2009 Nebraska Community College Study

Working on

Introduction
Prompted by the dispute over the state funding formula for Community Colleges, Nebraska State Legislature is asking Nebraska Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education to conduct a study (Law LB340) with the following 5 major objective:

1. The need for changes to the statutory role and mission of Nebraska community colleges;
2. Changes in the weighting of courses that may be necessary for reimbursable educational units to properly reflect the role and mission of Nebraska community colleges and the cost of providing such courses;
3. Powers, duties, and mission of the Nebraska Community College Association or its successor and whether membership in such an association should be required;
4. Consequences for failing to satisfy current community college association membership requirements contained in section 85-1502; and
5. State coordination of community colleges in the absence of a community college association or membership therein.

Basic information and tentative schedules are available on the CCPE Project Site. The first public event is the public hearing on June 18, 2009.

We understand that in order for public to provide sensible input, information about Nebraska Community Colleges are very important and we are here to provide assistant on this.

Background information
CCPE reports

• Factual Look - Enrollment, Completions and Faculty Salaries
• Progress Report - Retention Rates, Graduation Rates
  
• Budget Report - College Fundings
  

Nebraska Department of Labor

• Graduate Outcomes in Nebraska - Employment of College Graduates
  

Nebraska Community College Association Site

• History
• Funding Formula History

Weighting of courses (REU - Reimbursable educational units) for state reimbursement

• State Funding for Community Colleges - from Community College Policy web site
  
• Kansas Study - From Metro's web site
  

Mission of Community Colleges

• Hudson County (CA) Community College Mission Survey
  

Survey Form

National Center for Education Statistics - Higher Education

• Data Center
  

List of Higher Education Sites

• CCPE Research Links (Login as guest)
  

Every crises is an opportunity.

Do we have enough input from community? Do we serve the local need? Are we running things effectively? How should we build the dynamics into the system so the system will grow when the need changes. What is the role of the state and what is the role of the community?

In general, state should look at a state's fair and provides incentives. Local communities should look at their benefits and decides what is the best movement for them.