Better match-making between students and institutions would make Utah's higher education system more efficient and more effective.
To that end, the State Board of Regents has spent several months fine-tuning descriptions of the 10 colleges and universities in the system, using the Carnegie Classification of Institutions, a pattern created by the Carnegie Foundation as a way to standardize definitions across the country.
The goal was to define what each of the Utah schools should be contributing to a comprehensive system. A secondary objective was to halt "creep" that seems inevitably to make a community college want to grow up to be, eventually, a university.
"Some have worried that we were putting the schools in boxes. I hope we have put them in boxes — so deep they can't climb out," said regent George Mantes. The regents voted unanimously to accept the policy changes, which will "freeze" the schools in their defined roles for at least the next five years.
Coupled with a moratorium the regents put on new programs last year, the roles/missions statement should put any questions of creep to rest for at least that long.
There won't be any decline in the number of offerings to Utah students, and the roles of most of the institutions will not be markedly different. But some of the schools had aspirations for moving up that will not be realized.
Utah Valley State College, for example, has long-standing plans to expand the number of baccalaureate programs it offers. "We have a lot of demand here (in Utah Valley)," said Elaine Englehardt, a vice president involved in student services. "It's disappointing that we won't be able to expand." The regents' decision puts any such plans on hold for the duration.
Dixie College in St. George also has been angling toward more baccalaureate degrees. Like UVSC, the school is responding to demand spurred by rapid population growth in their area.
The schools have expressed their discontent during the months-long debate, but with the outcome a foregone conclusion Friday, they had little comment.
Somewhere in the system, a prospective Utah student can find practically any program, from short-term quick job training to years-long programs leading to doctoral degrees. For students, the trick is to have clear objectives and to match the objectives to the right institution.
"This policy recognizes the changes in Utah's higher education demands and sets comprehensive missions and roles for the various institutions. We believe it reflects what is in the best interests of Utah's schools and its citizens," said Higher Education Commissioner Cecelia Foxley.
Changing demographics that increase the demands on higher education, coupled with the state's current economic stress, are forcing Utah System of Higher Education leaders to look for ways to make better use of the resources available. The demand for postsecondary education has outstripped the ability of the Utah Legislature to drum up taxpayer dollars to finance the system, throwing more of the burden on students through increased tuitions.
Though "rationing" is seen as a last resort, some of the schools are looking at limited enrollment as a last-gasp measure to prevent dilution to the point that quality is compromised. The University of Utah announced this spring that it will hold 2003-04 enrollment to this year's level.
The larger research institutions have limited access to some extent by raising admissions standards. Only those who take rigorous high school college-prep courses will make the cut at the U. or Utah State University. Other schools will continue to take students less well-prepared and offer remedial courses to fill preparation gaps. But as a practical matter, the inability of some students to get into needed courses as classes fill up has also limited enrollment.
For decades, there has been a mismatch between the jobs available in Utah and the higher education aspirations of students. Some 80 percent of the jobs do not require a baccalaureate-level college degree, but many of those jobs offer good salaries and a nice lifestyle.
The Utah College of Applied Technology was established to provide training that is more closely aligned with the realities of the job market. UCAT now offers associate degrees that are sufficient for job placement or a springboard to additional schooling within the state system. The degree programs have made technical training a more palatable option for many Utah families, said UCAT president Gregory Fitch. The UCAT offerings also allow students open entry and open exit and base advancement on "competency," providing some flexibility in reaching education objectives.
Utah's demographic peculiarities, with the bulk of the population along the Wasatch Front, also affect higher education choices. The prospects for getting into one of the colleges off the Front are better, but most of the "rural" colleges are residential campuses, increasing the costs for students.
A higher education Web site offers much more detail about the various units in the state system. It is at www.utahmentor.org.
E-MAIL: tvanleer@desnews.com