Committee raises 10 higher-education concepts for public hearing, including 90‑credit degree proposal

The Higher Education Employment Advancement Committee voted Feb. 17 to raise 10 proposed measures for public hearing, advancing a package that includes proposals on disciplinary-hearing advocates, an expanded debt-free community college program, permission for 90‑credit degree offerings and a plan to reestablish a veterinary training pipeline with the University of Connecticut.

Chair opened the meeting and said the 10-item package ‘‘should round out the balance of bills that this committee will be considering this year’’ and that the group planned to move the concepts into the public hearing phase after today’s action. The public hearing on the raised concepts is scheduled to begin at 12:30 p.m.

Why it matters: The group’s items include proposals that change student protections, financial aid coverage and program structure at public higher-education institutions. If advanced in public hearings and eventual legislation, several measures could alter degree pathways, institutional responsibilities and state funding obligations.

What was raised: Committee members reviewed short summaries of each concept before the voice vote. Highlights include:

• Advocates at disciplinary hearings: a proposal to require availability of advocates for respondents and complainants during institutional disciplinary proceedings at public colleges and universities.

• Debt-free community college expansion: a bill to expand the current debt-free community college program to include workforce development and continuing-education programs in addition to certificate programs.

• 90‑credit degree programs: a proposal to allow institutions to offer 90‑credit degree programs—programs between an associate’s and bachelor’s degree—so students would have a shorter, potentially lower-cost option. Representative Acker asked for clarification, saying she ‘‘hadn’t even heard of this before’’ and the chair said some states and institutions have begun to adopt such offerings.

• Veterans’ tuition waivers and state funding: a measure to allow children of veterans to use unused veterans’ tuition waivers and to require state funding to cover the fiscal impact at public institutions.

• Office of Workforce Strategy recommendations: statutory changes to implement workforce strategy recommendations affecting higher education.

• Problem gambling programs: a requirement for public institutions to provide on‑campus programs addressing problem gambling tied to college sports and other gambling activity.

• Veterinary training pipeline (Kirkland and Kerr): a plan to reestablish a reciprocal training arrangement for veterinarians through the University of Connecticut that would reserve slots at an out‑of‑state partner and use state funding to reduce tuition for Connecticut students. The chair said Connecticut ‘‘does not have a program to train people to be animal [health professionals]’’ in New England and recalled prior agreements with institutions such as Iowa or Iowa State to reserve slots for Connecticut applicants.

• Dual enrollment guidance: follow-up on last year’s bill to review dual-enrollment funding and provide guidance to encourage program development.

• State research fund: creation of a state-funded research grant program for Connecticut institutions.

• Expanded postsecondary benefits via DCF: a measure asking the Department of Children and Families to expand eligibility for postsecondary education benefits for certain youth.

Questions and context: Representative Acker asked specifically about the 90‑credit proposal; an unidentified committee member said several in‑state institutions are ‘‘very interested’’ in offering such programs and believe they need state approval to do so. On the veterinary pipeline, the chair emphasized the high capital costs of starting a veterinary school and presented the reciprocal‑slot approach as a lower‑cost alternative, noting startup costs for new veterinary schools can be extremely large (the chair cited ‘‘a quarter of $1,000,000,000’’ as an illustrative figure).

The formal action: Senator Slapp moved to raise the 10 concepts under agenda item 3; Representative Hackert seconded. The committee approved the motion by voice vote; the chair announced the motion passes. No roll-call tally was recorded in the transcript.

Next steps: The committee recessed and will begin the public hearing on the raised concepts at 12:30 p.m. for comment and further consideration.