Higher Education Coordinating Committee September 11, 2015 Conference Call 10:00 a.m. 12:00 p.m. Members present Tom Kuntz Marshall Criser Curtis Austin Ken Burke Ed Moore Susan Pareigis Madeline Pumariega Dehryl McCall for Chris Hart Nancy Stephens for Al Stimac Introductory Comments Chair Tom Kuntz reminded the Council that there are only three more meetings in preparation for a final vote on the Annual Report by the end of 2015. He expressed some frustration that the HECC isn t farther along in the process; the report recommendations are not as specific as desired and are not yet agreed to by the Council. For the final report, only those recommendations that are of substance should be included. After today s meeting, members should submit to Diane and Matt, within two weeks, suggested narrative and recommendations so the HECC can have draft document for the October 6, 2015, meeting. Meeting Minutes for August 13, 2015 Susan Pareigis presented two amendments relating to comments during the student internship project regarding TEAm grants and a point by Marshall Criser relating to the metric of business vs. student participation. Ken Burke moved that approval be deferred to the October 6 meeting, Ed Moore seconded. Approval of the minutes will be deferred to the next meeting. Ed Moore remarked that some of these HECC items require a lot of conversation in detail. On a conference call it is hard to have these in-depth conversations. Tom Kuntz agreed and explained that the conference call was about dialogue, not about voting or resolution on these issues Recommendation # 4: The legislature should continue to align, prioritize and incentivize education funding to better meet Florida s industry talent needs through the use of the best available labor market intelligence and industry data. Dehryl McCall of CareerSource Florida offered the following recommendation from Chris Hart: We recommend the state of Florida act immediately to improve its data-collection and datasharing methods among education, workforce and economic development entities to enhance quality, access to and use of Supply Demand Analytics for skilled trade occupations (from welders to accountants to physicians, as examples) better positioning Florida s talent development systems to respond to existing, emerging and evolving labor market demands. 1
An important first step to achieving the intent of this recommendation would be the convening of Quarterly Data Meetings among all HECC-member entities as well as other relevant state entities, including but not limited to the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, the Florida Education and Training Placement Information Program (FETPIP) and the Florida Office of Economic & Demographic Research, to identify available data, new data and/or datasharing opportunities that would improve individual and collective efforts to better meet the talent needs of Florida industries and existing policies or data-collection processes that create unnecessary barriers to enhanced data sharing and analyses, all leading to the design of an optimal data framework from which Florida may approach Labor Market Supply Demand Analytics. Dehryl McCall explained that CareerSource Florida has reevaluated the data portal to make it more flexible for users it was too difficult to agree to one particular methodology. Further, at the most recent data sharing meeting, a major accomplishment to get these partners together, it was discovered that some entitles had data that other entities did not even know about. It is important to use the best data available for Florida talent needs. Ken Burke was concerned that the recommendation indicates that we need to improve data collection and sharing. The issue does not seem to be with data collection, Florida collects a great deal of data, but perhaps the issue is only in sharing. Rod Lewis of CareerSource Florida offered an example of a data collection issue: there is no easy way to match jobs to SOC codes. To be able to create and collect that data would represent a huge improvement. Ed Moore agreed and explained that we have all these different areas where data is captured it is more of a need to understand what is already being done. It would serve the Legislature better if we provided them with what Florida is already doing, and then explain the new project with CareerSource Florida and here are gaps to be filled. Also, Ed Moore asked if we talking about every degree and occupation, or better served narrowing down and picking 20 critical employment needs or gaps in capacity. This is a good initiative, but perhaps start with a narrow focus and have larger effort in 2016. Tom Kuntz was concerned that the recommendation is not really specific. What exactly are we saying needs to be improved? What needs to be improved in data sharing? Who is responsible for this process? Marshall Criser added that the work from the Commission on Access and Attainment was not narrow, but included all undergraduate degrees. But from the outcomes of study there was a prioritizing of degrees based on gaps. A process must not focus only on certain items where the study would end up proving the focus, but have data drive a study on gaps. Curtis Austin remarked about the data sharing meetings: Since this is to the Legislature what will these meetings mean? We need to say what the meetings are for, or the Legislature may decide the goals of these meetings. Tom Kuntz addressed the recommendation by saying that he would rather be overly specific rather than so broad that there is no accountability. 2
