Lexington Herald-Leader
January 4, 2005
Editoral: Tuition costs - Increases related to shrinking state funds
Double-digit tuition increases seem to have become an annual habit at Kentucky's
public colleges and universities, a situation that has led the Council on Postsecondary
Education to contemplate reasserting some control over the setting of these rates.
Fine.
Maybe the council, which ceded its tuition-setting authority to the schools
a few years ago, should be taking a closer look at future increases, with an
eye toward assuring that they don't get out of hand and price young Kentuckians
out of a college education.
Still, it's important that a very real concern about affordability not cause
us to forget what caused the recent spate of hikes.
Our public colleges and universities haven't inflicted sticker shock on students
and their families purely on a whim.
In large part, the schools have been forced to bump up tuition because the
General Assembly lacks the backbone to raise the revenue necessary to adequately
fund education at all levels.
State funding for public higher education is $28 million less today than it
was in 2001.
But the costs for the colleges and universities haven't declined by $28 million.
On the contrary, the costs keep increasing significantly for a system of schools
that is struggling to fulfill a legislated mandate to educate more Kentuckians
and push the state's two major universities to national prominence in research.
When less of those costs are paid for by tax dollars, the colleges and universities
have little choice but to "tax" students by raising their tuition.
So, as the Council on Postsecondary Education ponders getting more actively
involved in the tuition process, we hope the members of that body remember that
there are two sides to the "affordability" issue.
One is the increase in tuition; the other is the decrease in state funding.
And we would encourage council officials to take the lead in reminding all
those scared lawmakers hiding behind their "no new taxes" pledge that
Kentucky must invest -- and invest big -- in higher education if we want to
be competitive in the modern marketplace.
Business First
December 17, 2004
KentuckianaWorks reveals first Human Capital Scoreboard
Tool will track region's educational progress, how Louisville
ranks in comparison with peer cities
Businesses evaluate their internal progress each year to monitor performance
and to determine where to concentrate their efforts in the future; they also
measure how well they are performing against their competition.
The same concept should hold true when it comes to evaluating Louisville's
work force, said Michael Gritton, executive director of KentuckianaWorks, a
regional work-force investment board.
The organization is charged with raising education levels and developing a
quality work force, with the goal of moving Louisville into a more competitive
position economically.
But it is difficult to measure progress without a starting point, such as how
Louisville is performing now and how it ranks in comparison with other metro
areas.
So KentuckianaWorks invested $10,000 in research, enlisting the help of University
of Louisville economics professor Dr. Paul Coomes, who compiled data for the
Louisville area as well as for 15 peer cities against which Louisville regularly
competes in terms of economic development.
Coomes spent a year conducting a study, which resulted in the Human Capital
Scorecard, a comprehensive two-page document that was released this week.
Scorecard focuses on education
The scorecard, which will be available online at www.kentuckianaworks.org, tracks
Louisville's educational progress, including the percentage of adults who have
obtained degrees at each level, GED completions, post-secondary degrees awarded
and post-secondary enrollments.
It also shows how Louisville ranks in those key areas compared with its competitors,
which are: Birmingham, Ala.; Charlotte, Greensboro and Raleigh, N.C.; Cincinnati,
Columbus and Dayton, Ohio; Indianapolis; Jacksonville, Fla.; Kansas City, Mo.;
Lexington, Ky.; Memphis and Nashville, Tenn.; Omaha, Neb.; and Richmond, Va.
Coomes said it was quite a challenge to gather the data, especially since this
was the first time that some of the components, such as the number of GED completions,
had ever been tracked at the metropolitan level.
But he believes the scorecard is important because it allows the community
to monitor its progress and, as a result, better manage its resources.
The scorecard will be updated as more current information becomes available,
he added, explaining that the various sources release data at different times
during the year.
No. 1 in certificates beneath associate level
Louisville's highest ranking was in the number of awards/certificates that were
earned below the associate level. In the region, Louisville placed No. 1 with
2,929 certificates awarded in 2003.
Jefferson Community College has made a concentrated effort to offer certificate
and diploma programs beneath the two-year degree level, according to Diane Calhoun-French,
provost and vice president for academic and student affairs for Jefferson Community
and Technical College District.
