustees Thursday approved a $389 million interim budget, and the school anticipates a large loss of state funding. The budget, down 8.7 percent from last year’s $426 million spending plan, will be in effect for at least a month, but could last until the next scheduled Board of Trustees meeting Dec. 10. NIU officials hope that by then the state has adopted a budget so the school can finalize its financial plan. “In most years we [NIU] would have a budget by July 1, but we don’t,” NIU President Doug Baker said. “We don’t have a state budget by July 1. So when we put this together, we had to put it together with our best estimates of what our revenues are going to be.” http://www.daily-chronicle.com/2015/09/17/niu-trustees-approve-interim-budget/a56pd56/

University of Alaska mulls strategy for budget cuts, tuition increases - Pat Forgey, Alaska Dispatch News

Gov. Bill Walker wants a 5 percent cut to the state's higher education budget next year as Alaska continues to struggle with projected multibillion-dollar budget deficits. But some members of the University of Alaska Board of Regents say they should resist what they see as damaging cuts, which they fear might pave the way for the Legislature to make even bigger cuts. Meanwhile, others feared that a confrontational stance could result in even more drastic cuts. https://www.adn.com/article/20150917/university-alaska-mulls-strategy-budget-cuts-tuition-increases

KCC to suspend presidential search - Safiya Merchant, Battle Creek Enquirer

Kellogg Community College is suspending its search for a new college president for at least a year. The announcement from the school’s Board of Trustees on Wednesday night came just a few days after board members and other KCC staff heard presentations from three search firms vying to help the college in its search for a new president. The college had been searching for a replacement for Dennis Bona, who left the college earlier this year and became president of Northland Community and Technical College in Minnesota. KCC Vice President of Administration and Finance Mark O’Connell is the college’s interim president. O’Connell will continue in his interim position. http://www.battlecreekenquirer.com/story/news/local/2015/09/16/kcc-suspend-presidential-search/32535035/

SIU Edwardsville Board of trustees discusses state budget compensation for higher education - Michael Oranika, AlestleLive

The SIUE board of trustees held its first meeting to discuss the state budget and financial planning. SIU President Randy Dunn said 90 percent of the state’s budget has already been obligated with no money yet distributed to higher education. This has forced public universities to fend for themselves when it comes to grants and funding. http://www.alestlelive.com/news/illinois/article_06dfd8d4-5cdd-11e5-8bfd-17dea48da21e.html

Cal U. faces $5.4 million budget deficit - Scott Beveridge, Observer-Reporter

California University of Pennsylvania is facing a $5.4 million deficit in the budget for this academic year, and it will take steps to reduce spending, its interim president said Wednesday. The university will cut travel expenses, leave some vacant positions unfilled and make up the shortfall with money in a reserve account, Cal U. Interim President Geraldine M. Jones said at a university trustees meeting. “I remain optimistic about our future,” Jones said, adding that many questions about revenues remained uncertain with the state budget impasse in Harrisburg. http://www.observer-reporter.com/article/20150916/NEWS01/150919538

Ithaca College attempting to make college more affordable - Maura Aleardi, the Ithacan

One of the major aspects of this plan is to rearrange spending so that it is more efficient and effective, Hector said. The college will reevaluate how it spends money in all areas of the campus, including faculty and staff compensation and purchases, he said. The college announced at the Aug. 20 all-college meeting it was cutting 40 staff positions during this current fiscal year after cutting 47 positions during the 2014–15 academic year, which eliminated $3.1 million from the compensation budget. Rochon said the college is also focusing on strategic sourcing, which refers to finding price–efficient sources for the goods and services the college needs. https://theithacan.org/news/ithaca-college-attempting-to-make-college-more-affordable/

Making Sure College Is Worth The Cost - ANYA KAMENETZ, NPR

As our colleagues at Planet Money have repeatedly reported, the choice of a college major has a far greater impact on an individual's income than the choice of college. Taking the odds of graduation into account changes the value equation too. In fact a recent study showed that borrowers who owe the LEAST in student loans are actually MOST likely to default. How can that be? Those smaller balances belong to students who drop out without a degree. http://www.npr.org/sections/ed/2015/09/11/438876441/making-sure-college-is-worth-the-cost

Now, Obama and Education Secretary Push for College Saving Plan - Peter Baker, NY Times

Just eight months ago, President Obama was proposing to effectively end the popular college savings accounts known as 529s. On Monday, with Mr. Obama next to him, Education Secretary Arne Duncan embraced them and even seemed to suggest they should be expanded. “My wife and I are putting money actively into 529s and trying to save, and getting the federal government to support that more, or encourage that, would be fantastic,” Mr. Duncan said. “And again this is something we have to work with the Congress to do the right thing.” For parents trying to save for college, he added, “we need to incentivize that and reward that.” http://www.nytimes.com/politics/first-draft/2015/09/14/now-obama-and-education-secretary-push-for-college-saving-plan/?_r=0

On Campus: Tracking effects of UW budget cuts, work on tenure policies continues - NICO SAVIDGE, Madison.com

Campuses across the University of Wisconsin System are slashing hundreds of jobs as they cope with a $250 million state budget cut, according to an organization that studies higher education. The Wisconsin Center for the Advancement of Postsecondary Education is tracking how the UW System’s colleges and universities have cut costs in response to the reduction in state funding. Though their methods have varied, each of the system’s 13 campuses, as well as UW Colleges and Extension, have eliminated positions. They have done so by letting vacant jobs stay unfilled, offering buyouts, layoffs or using a combination of those strategies. http://host.madison.com/news/local/education/university/on-campus-tracking-effects-of-uw-budget-cuts-work-on/article_375c7bf5-2422-5359-8afe-1308e631a13e.html

Texas to try free freshman online courses - The Texas Tribune

The Texas State University System has an idea for future students busy with families and jobs: Don’t even show up on campus freshman year. Starting next fall, the system plans to encourage nontraditional students to take free massive open online courses, known as MOOCs, before arriving on campus. If they take 10 courses and pass tests for college credit, students could show up at school with a year’s work complete before paying a single tuition bill. The courses will be run by the New York-based nonprofit the Modern States Education Alliance through a program called Freshman Year for Free. The group plans to launch a free online portal providing access to about three dozen free online courses next fall. http://amarillo.com/news/latest-news/2015-09-13/texas-try-free-freshman-online-courses

Obama administration unveils College Scorecard to praise and criticism - Tara García Mathewson, Education Dive