Ed Moore remarked that this project should include more narrative that describes the gaps and problems and lack of coordination. Susan Pareigis requested that there be some metrics on dollars to reduce duplication of data efforts and on outcomes. Recommendation #1: Continue to encourage and support all education sectors in defining key performance metrics to align with statewide higher education policy and fiscal goals, recognizing that performance benchmarks might differ by delivery sector and program. This motion was approved at the June meeting. Marshall Criser added that the conversation has been updated with the metrics approved for the Florida College System. Recommendation #2: Broaden its commitment to seamless articulation pathways by incentivizing higher education institutions to increase the number and proportion of transfer students receiving credit towards their intended program of study always keeping in mind issues of accreditation and quality. Ed Moore described the process for this project there is a lot of narrative in the PowerPoint presentation, which is largely finished. Now the focus is on the recommendations. The intent for the recommendations is to have a small paragraph in front of each recommendation with reasons behind the recommendation. Members will then be asked for feedback regarding these or new recommendations. There was some added material on associate in science degrees and career and technical education. This is complex, and it is going to take a lot of conversation because it is so varied. But we ve found that market is already responding to a large degree in critical needs areas (criminal justice, education, nursing). Marshall Criser remarked that he has been engaged in a tutorial to understand differences between associate in arts, associate in science and certificate programs. The AA is designed as pathways to the baccalaureate, but not all AS are designed for that pathway. But where do we perceive the problems? The focus should be on those areas that are intended to be pathways rather than those that are not designed to the baccalaureate, but to a license or certificate and employment. Ed Moore explained that most AS degrees were designed as terminal degrees. Some degrees like paralegal, culinary arts, landscaping these don t translate into the baccalaureate. Many of the courses in an AS degree would not transfer to baccalaureate degree. Ken Burke agreed these pathways should make it more friendly for person with an AS degree to earn a bachelor s degree. He agreed that we should look at those AS degrees that are most suited to transfer to a baccalaureate degree. Curtis Austin praised the work of this project. This is complex, and Ed Moore s process has been rigorous and inclusive. 3
Susan Pareigis also thanked Ed Moore these are difficult issues, but we are moving forward to target certain areas. We just want to make sure we provide the most options for students. Ed Moore explained that they will go through and look at the recommendations to find areas for improvement. They will restructure the PowerPoint into narrative for the report. Ken Burke asked if the HECC would be voting on each recommendation or by groupings. Ed Moore explained that perhaps there can be groupings, or to start with noncontroversial items and then circle back to more controversial ones. For the report the HECC can also group recommendations into groupings by target audience (Legislature, Department of Education, Articulation Coordinating Committee, etc.) Recommendation #3: Expand incentives to promote collaboration between the business community and the education system, utilizing our higher education assets as a component of our economic development activities. Susan Pareigis explained that there is in this recommendation a certain lack of specificity, but that it was determined that we can t select a vendor who would do the work of an internship portal. She proposed two new recommendations: 1.) The HECC recommends to the Governor and the Legislature that the State University System and the Florida College System be required to annually report, by institution, the number of students who were placed in internships by their career centers and completed those internships. 2.) The HECC recommends to the Governor and the Legislature that the Department of Education be required to annually report, by school district, the number of educators who were placed in, and completed, private-sector externships. Marshall Criser agreed that if we really believe in this that we go ahead and do this it is the right direction. Madeline Pumariega agreed this is the right direction. This is a joint and shared responsibility between industry and postsecondary institutions. The issue is how to build strong industry partnerships in paid and unpaid internships. Susan Pareigis also introduced motions relating to an internship and externship web portal. 3.) The HECC recommends to the Governor and the Legislature that there be one common website listing all student internships relating to the State University System and Florida College System. Career centers and all other relevant offices at SUS and FCS institutions shall provide student and employer access to their internships listings via the website. Private postsecondary institutions in Florida shall be encouraged to provide student and employer access to their internships listings via the website. Employers shall be encouraged to post internship listings directly on the website. 4
