MUS UPDATE
Update to
The Montana Board of Regents
June 16, 2008
- Members of the Making Opportunity Affordable state team returned from a two day academy in North Carolina. The full team will be meeting throughout the summer to develop a vision and strategic plan for 2-year education in the Montana University System.
- A number of interim legislative committees met in recent weeks. Highlights to some of the meetings include:
- Legislative Finance Committee (subcommittee on Education) received an update on the Transferability Initiative and its performance measures.
- The Dental Study Group (subcommittee of PEPB) recommended increasing dental student slots in the professional student exchange program (i.e. WICHE/MN Dental).
- Post Secondary Education Policy and Budget (PEPB) reviewed MUS budget initiatives, discussed 2-year education strategic directions, and approved an updated set of shared policy goals.
- Education and Local Government approved a joint resolution to recommend establishing a community college in the Bitterroot Valley. The resolution will be acted on in the upcoming legislative session.
- The interim legislative committee on Economic Affairs will hold its next meeting on the MSU Bozeman campus. The meeting, scheduled for July 17 – 18, will include one full day dedicated to an interim study of research and commercialization in Montana. The committee will tour research facilities, observe field studies, and hear for students, researchers, and spinoff companies.
- With the continued interest in student loan issues at the federal level, Sheila Stearns, Mick Robinson, Bruce Marks, and Ron Muffick will provide briefings to the Montana Congressional delegation regarding the purpose and activities of the Montana Guaranteed Student Loan Program (MGSLP). The briefings are scheduled for June 25th.
- MGSLP operates under federal regulation with federal funds to guarantee student loans that are made by private lenders to higher education students in Montana. MGSLP purchases, from lenders, student loans that are in default, collects the outstanding balance from the defaulted loans for repayment to the US Department of Education, and provides training and technical assistance to schools and lenders. In addition, the GSL program also provides counseling and assistance programs to students in an effort to prevent loan defaults.
- In terms of number of employees, the MGSLP accounts for one-half of the employees in the Office of the Commissioner. MGSLP does not receive any state funds to perform its duties. It is funded entirely with federal funds, the amount of which is based on MGSLP student loan activity levels.