President Obama’s College Scorecard, a shadow of the college rating system he first proposed, went live late Friday with an incredible amount of data. While supporters are happy to see new data previously unavailable to students and families researching schools, critics point to a complete lack of context for any of it, especially for schools that serve primarily nontraditional or minority populations. NPR reports the scorecard covers the old basics like cost and graduation rate, as well as new data about how much students make 10 years after entering school, what portion of first-generation students are at a school, and what percentage of students pay at least $1 of principal on their federal loans within three years of leaving school. http://www.educationdive.com/news/obama-administration-unveils-college-scorecard-to-praise-and-criticism/405545/

Soaring Student Loan Burden Poses Risk To Economic Growth - Jim Puzzanghera, Los Angeles Times

Students around the country — and often their parents — have racked up so much college debt since the recession that it now threatens the nation’s economic growth. The debt weighs down millions of Americans who might otherwise buy homes or start businesses. And the financial horror stories of debt-saddled students, combined with continued increases in tuition, could deter others from attending college and could produce a less-educated workforce. “The impact on future (economic) growth could be quite significant,” said Cristian deRitis, who analyzes consumer credit economics for Moody’s Analytics. The amount of outstanding student loans has skyrocketed 76 percent to almost $1.2 trillion since 2009 as college costs have shot up and graduates have had difficulty finding good-paying jobs. http://swtimes.com/nationworld/soaring-student-loan-burden-poses-risk-economic-growth

University of Wisconsin System cuts dozens of positions in cost-saving measure - Associated Press

The University of Wisconsin System has eliminated dozens of administrative and academic affairs positions in a cost-saving move — both to help cope with state budget cuts and as part of a long-term streamlining plan. No employees were laid off. Attrition through eliminating positions, shifting employees into vacant positions and retirements resulted in a net reduction of 36 positions, UW System President Ray Cross. The total dollar amount of savings was not immediately available. Two of the eliminated positions were from Cross' own office, he said. http://www.startribune.com/uw-system-cuts-dozens-of-positions-in-cost-saving-measure/327101891/

State puts emphasis on college advisers - Mary Mogan Edwards, The Columbus Dispatch

The heat is on Ohio state colleges and universities to make sure more students succeed, and that makes academic advisers a key part of schools’ strategies. The past few state budgets have come with new strings attached for higher-education institutions. Lawmakers want state funding to favor schools that show the best results, rather than simply the ones with the most students. Under “performance-based funding,” colleges and universities get a bigger piece of the funding pie when more students graduate with degrees or, in the case of community colleges, complete more courses and earn more certificates and two-year degrees. http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2015/09/13/state-puts-emphasis-on-college-advisers.html

Fall enrollment in UMaine System down overall, but out-of-state numbers up - NOEL K. GALLAGHER, Press-Herald

Fall enrollment figures at the University of Maine System – critical data for the state’s financially struggling public higher education system – show a mixed performance, with a lower overall head count but significant increases at some campuses in out-of-state students, who pay much higher tuition. Five of the seven campuses, including the two largest – the University of Maine in Orono and the University of Southern Maine – all show increases in out-of-state students. The highest are a 15 percent increase at the University of Maine at Augusta and 14 percent at the University of Maine at Fort Kent. Other increases are 7 percent at Orono, 3 percent at Farmington and 2 percent at USM. http://www.pressherald.com/2015/09/13/fall-enrollment-at-umaine-system-down-overall-but-out-of-state-up/

MSU’s spending grows while UM’s tightens - Gail Schontzler, Chronicle

Montana State University is expecting another new record of 13,691 full-time students, up 1 percent from last year. The Montana Board of Regents will be voting on campus budgets this week and MSU is expecting an operating budget increase of $11.7 million. The Grizzlies may be a powerhouse on the football field, but when it comes to the financial bottom line, the Bobcats are champs. When the Montana Board of Regents votes on campus budgets this week, Montana State University is expecting an operating budget increase of $11.7 million. Meanwhile, the University of Montana is bracing for a $2.1 million decrease. The big difference between the state’s two flagship campuses and football rivals is student enrollment. http://www.bozemandailychronicle.com/news/montana_state_university/msu-s-spending-grows-while-um-s-tightens/article_a6a4b9d0-2156-508f-89d1-4190ea783468.html

Budget cuts might limit student jobs on UW campuses - Karen Herzog, Journal Sentinel

With state budget cuts hitting University of Wisconsin campuses, many students who rely on campus jobs may have to look elsewhere for employment. The number of students working on UW System campuses ballooned by 25% over the past three years — in part because of new residence halls opening and dining marketplaces expanding and changing their focus to made-to-order entrées. But the number of student employees could drop significantly this academic year as tough decisions are made on a campus-by-campus basis to cope with funding cuts. In the fiscal year that ended June 30, about 17% of all undergrads had campus jobs across the system. A total of 3,685 more undergrads were employed than the previous year, including Collin DeNamur of Appleton, a biochemistry major at UW-Milwaukee who earns $9.25 an hour sweeping floors and emptying garbage cans in the Student Union for 22 hours a week while juggling a full load of classes. http://www.jsonline.com/news/education/budget-cuts-might-limit-student-jobs-on-uw-campuses-b99570311z1-327152601.html

SIU enrollment drop leads to $5.3M loss - Sarah Halasz Graham, the Southern

This fall, Southern Illinois University’s student body is smaller than it’s been in decades. Enrollment at SIU dropped off by nearly 4 percent, or 697 students, this fall, even as the university’s retention efforts appear to be paying off. The enrollment decline, from 17,989 students in fall 2014 to 17,292 this fall, is the latest in a series of dips at SIU since an enrollment heyday in the early 1990s. In 1991, for example, SIU welcomed 24,869 students to Carbondale. This year’s numbers represent a 30 percent decrease from that year. http://thesouthern.com/news/local/communities/carbondale/siu-enrollment-drop-leads-to-m-loss/article_9bf0ace9-fe20-5aeb-ab0f-15ef9de0d308.html

Carbondale leaders weigh in on SIU enrollment drop - Dustin Duncan, Southern Illinoisan

City leaders are not hiding the fact that Southern Illinois University’s announcement Tuesday regarding declining enrollment will have an impact on the city’s economy. “That is a lot of money that we are not going to have," said Carbondale Mayor Mike Henry. Enrollment at SIU dropped by nearly 4 percent, or 697 students, this fall. The enrollment decline, from 17,989 students in fall 2014 to 17,292 this fall, is the latest in a series of dips at SIU since an enrollment heyday in the early 1990s. Administrators said the decline will result in $5.2 million in lost revenue on top of anticipated state budget cuts. http://thesouthern.com/news/local/siu/carbondale-leaders-weigh-in-on-siu-enrollment-drop/article_8a5dae81-7eee-5129-b6c7-775b907e6a51.html

