Bowling Green State University

WHAT DOES THE UNIVERSITY SYSTEM OF OHIO MEAN TO BGSU?

Governor Ted Strickland and Chancellor Eric Fingerhut have based their plans for the University System of Ohio on the belief that the economic vitality of the state is inseparably tied to the educational attainment of its citizens. Accordingly, the three primary goals of the system are to

• Graduate more students
• Keep more graduates in Ohio
• Attract more degree holders from out of state

DOLLARS FOLLOW SUCCESS

One area of impact already indentified is finance. Chancellor Eric Fingerhut’s 10-year strategic plan for higher education is built around some very specific goals, with numerous targets and accountability measures for meeting those goals. The state’s formula for funding higher education is changing, and will now be tied more closely to progress toward the plan’s benchmarks than to simple enrollment figures. This will affect our funding for fiscal year 2010-2011 and beyond. (See page 63 of the strategic plan: Aligning Funding Formulas and State Priorities)

Each university in the University System of Ohio must submit a report by November 30, 2008, approved by the Board of Trustees of the institution, that indicates which of the 20 accountability metrics/measures the university has selected in relation to its particular mission and the contribution it will make to the 10-year statewide master plan for higher education. Not all universities will be expected to contribute to the same statewide metrics/measures. For example, it is anticipated that the urban research universities will be expected to make a major contribution to technology transfer and research, whereas the four corner universities will make a major contribution to quality.

Therefore, whatever route BGSU takes to meeting the benchmarks of the 20 measures laid out in the master plan, it will be critical that it continues to make demonstrable progress toward the targets in the 20 accountability metrics/measures.

CHANGES UNDER WAY

Several initiatives of the chancellor will definitely be implemented at BGSU and will change to some degree the University’s processes. One is the Seniors to Sophomores program, and expansion of the Post Secondary Educational Options program. Under this plan, qualified high school seniors may spend their last senior years on a college campus, then enroll as sophomores in college. Other changes also affect BGSU’s budget, such as new scholarships created by the state and the directive to keep tuition affordable in order to increase access. Bowling Green’s challenge will be to steward its resources so that it can comply with the state requirements while maintaining its priorities and direction.