She said this allows students to obtain credentials that will help them in
the workplace without having to complete a two-year program.
This move has been fairly recent, beginning after Jefferson Community College
joined the Kentucky Community and Technical College System in 1998. Since then,
the district has developed 244 certificate and diploma programs in a variety
of disciplines, including caterer, landscaper, automotive technician, administrative
assistant and brick repair.
The district awarded 581 certificates in 2003, up from 68 certificates in 2001.
Gritton views such certificates as "stepping stones" on the path
to higher-level degrees. He said he was pleased that the region performed well
in this category.
Rankings show need for improvement
The Louisville area did not fare as well in the number of associate's and bachelor's
degrees awarded in 2003, ranking No. 12 and No. 14, respectively. But on a more
positive note, the region came in No. 7 both for graduate degrees and for first
professional degrees.
And post-secondary enrollments followed a similar pattern.
Although Louisville is seeing an increase in post-secondary degrees awarded
and in post-secondary enrollments, other cities are, too, which means Louisville
has been struggling to improve its competitive position.
For example, from 2001 to 2003, the city moved from No. 15 to No. 11 for all post-secondary
awards, degrees and certificates. But it remained at No. 12 for total post-secondary
enrollments during that same time period.
Louisville's lowest ranking for 2003 was in the area of bachelor's degrees, where
it placed No. 14 in the number of degrees awarded in the Louisville MSA and in
the percentage of Jefferson County adults with a bachelor's degree only.
Scorecard expected to help Louisville compete
Eileen Pickett, vice president of work-force and community solutions for Greater
Louisville Inc., said the scorecard will be helpful to Louisville in making
the "quantum leap" that is needed to gain a competitive edge.
She added that the transition to a knowledge-based economy has led to an increased
emphasis on human capital as an economic development asset and that educational
requirements will continue to increase as the economy changes.
Currently, Louisville falls "desperately short" of degreed or certified
people, said Bill Samuels Jr., president of Maker's Mark Distillery Inc. and
chairman of KentuckianaWorks' board of directors.
The scorecard helps raise awareness of that issue, and it gives a benchmark
from which to move forward.
Samuels expects the scorecard to bring about more collaboration because it
clearly identifies the need for the community to work together to raise educational
levels across the board.
"Clearly, if we don't pick up the pace," Samuels said, "we're
going to lose ground to the competitors we've identified."
Madisonville Messenger
December 17, 2004
'Wildest dreams'
3 Judys have grand scheme to help students
The “three Judys” from Madisonville Community College hope big dreams
turn into big bucks for Hopkins County students.
With help from local schools, MCC is recording a five-minute videotape to enter
in talk show host-turned-philanthropist Oprah Winfrey’s “Wildest Dreams
Come True” contest. They’re asking her for $1 million for the School
Counts! program, which guarantees tuition support for local students who meet
certain requirements.
“It’s really far-fetched,” said Professor Judy Moore, who coordinates
special projects for MCC’s president, Dr. Judy Rhoads. “I guess I’m
the dreamer.”
The idea came up during a conversation about Oprah’s contest between Moore,
Rhoads and Judy Atkins, Rhoads’ secretary.
“Our wish is that every child in Hopkins County will have the money to
go to college,” Moore said.
The college has already raised $340,000 for the program, which needs a $1.5
million endowment by December 2007.
“We’re going to ask her for the million and we’re going to raise
the half a million, to show that we can help ourselves,” Moore said. “It’s
just that we need some help. I figure if you apply for enough things, eventually
we’re going to get something. If this one doesn’t work, we’ll
find another one to apply for.”
Seventh-grade students — and a few sixth-graders — have been asked
to write letters to Oprah about why they want a scholarship to MCC. The video
will include still photos of students and video of a few reading their letters.
All the raw footage should be done today, and edited with the help of Madisonville-North
Hopkins High School. The tape is expected to be ready to submit by early January.
Browning Springs sixth-grader Ashley Mashburn was one of those who read their
letters on camera.
“Our school has many children who come from low-income families,”
she wrote. “Many of these kids are very intelligent. I am sad to know that
these students will not have the opportunity to go to college so that they can
make a better life than they have now.”
Seventh-grader Kyra Berry said her parents didn’t have the money to go
to college, and the family lives off her dad’s income.