Pennsylvania ed officials seeing immediate, potential long-term impact from state budget stalemate - Jarreau Freeman, the Reporter

The GOP budget proposal, which was pushed through in June, includes $800 million for schools and colleges, which includes an approximately $120 million increase in funding for basic and special education, and $41 million for higher education overall. Montgomery County Community College Interim President James Linksz said it’s hard to measure how the impasse will impact MCCC students. Areas of concern for the college are the state’s Pre-K Counts program, which helps MCCC provide childcare at no cost to college students in need, as well as the PA Keys and Act 101 programs, which also provide special supports for students in need. http://www.thereporteronline.com/general-news/20150911/local-school-officials-seeing-immediate-potential-long-term-impact-from-state-budget-stalemate

Inside the GOP’s war on college students - SOPHIA A. MCCLENNEN, ALTERNET`

As nutty as the current slate of GOP nominees may seem, it would be a mistake to ignore the very real threat of their higher education policy. Across the board, in a variety of ways, the GOP lineup is on the hunt for higher education as we know it. While we might all agree that reform is due, make no mistake that the GOP platform is out to destroy our colleges and universities and take down the students they serve in the process. Let’s look at the three main models. http://www.salon.com/2015/09/12/screw_u_the_gops_war_on_college_students_partner/

Committee Weighs Possible Budget Reduction - Oliver Bok, Oberlin Review

The College’s financial position isn’t healthy, and the community will have to make tough decisions about where to put resources in the near future. At any rate, that’s the conclusion that many members of the Strategic Planning Steering Committee — the group of students, faculty, staff, trustees and administrators who are tasked with planning the College’s fiscal and educational future — seem to be coming to. “To put it simply, we have made a lot of promises that cost money,” said double-degree junior and committee member Hayden Arp. “We promised to raise faculty salaries to the median of our peer group. We promised to be carbon neutral by 2025. And then there’s the things we want to do: We want to increase the amount of diversity on campus. We want to increase student support services, and all those things cost money.” http://oberlinreview.org/8462/news/committee-weighs-possible-budget-reduction

Looking to boost enrollment, N.C. A&T turns to online courses - John Newsom, News & Record

N.C. A&T last year became the largest historically black college in the nation. This year, A&T thinks it can grow even bigger. University officials said Friday that A&T will emphasize — and expand — its online course offerings and degree programs to better meet the area’s educational needs and increase enrollment. A&T in its long-range plan set a goal of growing to 13,500 students by 2020 and to 15,000 students in the decade after that. But enrollment growth in recent years has been slow. http://www.greensboro.com/news/schools/looking-to-boost-enrollment-n-c-a-t-turns-to/article_b419f1f7-0081-5434-8997-55a3c2949ddc.html

University of Iowa was told to seek no funding increase - Vanessa MIller, The Gazette

Board of Regents President Bruce Rastetter on Wednesday said the University of Iowa did not request any new general fund appropriations from the state for the 2017 budget year, unlike Iowa State and University of Northern Iowa. “That’s what was forwarded to the board office,” Rastetter said. “They didn’t need any new money, coupled with the … decision on what the tuition increase may or may not be next year.” But UI officials and board office staff confirmed Thursday the no-increase position for the UI originated with the regents — not the campus. Rastetter, during the board’s meeting Wednesday, said it wasn’t until he heard from UI faculty, students, staff, and President-elect J. Bruce Harreld following his hire last week that the board had a specific request from UI — $4.5 million, or the equivalent of an inflationary increase. http://www.thegazette.com/subject/news/education/higher-education/university-of-iowa-was-told-to-seek-no-funding-increase-20150910

University of Illinois Board of Trustees approves background check, discusses budget - Maggie Sullivan, Daily Illini

@alter Knorr, vice president and chief financial officer, reported an update on the University's financial state despite still lacking finalized state appropriations for fiscal year 2016. "We continue to have a spread of possible reduction ranges from $57 million, or 8.5 percent, to $209 million or 31.5 percent," Knorr said. "For our purposes, once we get the ingredients to our appropriation, we probably need about 60 days to put all the work together of what needs to be done," he said. "This means we'll probably have a further deferral on an operating budget and will continue to operate on our appropriation of fiscal year 2015 until further notice." http://www.dailyillini.com/article/2015/09/september-board-of-trustees

University leaders talk budget, diversity, background checks - Anna Carrera, WCIA

Leaders at the University of Illinois are looking ahead after a big meeting to start the school year. "We need a state budget," said University President Tim Killeen. "The taxpayers of Illinois, the families of Illinois need a state budget, to support this enterprise." As the new school year starts, the state budget -- or lack thereof -- is a big concern for leaders at the University of Illinois. University leaders say they know they'll have to make cuts, but they still don't know how many or when those will take effect. Killeen is heading back to Springfield on Friday to try to figure it out. Killeen says the university has the potential to help pull the state out of its budget crisis, but in order to do that, they need the money to keep things going. http://www.illinoishomepage.net/news/local-news/university-leaders-talk-budget-diversity-background-checks

Perkins Loan Program on the federal budget chopping block - WMTV

In another fight to spread education opportunities, lawmakers on Capitol Hill are up against a pressing deadline. The latest deadline is to reauthorize the Federal Perkins Loan Program which it is set to expire at the end of the month. The program benefits thousands of lower-income students across the country who are in need of significant financial assistance. If the program isn’t reauthorized by the September 30 deadline, many students across the country will lose access to federal financial aid they use to attend colleges and universities. http://www.nbc15.com/home/headlines/Perkins-Loan-Program-on-the-federal-budget-chopping-block-326149221.html

Many cuts considered at U Illinois - Julie Wurth, News-Gazette

Avoiding specifics, University of Illinois President Timothy Killeen said Thursday that the university is considering further cuts to administration, consolidation of academic programs and other steps as it prepares for an expected funding cut from the state. The UI has prepared "intensively" for an 8.1 percent budget cut approved by legislators as well as Gov. Bruce Rauner's proposed 31.5 percent cut, and all levels in between, Killeen said. http://www.news-gazette.com/news/local/2015-09-11/many-cuts-considered-ui.html

Louisiana Higher education leaders prepare for another budget battle - Sam Karlin, The Daily Reveille

Higher education leaders find themselves limbo this fall as they prepare for a gubernatorial election, a new crop of legislators and an ambiguous budget deficit. Higher education evaded devastating cuts estimated at $600 million during the summer’s legislative session, and LSU President F. King Alexander said Aug. 20 that university system heads will meet every week this semester to discuss funding strategies and the gubernatorial candidates’ platforms regarding higher education. http://www.lsureveille.com/daily/higher-education-leaders-prepare-for-another-budget-battle/article_f7b8a810-573f-11e5-8d90-c7ce201bec24.html

