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1F8B68BC1E37BE4D87258664006CCBF3 Hearing Summary




PUBLIC
BILL SUMMARY For SMART ACT HEARING FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION

JOINT COMMITTEE COMMITTEE ON JOINT EDUCATION
Date Jan 21, 2021      
Location Old State Library



SMART Act Hearing for the Department of Higher Education - Committee Discussion Only
12:51:17 PM  
Dr. Angie Paccione,
Executive Director of the Colorado Department of Higher Education (DHE),
introduced herself and began her presentation.  She spoke about the
organizational structure of the department and the types and locations
of the various institutions of higher education across the state, which
include two-year and four-year public institutions, private institutions,
private occuptional schools, and Area Technical Colleges.
12:55:14 PM  
Vanecia Kerr, representing
the Colordo Commission on Higher Education (CCHE), spoke about the Colorado
Rises Master Plan and the goals and focus of the pla, as well as how CCHE
plans to reach the goals and benchmark success moving forward.  She
spoke about how DHE and CCHE work together.
01:00:10 PM  
Dr. Paccione spoke
about the 66 percent credential attainment goal by 2025 and the department's
strategic goals: increase credential completion rates, improve student
success, and erase equity gaps. She discussed high-demand credentials in
the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) field and a decline
in educator preparation credentials. She discussed ways in which the department
is working to increase credential completion, including apprenticeship
programs, concurrent enrollment, Colorado Opportunity Scholarship Initiative
(COSI), and the New Collegiate Apprenticeship Program, which is funded
by a federal grant and instrustry partners in healthcare and IT fields.
01:13:14 PM  
Dr. Paccione spoke
about equity gaps in higher education, and what is currently working in
terms of closing the gap, including COSI and the Equity Champions Coalition.
 She answered questions from the committee.  Dr. Paccione spoke
about the higher education funding formula and about equity, diversity,
and inclusion.
01:27:48 PM  
Dr. Paccione continued
to speak about how to improve student succes and the need to commit to
affordability and innovation.  She showed a diagram of the department's
roadmap to containing college costs.  She talked about Open Educational
Resources (OER), which is a grant programto help students cover the cost
of textbooks.  She discussed the department's Wildly Important Goals
(WIGs) which are: increase institutions that have an institutional equity
action plan, focus on work-based learning, and increase post-secondary
affordability.
01:35:33 PM  
Dr. Paccione talked
about the department's budget, which is mainly comprised of operating support
to institutions and student financial aid.  Dr. Paccione answered
questions from the committee.
01:43:11 PM  
Dr. Paccione continued
to answer questions from the committee.  Jason Schrock, Chief Finance
Officer for DHE, answered questions from the committee.  Dr. Paccione
and Mr. Schrock discussed the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on higher
education and the department.






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