MUS UPDATE
Biweekly Update to
The Montana Board of Regents
April 14, 2008
- Meritorious high school seniors across the state received notice of MUS Honor Scholarship awards. Out of the 260 students deemed eligible for the scholarship, it is expected 200 students will accept the awards. The scholarships, based on ACT/SAT and high school class rank, cover the cost of tuition at MUS institutions for up to four years. (BOR Policy 501.1)
- The Making Opportunity Affordable grant program, sponsored by the Lumina Foundation and Jobs for the Future, selected Montana as one of ten states to participate in the program. This is an opportunity for leaders in higher education, K-12, private industry, the legislature, and the executive branch to work together to identify avenues for developing a more coordinated approach to the two-year educational delivery system.
- Governor Schweitzer called a meeting of the Interagency Coordinating Council (ICC) on April 1 to launch a statewide effort to focus on underage and binge drinking. The Council is comprised of heads of ten different state agencies, including OCHE, Justice, Health and Human Services, OPI, Corrections, Labor and Industry and the Board of Crime Control.
- The Campus Advisory Council (MUS leaders and commissioner’s staff) met on April 8 in Helena. The group discussed and provided feedback on a variety of issues, including: campus energy conservation, disaster preparedness and mitigation, common course numbering, and upcoming interim legislative committee meetings.
- Dr. Bill Macgregor, Director of the Transfer Initiative, recently visited several tribal colleges including Salish Kootenai College, Blackfeet Community College, and Fort Belknap Community College, to clarify the goals and processes involved in the Initiative. Dr. Macgregor encouraged leaders at these campuses to adopt the block transfer procedures specified by MUS General Education Transfer Policy to help ensure that tribal college students receive equal treatment when transferring. (BOR Policy 301.10)
- The MHESAC Board met on Tuesday, April 8th. Discussions focused on the student loan industry and related business conditions, as well as the impact on MHESAC. Jim Stipcich, the chief executive officer of the Student Assistance Foundation, reported that bonds sold in December 2007 will provide funding for Montana student loans in the fall of 2008. However, the unease in credit markets for any debt, even asset-backed guaranteed student loans, is a troubling development. The Board also reviewed recommendations from the Board of Regents Student Loan Taskforce and agreed to bring forward action steps to address those recommendations at its June meeting.
If you have any questions or would like more information related to the above topics, contact:
Tyler Trevor
MUS Associate Commissioner
444-0307