Northern Illinois University sees 2.3% drop in enrollment - Associated Press

The number of students enrolled at Northern Illinois University has dipped slightly, but retention rates are improving. WNIJ radio reports (http://bit.ly/1EP1WDa ) the university released its 10-day enrollment count for the academic year on Wednesday. The university reported an enrollment of 20,130 students, a decrease of about 2.3 percent from last year. NIU President Doug Baker says: "We are not where we want to be, but there are encouraging signs of progress." http://www.pantagraph.com/news/state-and-regional/illinois/northern-illinois-university-sees-slight-drop-in-enrollment/article_c4d8274d-9dc8-52f6-9993-c26c3424ddbf.html

Eastern Illinois University enrollment has dropped this year - JARAD JARMON, JG-TC

Eastern Illinois University’s total enrollment has dropped this year decreasing from 8,913 last year to 8,520 in Fall 2015. Eastern’s undergraduate students number of 7,202 went down from 7,640 last year. This includes a drop in transfer students from 888 in Fall 2014 to 798. Chris Dearth, director of admissions, said despite increasing enrollment at different levels in the university, larger graduating classes are moving through. This creates a larger hole to fill. http://jg-tc.com/jg-tc/eastern-enrollment-has-dropped-this-year/article_4911664d-bb64-5eda-8de2-58b0c31675c5.html

Western Illinois University President Thomas: “We are surviving” - Nicholas Ebelhack, Western Courier

Western President Jack Thomas addressed the members of the Student Government Association (SGA) Tuesday Sept. 8 about how the university is reacting to the state budget crisis and his initiatives for the 2015-16 school year.  As the state of Illinois has still not come to terms on a budget for the fiscal year, which started July 1, Thomas said that the university will be faced with challenges over the next few years.  “We have not gotten a budget for the university, and I am sure you are all aware of that,” Thomas said. “It has been a major challenge for us and it will continue to be a major challenge for us for the next few years. We have informed the university community of some of the challenges that we are going to face.”  “We are down by 3.1 percent in enrollment this year,” Thomas said, “but that is not as much as it could have been if we hadn’t put other measures in place.” http://www.westerncourier.com/news/thomas-we-are-surviving/article_5b850848-5745-11e5-bcbd-5b9bb9801ccd.html

Northwest Arkansas Community College enrollment down, but better than expected - Dave Perozek, Arkansas Online

The number of students attending Northwest Arkansas Community College is down nearly 2.5 percent from this time last year, the third time in the last four fall semesters enrollment has dropped. College officials reported 7,962 students Tuesday, a drop of 202 from last fall. The number of credit hours being taken is 70,074, a decrease of 3,590 credit hours -- about 4.9 percent -- from last year. Officials had projected declines of 3 percent in both enrollment and credit hours taken when they crafted the budget for the 2015-16 school year. http://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2015/sep/09/northwest-arkansas-community-college-en/

Southern Illinois University budget cuts planned because of enrollment drop, state funding - Cory Ray, Daily Egyptian

Within three weeks, finances across campus will be reviewed and cuts will be finalized because of budget concerns. SIU System President Randy Dunn announced a 3.9 percent enrollment decrease at the Carbondale campus during a press conference Tuesday, resulting in a loss of more than $5 million in funding from tuition and fees. He reported a total fall 2015 enrollment of 17,292 — a decrease in 697 students from last year. Dunn estimates a need to cut $13 to 15 million, with nearly $9 million from the Carbondale campus, in spending for this fiscal year because of the enrollment drop and proposed state funding cuts. http://www.dailyegyptian.com/news/article_f676603c-566d-11e5-8009-27e15478df73.html

Which college degrees are in the most, least demand? - GREG HINZ, Crain's Chicago

"While it's encouraging to see accelerated growth in STEM-related college programs, the slowdown in overall degree completions—especially those tied to developing strong communications and critical-thinking skills—is concerning," said CareerBuilder CEO Matt Ferguson. His reference was to the fact that while the number of new degrees grew a healthy 6.9 percent in 2011 compared with 2010, the year-to-year hike in 2014 was just 0.8 percent. "Nearly half of employers say they currently have job vacancies but can't find skilled candidates to fill them," Ferguson added. "We need to do a better job informing students and workers about which fields are in demand and growing." http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20150908/BLOGS02/150909867/which-college-degrees-are-in-the-most-least-demand

The New College Scorecard Revealed - Michael Stratford, Inside Higher Ed

The Obama administration over the weekend unveiled the revamped college information website it created instead of its original plan to rate colleges, releasing a trove of new federal data about the nation’s colleges and universities. These new data show publicly, for the first time, the share of a college’s former students who make some progress in paying down their federal loans within the first three years after leaving college. And they provide the first comprehensive look at how much students who receive federal loans and Pell Grants end up earning after they leave a specific college, both in the short term and long term. The White House released the new data and website on Saturday morning, in advance of President Obama's trip on Monday to Iowa, where he will speak about college costs at a town hall event with high school students. https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2015/09/14/obama-administration-publishes-new-college-earnings-loan-repayment-data

Free Freshman Year? Texas State Hopes To Try It Out - MATTHEW WATKINS TEXAS TRIBUNE

The Texas State University System has an idea for future students busy with families and jobs: Don't even show up on campus freshman year. Starting next fall, the school plans to encourage nontraditional students to take free massive open online courses, known as MOOCs, before they arrive on campus. If they take 10 courses and pass tests for college credit, students could show up at school with a year's work complete before paying a single tuition bill. http://keranews.org/post/free-freshman-year-texas-state-hopes-try-it-out

Nursing students sue Colby-Sawyer College after failing crowded course - WMUR

Three nursing students have sued a New Hampshire college after they failed a required course that was overbooked. The students from Maine, Massachusetts and Rhode Island say Colby-Sawyer College needed to "thin the herd" of nursing students, so it failed them. Colby-Sawyer requires its nursing students to complete a course - usually in the sophomore year - that includes classroom instruction, lab work and a clinical internship. The pass-fail course taught in the spring is limited to 36 students; the lawsuit says 51 students applied for it in 2014. The college offered the remaining 15 students three options, including a summer course taken by the three who sued. Of the 15 students who took the summer course, 11 failed, were induced to changed majors or left the program. The summer course cost the students $1,800 in tuition plus $100 a week for room and board. http://www.wmur.com/news/nursing-students-sue-colbysawyer-college-after-failing-crowded-course/35173656

