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What's New at the DHE
Commissioner Freeland responds to constituent question on financial aid
The Governor's Office recently asked Commissioner Freeland to respond to a constituent question regarding FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) procedures. View the question and the Commissioner's response in this YouTube video:
Board Meeting: November 10, 2009
The Board of Higher Education met on November 10, 2009. Among the Board's business was:
- Approval of the FY2011 Higher Education Budget Request (.PDF)
- Presentation on the Commonwealth Dual Enrollment Program (.PPT: 1.5MB)
All motions from this meeting, as well as prior meetings, are available in the Policy and Report Library.
Board Meeting: October 6, 2009
The Board of Higher Education met on October 6, 2009. Among the Board's business was:
- Commissioner Freeland presented his proposal for A Vision for Higher Education in Massachusetts:
- Staff made reports regarding trends in enrollment and updates on financial aid:
All motions from this meeting, as well as prior meetings, are available in the Policy and Report Library.
Statement on the passing of Senator Edward M. Kennedy
Senator Kennedy speaks after accepting the Public Higher Education Leadership Award from the Friends of Public Higher Education in Boston on April 4, 2008. Photo courtesy of FAYFOTO/Boston.
"With deep gratitude and admiration for Senator Edward Kennedy, we join the outpouring of respect from all over the Commonwealth, the country, and the world. As we mark this sad day in history, we reflect on the Senator's own words: 'For all those whose cares have been our concern, the work goes on, the cause endures, the hope still lives, and the dream shall never die.' His passionate commitments to increasing opportunity for all to achieve a higher education and a better quality of life, the integrity with which he approached his work, and, above all, his untiring dedication to public service have inspired and will inspire our work always. We will do our best to continue the work he so effectively advanced."
—Charles F. Desmond, Chairman, Massachusetts Board of Higher Education, and
Richard M. Freeland, Commissioner, Massachusetts Department of Higher Education
New MassTransfer website launched
On August 24, the Department of Higher Education launched a website 
dedicated to the new MassTransfer policy. MassTransfer seeks to provide a broad population of students with straightforward and understandable options toward the completion of associate and baccalaureate degrees, clearing the way for student access and student success in Massachusetts' public higher education system.
The policy was recommended in the Final Report from the Commonwealth Transfer Advisory Group, which was accepted by the Board of Higher Education in 2008.
Students matriculating in fall 2009, as well as currently enrolled students, may accumulate courses leading toward completion of MassTransfer. The policy benefits apply to students who plan to transfer for the fall 2010 semester or later.
Board Meeting: June 4, 2009
The Board of Higher Education met on June 4, 2009. Among the Board's business was:
- Approval of new academic programs at:
- Presentation (.PPT) on degrees conferred during the previous academic year (2007-08), including detail on trends in degrees conferred by discipline area, race/ethnicity, and other factors.
All motions from this meeting, as well as prior meetings, are available in the Policy and Report Library.
Board Meeting: April 30, 2009
The Board of Higher Education met on April 30, 2009. Among the Board's business was:
- Approval of new academic programs at:
- Presentations on the 2008 performance reports of Massachusetts' two public special-mission colleges, Massachusetts Maritime Academy and Massachusetts College of Art and Design, as well as MassArt's 2004–2009 pilot Partnership with the Commonwealth, which has allowed MassArt greater flexibility and autonomy with its mission and operations.
- Discussion of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, also known as the federal stimulus bill. (The Department's website will be updated soon with the latest information on the stimulus funding.)
All motions from this meeting, as well as prior meetings, are available in the Policy and Report Library.
Commissioner Freeland testifies before Joint Committee on Higher Education
On March 23, the Joint Committee on Higher Education, with newly appointed chairs, Senator Anthony Galluccio and Representative David Torrisi, held the first of four oversight hearings to hear testimony from the primary leaders in public higher education. Commissioner Richard Freeland offered testimony, providing a broad definition of the public higher education system and outlining the current areas of focus for the Department of Higher Education, as well as long-term goals for higher education.
Current areas of focus outlined by the Commissioner include better coordination with the systems of K-12 and early education to improve college readiness, efforts to increase affordability of higher education, and improved alignment of public higher education programs with the Commonwealth's workforce needs. Longer-term goals include greater financial support from the state for public higher education and financial aid, as well as enhanced integration and coordination within and among each segment of the public system and between the public system and private institutions.
Text of Commissioner's testimony
Governor Patrick swears in Richard Freeland as Commissioner of Higher Education
Photo courtesy of Office of Governor Deval Patrick
On February 26, Governor Deval Patrick swore in Richard M. Freeland as the new Commissioner of Higher Education for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Board of Higher Education Chair Charles Desmond and Education Secretary Paul Reville joined the Governor and representatives from more than 40 higher education institutions from around New England, including President Elsa Nunez of Eastern Connecticut State University, Commissioner Freeland’s wife.
“Dr. Freeland’s accomplishments are rooted in patience and a leadership style for the long-term that focused on making Northeastern a high-quality, student-centered, and practice-oriented university,” said Governor Patrick at the ceremony. “Today, I am asking him to expand that same vision to the Commonwealth’s higher education system as a whole.”
The ceremony took place at Framingham State College.
Text of Commissioner's remarks
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