Higher education recommendations approved

• By JORDAN BLUM
• Published: Nov 17, 2009 - UPDATED: 12:10 p.m.

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A state higher education review panel Tuesday morning approved recommendations that could scale back the degree offerings at Louisiana’s regional universities.

The Louisiana Postsecondary Education Review Commission also voted to recommend that the state not fund associate degree programs at universities any more than two-year degrees at community colleges.

The recommendations were submitted by commission members Jim Wharton, a former LSU chancellor, and state Senate Education Committee Chairman Ben Nevers, respectively.

Wharton’s unanimously approved motions were to:

1.  Require the state’s higher education oversight body – the Board of Regents – to review the role, scope and mission of colleges to eliminate or minimize “mission creep.” That creeping involves colleges going beyond their basic missions, such as regional undergraduate universities offering to many doctoral and master’s degrees.
2. Require the Regents and college management boards to review and eliminate more duplicative academic programs and to reduce “excess hours” required in academic programs to graduate.
3. Require the Regents to consider program quality, state workforce needs, completion rates and other factors in the program reviews. The motion also would make the Regents complete annual update report on such activities for the governor and legislative leaders.

Commission Chairman Nevers, D-Bogalusa, then offered the approved motion that would require “uniform” funding for associate degree programs statewide.