Obama pitches free community college plan - David Jesse, Detroit Free Press

Giving students two years of free community college is simply an extension of America’s historical emphasis on the importance of education, President Barack Obama told a crowd of about 1,000 at Macomb Community College. Referencing previous federal efforts to increase educational opportunities for Americans, including the GI Bill, Obama tried to reinvigorate his plan to give at least two years of free community college to students who maintain a high grade point average. Accompanied by Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Joe Biden and herself a community college professor, Obama announced an independent College Promise Advisory Board, led by Biden, that will highlight existing programs providing free community college. http://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/macomb/2015/09/09/obama-pitches-free-community-college-plan-macomb/71960916/

Enrollment In Connecticut Community Colleges Down 6 Percent - JACQUELINE RABE THOMAS, Hartford Courant

Thousands fewer students showed up last week for the start of classes at the state's community colleges — a 6.1 percent drop in students since last fall semester. "We don't offer the programs they are looking for," Housatonic Community College President Paul Brodie told the Board of Regents' finance committee on Thursday. His college, in Bridgeport, enrolled 1 percent fewer students this year. Other colleges with sizable drops included Asnuntuck in Enfield (10 percent), Gateway in New Haven (9 percent) and Quinebaug Valley in Killingly (8 percent). http://www.courant.com/education/hc-ctm-community-college-enrollment-0906-20150907-story.html

Longtime UM law professor forced to retire because of budget cuts - Keila Szpaller, the Missoulian

Back in the day, Jeff Renz helped pour cement for the M on Mount Sentinel. More recently, the law professor had students argue before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Renz, a longtime professor at the Alexander Blewett III School of Law at the University of Montana, came to Missoula in 1967. At the end of this semester, the teacher and director of the criminal defense clinic will retire. His departure is linked to the budget crunch at UM, and he appears to be the only contracted professor whose annual employment isn't being renewed because of money. http://missoulian.com/news/local/longtime-um-law-prof-forced-to-retire-early-because-of/article_5f60790e-bed1-5b84-961c-675d113f18ba.html

Illinois college students caught in the middle of budget standoff - Koran Addo, St. Louis Today

College students in the Metro East area and throughout Illinois should hope the state’s elected leaders come together soon to craft a budget. That’s because right now, a number of Illinois colleges and universities have agreed to pay the equivalent of what students would normally receive in scholarships from the state as part of the Monetary Award Program, known as MAP. But if spring semester comes around, and the state still doesn’t have a budget, a number of schools said they could no longer afford to carry the state’s burden. As dire a situation as it is for students, Republicans and Democrats in the Illinois Legislature last week didn’t sound close to ending their standoff. http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/education/illinois-college-students-caught-in-the-middle-of-budget-standoff/article_4dfddcd5-a749-541a-82db-362334650591.html

As textbook prices skyrocket, college students, professors seek alternatives - TREVOR METCALFE, Register-Bee

Danville Community College student Jessica Newman is taking 18 credit hours this fall, with a tuition price tag of about $2,500. When Newman looked for the books for her five classes at the DCC bookstore, she said the cost was just over $1,000. “That’s nearly half of my tuition spent again on textbooks,” Newman said. With college textbook prices rising exponentially during the past several years, local students and teachers say they are seeking alternatives to purchasing new books every semester. According to data from the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, textbook priced have risen three times the rate of inflation since 1977. http://www.godanriver.com/news/danville/as-textbook-prices-skyrocket-college-students-professors-seek-alternatives/article_2ac96ef0-5354-11e5-b787-e726b65ce323.html

Will floodgates open? - Julie Wurth, News-Gazette

They worry that the constant stream of crises could also make the campus vulnerable to faculty poaching by other universities. "We know it was definitely happening last year," said history Professor Antoinette Burton, interim director of the Illinois Program for Research in the Humanities. "The perception I've heard is that Illinois and Wisconsin are unstable and things are uncertain, so if you're looking for people to recruit, it's probably a good thing to look there," she said, referring to threats to tenure and budget cuts at the University of Wisconsin. Still, it's too soon to gauge what the latest "convergence of bad news" will bring, she said. http://www.news-gazette.com/news/local/2015-09-06/will-floodgates-open.html

Some UM colleges tighten belts in budget crunch, at least one grows - Keila Szpaller, Missoulian

This is the first installment in a two-day series on the impact of budget cuts at the University of Montana. Dip in enrollment? Budget crunch? Not at the Phyllis J. Washington School of Education and Human Sciences at the University of Montana. "We are not suffering the enrollment declines that potentially have created part of this (budget) problem," said Roberta Evans, dean of the School of Education. The speech pathology program, for instance, has admitted only 15 percent of applicants, she said. Since there's a return on investment, the school will admit a few more of those students to support not only the Communicative Sciences and Disorders Department of the school, but the entire institution. http://missoulian.com/news/local/some-um-colleges-tighten-belts-in-budget-crunch-at-least/article_ed231ab6-f958-5cd5-b0a1-510a795071db.html

Md. Gov. Hogan outlines state agency budget cuts - Associated Press

Gov. Larry Hogan has outlined the specifics in his cost-savings plan to cut 2 percent from state agencies across the board, according to documents obtained by The Associated Press on Friday outlining the specifics. About $18.2 million in savings comes from the University System of Maryland. They include 40 layoffs, including 15 at the University of Maryland, Baltimore, and 25 at Coppin State University. In addition, 127 vacant positions in the system will be eliminated. http://www.fredericksburg.com/news/va_md_dc/md-gov-hogan-outlines-state-agency-budget-cuts/article_71657802-ecd7-534f-bdb9-db2a9c2d2052.html

Eastern Illinois University cuts hit Academic Affairs most - JARAD JARMON, JG-TC

Eastern Illinois University’s budget is expected to have a deficit of $12 million to $14 million if no changes in university expenses are made. To make up for the deficit, a majority of the cuts have to be made to personnel, where costs make up a large majority of the operating budget. Former Faculty Senate Chairman Grant Sterling said a majority of that deficit would hit Academic Affairs, with around $10 million needing to be cut. Blair Lord said in a Faculty Senate meeting Tuesday that Academic Affairs has only reached two-thirds of its targeted budgetary cut even after the furloughs and current layoffs thus far. http://jg-tc.com/news/eastern-cuts-hit-academic-affairs-most/article_7891e1a2-3578-505f-9996-d51ffc14c8b0.html

SRU helps students financially until state has budget - Butler Eagle

Slippery Rock University is spending $3 million to support 2,100 state students while there is no state budget. Thousands of college students across the state depend on financial aid from the state, but they won’t get their money on time this year. This is because the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency is not able to confirm awards or disburse funds for the 2015-16 academic school year until the state budget is passed, according to its website. http://www.butlereagle.com/article/20150904/NEWS12/709049813