At a minimum, internship listings shall be searchable by degree program and geographic location. The website shall also enable students to communicate directly with employers and post profiles that can be searched and found by employers seeking interns. 4.) The HECC further recommends that the website also serve as a common website listing all teacher externships relating to Florida s public school districts. District human resource offices and all other relevant school district offices shall provide student and employer access to their externship listings via the website. Private elementary and secondary institutions in Florida shall be encouraged to provide teacher and employer access to their externships listings via the website. Employers shall be encouraged to post externship listings directly on the website. At a minimum, externship listings shall be searchable by subject. Curtis Austin asked if any student in the state could access this website. Susan Pareigis explained that, yes, it would be open to everyone. Specificity in the language is to make sure there is participation by FCS and SUS. Curtis Austin also asked about how to know if a student has directly contacted employer, to capture those interactions. Susan Pareigis answered that there would be an employer form to make sure that is communicated back to institution typically for those for credit. But this is not just for internships that are credit bearing; it is for all internships paid/unpaid, credit/no credit. Ed Moore remarked that existing websites are not utilized. There is a concern with website sprawl, and that we don t add to the proliferation. The issue is how to get these utilized and advertised. Susan answered that the government is funding these websites and duplicative career centers. This is not to add to but to provide another forum for this information. If metrics are tied to this, then it may really push forward. Tom Kuntz asked if we are deferring on who owns this. Who is going to create and own this common website? Marshall Criser remarked that the policy objective is that all Florida students be able to access all Florida employers, and that all Florida employers access all Florida students. There should be a hub that facilitates that. Is there something new that needs to be created or can existing resources be tied together? It could be one site to connect many other sites. Also, what is the capacity of existing portals, like ExpertNet? Can we look at whether this is a hub to connect existing data or are we starting from scratch? Susan Pareigis responded that the HECC is not in the business of designing and building the web portal. The HECC is concerned with the policy portion. Tom Kuntz asked why can t the HECC recommend that one particular entity (e.g., the FCS or SUS) should be designated to be responsible for this common website. Madeline Pumariega responded that the policy direction is the right one, but implementation needs to have a deeper dive. 5
Ken Burke asked about accessing existing, even national, sources. Susan Pareigis responded that the HECC should be hesitant to recommend one entity to do this; the point is to have one access point Madeline Pumariega stated that the Florida College System would be glad to take a closer look at this issue existing resources and national mechanisms that could be leveraged for Florida. Tom Kuntz responded that the motion may be revised to note that the two Chancellors will work together to determine a final recommendation by some date. Both Chancellor Criser and Chancellor Pumariega agree to do this to work together to define process to connect all Florida students to all Florida employers. Ed Moore added that ICUF would be happy to work on this as well. Ken Burke warned that while this is the right direction, perhaps having our own website may not be the way to go. Susan Pareigis responded that the motion should not mandate that the Chancellors have to go in that direction. Susan Pareigis then transitioned to teacher externships. The intent is to have the DOE take this up, and have ownership for recommendations. This is complicated that currently the HECC does not have a State Board of Education member. Tom Kuntz agreed that this recommendation should be presented to the DOE leadership for comment. Madeline Pumariega offered that the FCS may be able to collect some data about a summer project for teachers in STEM areas to do summer externships. Susan Pareigis then asked if there anything to share on the BOG presentation on the Johnson Scholarship assistance for student with special needs; it is part of the BOG budget request. Marshall Criser responded that the dollars are pending any matching grant. There has not been a discussion about if the match were restarted what would be the approach for expending the funds. The BOG is still considering what this would mean for expending funds in alignment with institution priorities. Next Meetings Chair Kuntz announced that the next meeting of the HECC is on October 6 at the Florida Virtual Campus location in Innovation Park in Tallahassee. The November 10 meeting is in the Turlington (Department of Education) Building in Tallahassee. 6