The mission of the Board of Higher Education is to ensure that all Massachusetts residents have the opportunity to benefit from an excellent higher education system that enriches their lives and advances their contributions to the economic development and social progress of the Commonwealth. The Board coordinates the overall missions, programs, activities, student fees, and budgets of the state university, state college, and community college systems. The Board also administers the state financial aid and student aid programs, which ensure that all residents of the Commonwealth, regardless of economic circumstances, have access to higher education.

The Commonwealth's three systems of higher education serve 115,000 students: 45,000 in the state university system; 31,000 in the state college system; and 39,000 in the community college system.

Objectives

In Fiscal Year 1999, the Cellucci Administration will focus on the following goals for higher education in the Commonwealth: 1) make public higher education affordable for all students; and 2) improve the performance of public higher education institutions.

As a means of making higher education more affordable, the Cellucci Administration proposes increased funding for the scholarship program, and supports reducing tuition rates at all public higher education institutions. The Administration recommends reducing tuition 5% at the university, 7% at the state colleges, and 10% at the community colleges. The Administration is also proposing a new adult education grant program, which will be administered through the community college system. The state grants, in conjunction with private contributions, will provide the funding necessary for working adults to obtain the training they need to develop and maintain marketable job skills. These initiatives, in conjunction with federal expansion of the Pell Grant program, will make higher education more affordable to low- and moderate-income students.

As a means of enhancing the performance of public higher education, the Administration proposes increased funding for the performance improvement grant program. The Board will distribute these grants based on each institution's achievement of performance measures. The program will provide the Board with a means of rewarding accountability, innovation, and efficiency.

In addition to the new objectives for Fiscal Year 1999, the Board of Higher Education will continue several existing programs that serve to strengthen the Cellucci Administration's goals for education. The Board will continue to administer the Academic Challenge program, which provides 100% matching grants for institutional fundraising. This will encourage institutions to generate more funding from private sources, reducing their dependence on revenues from student fees.

Budget Recommendations

The Fiscal Year 1999 funding recommendation for the Board of Higher Education includes $8 million in additional funding to expand the scholarship program (7066-0065), and $2 million in additional funding for a new adult education program at community colleges (7070-0064). The funding recommendation also increases funding for the performance improvement grant program (7066-0100) from $6 million in Fiscal Year 1998 to $8 million in Fiscal Year 1999. Although this budget recommendation does not include funding for the Academic Challenge program, the Cellucci Administration intends to file an appropriation of $11 million in a Fiscal Year 1998 supplemental budget bill.