Enrollment in CT community colleges down 6 percent - JACQUELINE RABE THOMAS, CT Mirror

Thousands fewer students showed up this week for the start of classes at the state's community colleges – a 6.1 percent drop in students since last fall semester. "We don't offer the programs they are looking for," Housatonic Community College President Paul Brodie told the Board of Regents’ Finance Committee Thursday. His college, located in Bridgeport, enrolled 1 percent fewer students this semester. http://ctmirror.org/2015/09/03/enrollment-in-ct-community-colleges-down-6-percent/

Why a college degree isn't worth what it once was - Jeff Spross, the Week

In this world, a college degree is essentially a "fire me last" sign. As rising inequality bumps less-educated people off the twig entirely, the college-educated fill the spots while graduate degrees get what the college-educated once did. So first incomes for high school graduates stagnate, then incomes for the college-educated stagnate too. And now only graduate incomes are still rising. http://theweek.com/articles/575139/why-college-degree-isnt-worth-what-once

Competency-based programs reimagine college credit Sherrie Negrea, University Business

After years of quiet evolution, the competency-based education movement is now poised for explosive growth, with several hundred colleges and universities developing programs that fundamentally redefine the college degree. An estimated 34 U.S. institutions now offer some form of competency-based learning, according to research by Robert Kelchen, an assistant professor of higher education at Seton Hall University in New Jersey. But that number is expected to multiply significantly as a new wave of schools embraces the model. http://www.universitybusiness.com/article/competency-programs-reimagine-college-credit

Denver May Be First City to Do Something About Runaway College Debt - MALCOLM BURNLEY, Next City

A looming ballot initiative in Denver stands to reverse the growing student debt trend and create a municipal-controlled fund for higher ed scholarships. It would be paid for through a sales tax bump equivalent to adding 8 cents onto every $100 purchase and is expected to raise $10 million per year. A new nonprofit, run by the city, would distribute the funds to qualifying students by supporting scholarship organizations or paying off students’ debts. No student could receive more than a cumulative $4,000 in these indirect funds per year. According to members of the task force who wrote the proposal, if Denver voters approve, it’d be the first time any city has charged excise to go toward funding four-year college opportunities. (A couple hours south in Colorado, Pueblo County commissioners are also mulling a marijuana tax to fund a college scholarship program.) https://nextcity.org/daily/entry/college-debt-high-tuition-help-denver-sales-tax

Budget cuts will mean re-booting of UW-Extension - Jan Shepel, Wisconsin Farmer

After taking a 10 percent budget cut in its "core, base resources," the University of Wisconsin's Extension service will need to make some changes. But how best to make those changes and still serve the many communities that have come to depend on it is an ongoing process. The way Wisconsin's extension service is structured is "fundamentally different from any other state," said Rick Klemme, Dean and Director of UW Extension during a recent speech at the UW's Arlington Agricultural Research Station. One of the challenges here, he noted, is that Wisconsin's agricultural diversity is different from most other Midwestern states. In our neighbors to the south and west, a few commodity crops account for most of the agricultural activity in the states. Here, we have everything from muck farms to ginseng to cranberries and dairy with a host of other enterprises in between. http://www.wisfarmer.com/news/headlines/budget-cuts-will-mean-re-booting-of-uw-extension-b99568910z1-323800671.html

Community colleges suffer as economy improves - Chris Kenning, Courier Journal

Kentucky’s improving economy is driving sharp declines in community college enrollment, leading to staff reductions, budget cuts and, in Louisville, fears it may slow efforts to raise educational attainment. Statewide, enrollment is expected to fall to about 81,000 this fall — a 25 percent reduction from its peak of 108,301 in 2011, according to system officials. Jefferson Community and Technical College declined to project fall enrollment because it's not final, but said its numbers fell from 15,259 in 2010 to 13,667 last year. So far that has forced the state system to slash $36 million in expenses this year, including cutting 262 teachers and staff member positions and reducing programs and offerings, said KCTCS President Jay Box. Some of the biggest enrollment declines have been seen in Eastern Kentucky, he said. http://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/education/2015/09/02/community-college-enrollment-falling/71566434/

Walker's record on education - Carmel Martin, Philly.com

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker wants you to believe he's the best presidential candidate to transform the country's education system. Addressing the Wisconsin Legislature earlier this year, Walker proclaimed, "We will ensure every child - regardless of background or birthright - has access to a quality education." But scratch beneath the surface of Walker's rhetoric and you'll find a long-running record of harmful actions that have weakened Wisconsin's public schools and made it increasingly difficult for students to succeed. The day before officially tossing his name into the 2016 presidential race, Walker signed a state budget that slashed $250 million from the University of Wisconsin system. This was hardly an act of fiscal conservatism: A month after he savaged higher-education funding, Walker signed a deal to provide $250 million in taxpayer funds to build an arena for the Milwaukee Bucks, a basketball team owned by several hedge-fund executives. http://www.philly.com/philly/opinion/20150901_Walker_s_record_on_education.html

NIU President Baker emails campus on state budget - NIU Today

\We are looking at budget reductions, and our effort in this area is aimed primarily at reducing our cost of doing business – finding ways to work more efficiently, seeking cooperative relationships across departments and divisions, and reviewing contractor relationships to see where cuts can be made without compromising our ability to achieve our mission. I wish I could say when the parties in the state legislature and administration will come to terms on a budget resolution, but we simply don’t know. We suspect it could be take quite some time. During the board’s Finance, Facilities and Operations Committee meeting, the board approved an FY 2016 internal budget based on expected revenues totaling $388 million. This budget could be adjusted when the state budget is passed and final appropriations are known. For now, this budget reflects an 8.6 percent reduction from the FY 2015 budget approved by the board, which totaled $424.5 million. A reduction of this magnitude will require significant effort on the part of the university to do all the things I mentioned earlier to come into balance. http://www.niutoday.info/2015/08/31/president-baker-emails-campus-on-state-budget/

UW-Stout chancellor: State aid cuts bring restructuring plan - Pamela Powers, Leader-Telegram

This fall UW-Stout officials will begin the challenge of restructuring the university’s four colleges in an effort to save money, UW-Stout Chancellor Bob Meyer said during his address Monday to kick off the new school year. The restructuring would save an estimated $360,000, he said, and would be part of a continued process to reduce expenditures, as the university will receive a combined $10.6 million less state aid this school year and next. That reduction is part of a $250 million cut to UW System schools the state Legislature included in the 2015-17 state budget. http://www.leadertelegram.com/News/Front-Page/2015/09/01/Changes-planned-for-Stout-colleges.html

Destruction of pedestrian bridge first sign of dwindling UW maintenance budget - ANNE BLACKBOURN, Badger Herald

