Board of Regents launches 2025 academic planning; partners to provide labor-market analysis and coaching

The Board of Regents opened its 2025 academic planning process March 21 in a webinar that outlined submission deadlines, review procedures and new technical assistance aimed at aligning degree programs with regional workforce needs. Janet Newhall, interim associate commissioner for academic affairs, led the session and said institutions must submit academic plans through their system office by Aug. 1 to meet the Regents’ review timeline.

Tristan Denley, who framed the state's approach to academic planning, said the initiative aims to coordinate degree portfolios across campuses and regions so credentials match labor-market needs. "By 2030, we're trying to get to 60% of our adult population having a credential of value," Denley said, arguing academic planning should prioritize programs that lead to durable career outcomes.

The Regents announced two technical-assistance partners funded by Arnold Ventures. Carlo Salerno, managing director of the Burning Glass Institute, described a "jobs that mobilize" analysis that will identify high-value, hard-to-fill regional occupations, typical feeder roles and the skills employers demand. Burning Glass will develop a tool to show demand, pay and feeder pathways so campuses can see how existing or modified programs align with those jobs. "We'll pull information from economic and education data, and work with the Board of Regents to add local context," Salerno said.

Disraeli Cruz of Education Strategy Group (ESG) outlined coaching and facilitation supports, including an all-day, in-person workshop in mid-May and a virtual June convening with regional partners. ESG will offer office hours and coaching between workshops to help institutions use labor-market findings in faculty and dean conversations about program design.

Janet Newhall reviewed Academic Affairs Policy 2.04 and the updated academic-plan template. Key timeline items: institutions must route plans through their system office; plans submitted to the Board of Regents are due Aug. 1; staff will conduct statewide review in August; and the Regents will consider plans at the Sept. 24 board meeting. Items listed in year 1 of the plan are the proposals campuses may submit between that September and the following July. New template features include tabs for planned new degree programs (year‑1 limit: four proposals unless otherwise justified), recently approved programs (replacing progress reports), a low-completer tab, termination and modality tabs, and a highlights tab to showcase strong programs.

During a question-and-answer period, an attendee asked whether Burning Glass's market snapshots include forecasting for tech roles and how long demand profiles will hold. Salerno said the project will provide some forward-looking projections and will incorporate on-the-ground pulse-taking to capture local developments, but cautioned that projections rely on the underlying data and local context. Denley added that institutions should coordinate with regional economic development offices to supplement data-driven analysis.

The webinar recording and slides will be shared with participants. Staff encouraged institutions to contact the Office of Academic Affairs with questions and to arrange follow-up meetings or coaching sessions ahead of the Aug. 1 submission deadline.