Study committee hears progress report on early-college growth, transfer pathways and operational collaborations

The Public Higher Education Study Committee received a status update on Feb. 28 from the chancellors of the state'level university and community college systems outlining progress on recommendations from a task force created by Governor Sununu.

The update focused on expanding early-college dual enrollment to reduce costs for students, efforts to create a direct-admit pipeline from community colleges and high schools into four-year programs, development of transfer-equivalency tools and pilots, the launch of several three-year applied bachelor'degree programs, and administrative collaborations including relocating the university system office to the New Hampshire Technical Institute campus.

The committee was told the state provided $2.5 million in the last biennium to underwrite early-college courses, which are offered at $150 per course in many high schools compared with roughly $645'$860 for the same credits on campus. "The benefit to students and families on a purely financial basis is significant," said Catherine Provencher, Chancellor of the University System, summarizing the funding and the programs' growth. Chancellors said students enrolled in roughly 54,000 early-college credits last year, and that state support produced what they described as a roughly five-to-one return on the investment.

Mark Rubinstein, Chancellor of the Community College System, described…