BOG examines changes at other state universities

The UNC system is widely regarded as one of the most prestigious university systems in the nation.

But as members of the system’s Board of Governors learned Wednesday, the state’s public universities might have some catching up to do as they prepare for the future.

Kristin Conklin, founding partner of the education advocacy firm HCM Strategists, provided overviews of other universities’ strategic planning initiatives at the board’s monthly meeting.

The board has appointed a committee to develop its own five-year strategic plan, which aims to maximize efficiency and better prepare students for the global workforce. The committee plans to have a report for the board in January.

Conklin said public universities nationwide are adjusting to the “new normal” of declining state support due to the recent recession. And the economy likely won’t improve anytime soon, with an uptick in state revenues not expected until 2014, she said.

The climate of scarce resources and stubbornly high unemployment — 53.6 percent of bachelor’s degree holders younger than 25 were jobless or underemployed in 2011 — has prompted many universities to focus on the skills craved by employers.

But that doesn’t mean schools have abandoned their liberal arts missions, Conklin said.

“The skills and knowledge of a liberal arts education are what employers value,” she said.

While stressing the importance of critical thinking and analytical skills among students, universities in Virginia and Georgia have also begun linking their degree attainment goals with workforce needs.

Similar changes will aid the UNC system in becoming more efficient and effective, Conklin said.

“You need to couple (a liberal arts focus) with a steely eye for fiscal reality,” she said.

Randy Woodson, chancellor of N.C. State University, said the university is seeking to strengthen its liberal arts offerings — though more than half of the university’s students are enrolled in science, technology or engineering disciplines.

“A lot of people’s immediate idea about N.C. State is that it’s a big science and technology and engineering university — and that’s true. But our second largest college is humanities and social sciences,” he said.

The board’s Educational Planning, Policies and Programs committee also discussed the challenges faced by student veterans.

After recent changes, the Post-9/11 GI Bill now only covers in-state tuition costs for out-of-state veterans.

Kimrey Rhinehardt, vice president for federal relations for the system, said state legislators could act on the proposal despite an estimated cost of at least $7 million.

“It’s a matter of will at this point,” she said.

Contact the desk editor at state@dailytarheel.com.