Maintenance will face the chopping block before academics as University of Wisconsin administrators work to make up for a $300 million slash in state funding over the next two years. Some students have mourned the demolition of the pedestrian bridge formerly connecting Vilas Hall and the George L. Mosse Humanities building. But UW spokesperson Greg Bump said nonacademic projects like maintenance on the aging bridge, which would have cost $1.5 million to replace, will see more cuts than academic units. https://badgerherald.com/news/2015/09/01/destruction-of-pedestrian-bridge-first-sign-of-dwindling-uw-maintenance-budget/

Students return to budget-slashed campus - Mike Longaecker, Pierce County Herald

The River Falls campus lost about 50 full-time equivalencies in the wake of the cuts, which affected about 85 employees, according to university data. The state budget, passed by lawmakers and Gov. Scott Walker in July, included a $200 million cut to the University of Wisconsin System. An additional $50 million funding lapse for the 2015-17 biennium was part of the budget reduction. http://www.piercecountyherald.com/news/education/3829826-students-return-budget-slashed-campus

College Student Advocates Press For MAP Funding As State Budget Impasse Continues - Progress Illinois

As Illinois enters its third month without a budget, college student advocates want state funds freed up for the Monetary Award Program (MAP). The need-based grant program helps low-income Illinois students pay for tuition at more than 130 colleges and universities in the state. With college students gearing up for fall classes, MAP grants for up to 130,000 eligible applicants this school year are entangled in the Springfield budget standoff. As a result, there is "a lot of confusion among students and a lot of uncertainly as to whether they'll be able to afford to return to school this fall," said Eve Rips, Midwest director at Young Invincibles, a Millennial research and advocacy group. "These students who aren't getting MAP funding are all truly in a place where paying for college is going to be very difficult," she added. http://progressillinois.com/quick-hits/content/2015/09/01/state-budget-impasse-continues-college-student-advocates-press-map

Ithaca College plans to cut 40 positions - Andrew Casler, Ithaca Journal

Ithaca College plans to reduce its staffing for the second consecutive year, according to school spokesman Dave Maley. The college expects to cut about 40 positions this year, Maley said. A majority of the cuts are anticipated to occur through attrition, Maley said, but he acknowledged that some of the cuts will likely come from layoffs. Ithaca College Staff Council Committee Chairman Sean Reilley encouraged Ithaca College staff to voice their concerns through his organization. “Anytime this type of topic comes up, there’s always anxiety about the unknown and the appearance of a major change, but really we do appreciate the transparency of the upper administration communicating this to us with as much notice as possible,” Reilley said. Ithaca College cut eight jobs through layoffs and lost 39 positions through attrition during the 2014-15 school year. In fall 2014, the school had 1,074 staff employees, 730 faculty members. http://www.ithacajournal.com/story/news/local/2015/08/31/ithaca-college-plans-cut-positions/71490356/

Cash flow woes: Pennsylvania schools feeling the pinch of the Pa. budget impasse - Mark Pynes, Penn Live

The budget impasse has already begun affecting college students awaiting deposits into their accounts of their state grants from the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency. Schools are crediting student accounts even though it hasn't been received if the grant money was to help cover tuition, fees, room or board. But for some students, the grant money was their means to buy books or cover off-campus living expenses this semester. At Shippensburg University, William Sommers, associate vice president of enrollment management, said, "We're doing our best to help those students who are in need to the extent we can." Same thing at Penn State University where 18,000 students are waiting on the state to release a combined total of about $25 million in state grant money for the fall semester. http://www.pennlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2015/08/most_schools_in_session_but_a.html

Spirit of Pell Grant under attack by federal budget proposals - Thomas Botzman, News-Press

Congress is now working through its upcoming budget, and support for higher education is one of the many topics under review. Thankfully, the House Appropriations Committee has proposed a modest increase in Pell Grant funding. The Pell Grant travels with the student, linking it to the potential future workforce as students choose both institution and courses of study. Unfortunately, another congressional proposal would cap the number of Pell Grant recipients, effectively limiting the number of students who can attain a degree and then repay it with a lifetime of career earnings. A second proposal would make Pell subject to annual appropriations, removing its mandatory inclusion in the budget. That proposal would raise the possibility of cutting Pell support by more than 15 percent per student, according to the Committee for Education Funding. http://www.news-press.com/story/opinion/contributors/2015/08/30/spirit-pell-grant-attack-federal-budget-proposals/71442332/

UI still waiting on state budget - Maggie Sullivan, Daily Illini

Negotiations on a state budget for fiscal year 2016 are at a standstill in Springfield and Walter Knorr, University chief financial officer, said if the state does not act soon the University won’t have a finalized budget for the Nov. 12 Board of Trustees meeting. “I make no prognostication or comment on when the budget will come,” Knorr said at the Board of Trustees Budget, Audit and Finance committee meeting Monday. “We probably need 60 days once the state has acted to put an operating budget together.” The University is currently operating under the assumption the budget will be similar to fiscal year 2015 budget. The total operating budget for fiscal year 2015 was $5.6 billion, according to the Fiscal Year 2015 Annual Operating Budget Executive Summary. Additionally, Knorr said, the state still owes the University $49 million in appropriations for fiscal year 2015. http://www.dailyillini.com/article/2015/08/ui-in-need-of-state-budget

UW campus officials prepare for new year after tumultuous summer - Karen Herzog, Journal Sentinel

After a summer of turmoil over budget cuts and tenure protections, chancellors in the University of Wisconsin System now must convince faculty and staff that all is not doom and gloom as a new academic year begins this week. A defiant UW-Madison Chancellor Becky Blank, who won't address her faculty in person until Oct. 5, has vowed to do everything possible to fend off competitors who attempt to lure away her best and brightest researchers. Wisconsin's higher education woes were widely broadcast to a national audience as Gov. Scott Walker launched his presidential bid while he and state lawmakers were cutting education spending. During their traditional fall address to faculty and staff, chancellors are highlighting past successes and future plans in an effort to lead the way forward. Some are avoiding the elephant in the room — the $250 million in funding cuts the next two years — as others acknowledge the upheaval while still expressing optimism. http://www.jsonline.com/news/education/uw-campus-officials-prepare-for-new-year-after-tumultuous-summer-b99565469z1-323380651.html

Wittenberg new student enrollment down, but cash flow improving - Tiffany Y. Latta, Dayton Daily News

