N.H. public colleges outline restructuring as undergraduate enrollment falls

Chancellors and college presidents told the Public Higher Education Study Committee that falling undergraduate enrollment and intensifying competition in New England are forcing the University System and the Community College System to restructure operations, shrink physical footprints and look to joint programs to preserve access and financial sustainability.

At the hearing, University System Chancellor Catherine Provencher said the system plans “to take tens of millions of dollars out of the cost structure over the next five years” to remain sustainable as demographics reduce the pool of traditional residential students. She said the system office move to a community college campus will begin in the next few weeks and is expected to “save our students probably a quarter of a 1 million dollars a year and provide a revenue source for the community college system.”

Why it matters: the committee…