THE STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT / THE UNIVERSITY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK / ALBANY, NY 12234

 

TO:	The Honorable the Members of the Board of Regents
FROM:	Johanna Duncan-Poitier
COMMITTEE:	Higher Education and Professional Practice
TITLE OF ITEM:	Development of the Statewide Plan for Higher Education
DATE OF SUBMISSION:	January 6, 2005
PROPOSED HANDLING:	Discussion
RATIONALE FOR ITEM:	Section 237 of the Education Law requires the Regents to adopt or update the Statewide Plan for Higher Education
STRATEGIC GOAL:	Goals 1, 2, 3 and 4
AUTHORIZATION(S):

 

SUMMARY:

 

In December, the Regents received the third draft of the Statewide Plan for Higher Education for review and comment.  At the same time, the draft was sent to the four higher education sectors for their review and comment on how their initiatives are being incorporated into the Plan.  In the very short time between the December meeting and this month’s meeting, staff in the Office of Higher Education have been revising the draft Plan to reflect comments from members of the Board of Regents and the four sectors.  That work continues.  At your meeting in January, staff will provide a brief overview of the ongoing activities related to the Statewide Plan, including plans for the public hearings. In addition, staff will outline for you some of the key changes and additions that will be included in the next draft of the Plan that you will receive for the February discussion.  Those key changes and additions include:

 

• More data on full-time undergraduates enrolled at New York’s four-year institutions who transferred from New York’s two-year institutions.

 

• Additional indicators for the Regents priorities on affordability, preparation for college, strong graduate programs, creation of new knowledge through research, an adequate supply of qualified professionals and funding a highly effective system.

 

• A new Regents initiative relating to admission to graduate study.

 

• A new Regents initiative promoting the infusion of technology into teacher preparation programs.

 

• A new Regents initiative on “Winning Compliance” for encouraging a highly effective system.

 

• Data on the performance of the 2000-2001 New York high school ninth grade cohort.

 

• Survey data on when high school students are provided information on postsecondary education.

 

• Data and information on employment related to graduate study.

 

• A new section concerning foreign graduate students and data concerning their access to institutions of higher education in New York State and the United States.

 

• Survey data of New York school districts relating to their difficulty in recruiting certain categories of certified teachers.

 

• Additional information on distance learning, including information on good practices in distance education, which are highlighted on the Department’s Web site.

 

• For the purpose of further streamlining the format of the Plan we are combining the categories for graduate programs and research into a new category, “Meeting New York’s Needs Through Graduate Programs and Through Research.”

 

• Under the priority “Closing the Performance Gap,” we are adding highlights of the performance of the higher education system along with charts showing longitudinal trends in performance.

 

• More data on the funding of the higher education system in New York and select states.

 

 

In February, you will be discussing the comprehensive document, incorporating these changes, which will serve as the tentative Statewide Plan for Higher Education.  This document will be shared widely with the field for the public hearings in Buffalo and New York City.  For February you will also receive a draft summary of the Plan which will include the Regents priorities for the Statewide Plan, key data points, examples of initiatives proposed to address the priorities and potential benchmarks for tracking progress.   A pocketsize brochure on the Board of Regents Statewide Plan for Higher Education will also be developed as the Plan is finalized.