OCR Text |
Show HIGHER EDUCATION COUNCIL ... Coordination should be strengthened By Suzanne Dean Staff Writer The Utah Coordinating Council on Higher Education Monday recommended that a strengthened state education council be formed but that existing University governing boards be retained. By a 6-3 vote, the Council rejected a proposal to establish a single board to govern all Utah colleges. Explaining his view on the controversial governance issue, Council Chairman Peter W. Billings said a move toward a single governing board "would be a more radical step than now appears necessary." i, "If it were 1896 and we were just starting to set up a system for coordinating higher education, I would consider an all-powerful Joard. But this is 1968, we have 'U years of history behind us, and individual boards are facts." The vote of the Council ran counter to recommendations for a single-board system made by the Utah Legislative Council, the Utah Citizen's Advisory Committee, and the council's own subcommittee on government. Moreover, Council director Merle Allen reported that University President James C. Fletcher and Board of Regents Chairman Don C. Holbrook also supported the single-board proposal. However, the majority of officials from the state's smaller institutions had indicated support for a strengthened coordinating council. Council members voting in favor of the single-board idea were Daniel L. Berman, Conley Watts and Charles E. Peterson. "The history of duplication, proliferation and drift in the state is appalling," said Mr. Berman. 4. It would pass on admission and graduation standards. Draft legislation has also been, prepared to place Utah's three junior colleges, Dixie College, Snow College, and the College of Eastern Utah under a single junior college governing board. Meanwhile, under current plans, the state's vocational and technical schools would remain under the jurisdiction of the state board of education. In other action at Monday's meeting, the Council approved standards for considering new programs requests from individual colleges. The Council agreed that such requests would have to be submitted by Nov. 15 if the programs were to be studied and acted upon in time for fall quarter of 1969. The council also set Nov. 7 and 8 for hearings on institution budgets for the 1970 fiscal year. '"ngs said a single board cu d not fill the same role as bos ting community support for ocal colleges, and that under such board, the affairs of smaller wools might be neglected. J that a single board 2 a PtSweepin5 Policies that would limit student involvement "Q academic freedom without yl'!!g,int0 count the duality of each school. B'"ngs said however, that over difnct taSr r15 thHe rst would k coordination that u; u assuring the taxpayers t education in Utah is so th3t We the highest vailablePgramS With the means power t t0rward would be the Plan if n. lmPlement the master i t fai'ed, even the most - toncerip ?pponent wouW have to ' He contended that the demands of higher education seriously challenge Utah's abilities and swift implementation of public policies is needed to meet the challenge. "A two-tiered governing system can only be the source of potential conflict between powerful local boards and a powerful state agency," he said. A strengthened coordinating council as outlined In tentative draft legislation would have among its powers authority to do the following: 1. It would establish, maintain and implement an up-to-date master plan for higher education. 2. It would control finances. 3. it would approve or reject any new department, research or degree program before such a program could be implemented by an institution. |