Wittenberg University new student enrollment has declined by 5.3 percent since last year, a drop university officials predicted. University officials announced this week there were 550 first-year students who began the new school year at the university last week, down from 581 at the start of the fall semester of last school year and short of its goal of 576 students. “Since the fall of 2014, our campus leadership has predicted that we would likely be 30-40 students short of this goal if we held our tuition discount rate steady, which has, in fact, taken place,” said Wendy Kobler, interim vice president for advancement. The decline in enrollment was no surprise and does not concern the university, which has seen stronger revenues from tuition and fees as officials work to close a five-year, $10 million budget shortfall. http://www.daytondailynews.com/news/news/local/wittenberg-new-student-enrollment-down-but-cash-fl/nnSzF/

Analysis: Holes and worries emerge in Louisiana's budget - MELINDA DESLATTE, Associated Press

As lawmakers patched their way through this year's budget, many of them talked as if they had drawn up a six-month plan, fully expecting Louisiana's next governor to come in with a broader blueprint for fixing the state's financial mess. They may have been too generous. This budget may not even hold for six months. One modest cut's already been required, other gaps have emerged and nose-diving oil prices could upend everything. If Gov. Bobby Jindal's administration manages to exit in January without more budget-slashing, it could be leaving a heck of a mess for the governor coming in that month. (Jindal's term-limited and cannot run for re-election. His successor will be chosen this fall.) http://www.sunherald.com/2015/08/30/6387022/analysis-holes-and-worries-emerge.html

Is College Even Still Worth It? - Laura Shin, Forbes

“On virtually every measure of economic well-being and career attainment—from personal earnings to job satisfaction to the share employed full time—young college graduates are outperforming their peers with less education,” said a February 2014 Pew Research Center report. Over the generations, the gap between the two groups has only widened. Ultimately, while the value of a college degree has remained relatively flat from the Silent Generation, through the Boomers and Gen Xers to the Millennials, the value of a high school diploma has plummeted over the same time. So if the cost of college and the earning prospects of bachelor’s degree holders give you pause, banish the thought: not having the degree is much worse. http://www.forbes.com/sites/laurashin/2015/08/26/is-college-even-still-worth-it/

Higher Education's Faulty Economics: How We Got Here - Tom Lindsay, Forbes

But while the proposals differ, their differences are less important than what they share. What they all have in common is a fundamental misunderstanding of what’s driving the crisis that all sides seek to solve. They fail to understand that the factors composing the dilemma we face—tuition hyperinflation, burdensome student-loan debt, and poor student learning—are to some extent branches of the same tree, whose roots are found in the well-intentioned but what has proved to be catastrophically naïve assumption that virtually all high school graduates should go to college. Higher-education reformers look at this bleak picture and wonder why all the ostensible solutions to the higher-education crisis serve only to double-down on the misguided premise that produced the crisis in the first place. Until and unless we jettison our utopian expectations, increasing numbers of students will continue to pay more and more and learn less and less. http://www.forbes.com/sites/tomlindsay/2015/08/29/higher-educations-faulty-economics-how-we-got-here/

Enrollment levels off at SUNY schools - Joseph Spector, WGRZ

As students at the State University of New York head back to class, they will be doing so with fewer classmates and higher tuition. Enrollment at the 64 SUNY campuses has dropped 3.5 percent over the past five years, with the biggest dropoff at its 30 community colleges, a review of records by Gannett's Albany Bureau showed. At the same time, tuition has increased 30 percent since 2010 to $6,470 a year for incoming freshmen this fall. http://www.wgrz.com/story/news/education/2015/08/30/enrollment-levels-off-at-suny-schools/71414010/

Buying Books on a Budget - Ariele Vaccaro, Milwaukee Courier

It’s nothing new to you, but the painful sting of knowing your bank account has just been emptied always seems to linger even after you’ve left the college bookstore. At that point, all you can do is take solace in the fact that you’re not the only one. According to the College Board, an American post-secondary student spends, on average, $1,200 a semester on textbooks. Some standalone books can cost more than $200. And the thing is, you have to eat, too. There’s a silver lining, though. With the rise of online shopping and textbook rental, your university can no longer make a monopoly of your textbook needs. Instead, you have the option to shop around at a number of different online vendors and pick out what works for you http://milwaukeecourieronline.com/index.php/2015/08/29/buying-books-on-a-budget/

University of Akron President Scott Scarborough knew addressing '$60 million problem' would be hard, but necessary - Karen Farkas, Cleveland.com

University of Akron President Scott Scarborough believes he has addressed the school's "$60 million problem" since taking office 13 months ago, but acknowledges that he and other officials should have been more forthright in explaining budget cuts, layoffs and other cost-saving actions. Scarborough met Wednesday with the Northeast Ohio Media Group's editorial board to talk about how he had anticipated that the moves would be controversial yet why it was necessary to quickly launch a three-year plan to eliminate a $20 million budget shortfall while providing $10 million for new initiatives and $30 million for capital repairs and improvements. http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2015/08/university_of_akron_president_scott_scarborough_knew_addressing_60_million_problem_would_be_hard_but_necessary.html

Budget stalemate complicates financial aid situation for some Penn State students - LORI FALCE, Centre Daily

Penn State students who live off campus might be finding some challenges as school starts that trace back to Harrisburg. The university is telling those on campus about some complications coming out of the capital. “Students who have been awarded a PA State Grant will not receive this funding until the state budget passes,” the Office of Student Aid’s website says. “Due to the budget impasse, state funding has not been released to the university. Students may notice PA State Grant funds appearing as a credit on the bill but not disbursing into the student bursar account. If you have been awarded a PA State Grant and are expecting a refund, you could be impacted by this funding delay.” http://www.centredaily.com/2015/08/28/4895480/budget-stalemate-complicates-financial.html

Illinois' budget stand still could affect college students - Whitney Williams, WGEM

Illinois has yet to approve a budget and it's starting to take a toll on college students that rely on the state's Monetary Award Program, also known as MAP grants. MAP grants help college students with tuition assistance. Officials at John Wood Community College say 350 to 400 students rely on MAP grants to help with tuition assistance. Therefore, John Wood has placed the estimated grant dollars on the students accounts for the fall semester. http://www.wgem.com/story/29910989/2015/08/28/illinois-budget-stand-still-could-affect-college-students

First Nations University of Canada budget deficit leads to layoffs - KERRY BENJOE, THE LEADER-POST

The new semester at First Nations University of Canada will be wrought with many changes. Not only is the Regina campus going through a renovation, but the Regina and Prince Albert campuses will also say goodbye to some of their staff members, Lynn Wells, FNUniv VP of academics, said budgetary constraints have resulted in staff layoffs. "In total there are nine staff members impacted," she said. "What we did is we tried to minimize the impact in any area, so the layoffs were spread over a number of administrative and academic units." http://www.leaderpost.com/business/Budget+deficit+leads+layoffs/11323510/story.html