“My parents have tried to save money for college, but we usually need
it to survive the month,” she wrote. “Even though I am a straight-A
student, I still worry about not being able to go to college. I am asking you
to help fund me and other Hopkins County kids to get into college.”
Others appearing in the video include Hopkins County Economic Development Director
Danny Koon; James Madison Middle School Principal Steve Gilliam; Willa Buckner,
who has taken classes at MCC; and Hopkins County Schools Superintendent James
Lee Stevens, who first suggested the free tuition program.
School Counts!, which starts with this year’s freshmen, is the first of
its kind in Kentucky.
Every county student who earns four School Counts! certificates while in high
school will receive tuition support of up to $1,000 per semester for four semesters
at MCC.
To earn a certificate, students must obtain a 2.5 GPA each year, achieve a
95 percent attendance and punctuality record, complete high school in eight
consecutive semesters, and take more than the minimum number of credits required
for graduation.
Moore calls this request the “three Judys’ dream,” referring
to herself, Rhoads and Atkins.
“We all are first-generation college students,” Moore said. “None
of our parents went to college. We all went to school on work-study and scholarships.
If you added all of our years of service at Madisonville Community College,
it’s over 60 years for the three of us.
“We just want to give back to Hopkins County because the college and the
community have been so good to us,” she said. “We think we can do
that by raising the educational level of the people in the community. That’s
our dream.”
Nearly 400 freshmen have signed up as participants, and more than 250 businesses
are listed as School Counts! supporters.
Bear Jones of Madisonville, who drives Oprah’s bus, has been asked to
put in a good word for the project.
“I know it’s a long shot, but we’re no worse off if we ask and
get told no than if we don’t ask,” Moore said. “Just cross your
fingers and hope that our dream comes true.”
WCPO
December 15, 2004
Campaign To Recruit More Tri-State Nurses
There's a new push to get more nurses into Tri-state hospitals.
One example of the campaign can be viewed across the city on billboards that
promote the rewards of being a nurse.
The good news is that more people are going into nursing. There's even a waiting
list of up to a year and a half at some colleges.
However, the bad news is that the renewed interest still can't keep up with
the aging population.
"Anytime you can let a community know -- whether it's a small or large
community -- that there are positions available, that we want nurses, and that
people driving on the highway are going to see billboards; I think it's great.
I love it," said Terry Mayo, a nursing administrator.
Mayo, who works for Gateway Community and Technical College in Edgewood is
referring to the billboards sponsored by the Ohio Board of Nursing and Healthcare
Association.
The administrator believes that because of such campaigns, there's renewed
interest in nursing.
"We've had teachers and airline attendants," said Mayo.
Hospitals know how important nurses are and because of the shortage some are
partnering up with colleges.
Saint Elizabeth South in Edgewood has partnered with Gateway, providing a gift
of $1.25-million over the next 5 years.
"More and more people are going to be retiring as nurses and there's going
to be an even greater shortage. That's why programs like Gateway's are coming
to fruition," said nursing student Tricia Brady.
9News met Wednesday with some local nursing students who were studying for
finals.
The students are part of Gateway's first class of the two-year Associate Nurses
Degree that allows them to graduate two years earlier than a Bachelor of Science,
but still gives the title of a Resident Nurse.
They agree with the billboards and say nursing is one of the most rewarding
careers out there.
That's the reward right there. It's not really the pay; it's the difference
you make in someone's life on a day to day basis," said Chaz Riebe, a nursing
student.
The Paducah Sun
December 28, 2004
WKCTC faculty and staff pledge $300,000 to college
Faculty and staff at West Kentucky Community and Technical College have pledged
more than $300,000 to the school's "Fulfilling the Promise" fund-raising
campaign.
Each of the college's 264 employees participated. Pledges will be paid during
a five-year period.
The campaign objectives are improving the culinary arts program, establishing
historical preservation and restoration programs and art programs, developing
an engineering technology program, upgrading manufacturing and industrial maintenance
offerings, expanding the allied health program and seeking endowments for the
Challenger Learning Center.
The college has also received 100 percent participation from both the WKCTC
Board of Directors and the Paducah Junior College, Inc., Foundation Board.
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