Ivy Tech, Indiana's Community College, Mulls Closing

[whenhen]

<p>From Inside Higher Ed
[Ivy</a> Tech mulls closures amid wide funding gap | Inside Higher Ed](<a href=“http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2013/06/28/ivy-tech-mulls-closures-amid-wide-funding-gap]Ivy”>http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2013/06/28/ivy-tech-mulls-closures-amid-wide-funding-gap)

Since it became Indiana’s statewide two-year college system in 2005, Ivy Tech Community College’s enrollment has grown by more than 60,000 students. Along the way the college has been called a national model for statewide efficiency and received praise for close ties to employers

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College officials say state funding has failed to keep pace with enrollment, which hit 166,000 students last year. The system is now wrestling with how to close a $68 million funding gap, including the possible closure of up to 20 of its 76 campus locations.

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Ivy Tech’s requested level of state support has long been $3,500 per student (the total cost of education per student is $4,665). Yet the state’s current contribution is $2,543, which is up from a $2,198 the previous year. Even before the recession, state funding did not reach Ivy Tech’s target levels.
In addition, the college receives little money from the state for its facilities. The system built or expanded 17 campuses without state support. And only 23 campuses receive capital funding, Snyder said

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To close the gap, Ivy Tech will soon raise tuition by $5 per credit hour. And, more painfully, the system is preparing a cost-benefit analysis for 50 of its locations. The Board of Trustees is mulling whether to close up to 20 campuses, which would be more than 25 percent of the system.

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<p>Thoughts? I’m not familiar with the way Indiana’s community college system is set up, but given how vital community colleges are to both traditional and non traditional learners in California, I’m tempted to say this is a very bad move for the state’s economy and the general population.</p>

<p>Also sorry for the misleading title. It should read, “Ivy Tech, Indiana’s Community College System, Mulls Closing Some of its Campuses” but I can’t edit the title after submitting a new thread.</p>

[Erin_s_Dad]

<p>It looks like the changes they are looking at (cost increases and closing down some campuses) may be the best way ahead.</p>

[ksm]

<p>Tough to justify those 5% graduation rates</p>

[sryrstress]

<p>S2 attended Ivy Tech. From posts on Cal’s cc system, I’m going to guess Indiana’s isn’t much like it or some states were it works very well. IMO, Ivy Tech works ok for some programs - nursing, welding, auto mechanic, etc. For those wanting to transfer to a state 4 year school–not so much…at all. It is anything but seamless. Many of the classes don’t transfer at all.</p>

<p>Ivy Tech is cheap. I don’t see an increase of $5/hr as much of an imposition. The article is correct. The school has grown a great deal. Indiana is a rust-belt manufacturing state. Our unemployment rate has been high the last 5 years. Many of the students were in school because they were on unemployment. S2 was no stellar student and he felt many there were just biding time and collecting uc instead of job hunting.</p>

<p>Some of his profs were good. Most profs are adjuncts. Indiana has 92 counties. If they close all those (they won’t), 56 campuses will remain. That’s more than one every 2 counties. Distance to attend still wouldn’t be a problem.</p>

<p>Ivy Tech fills a niche, but they need to do a much better job transitioning students who wish to complete a BS and 4 year degree. I would almost never recommend a student a student pursue this path through this school.</p>

[MizzBee]

<p>The school has worked hard in the last couple of years to set up transfer plans with the state’s private colleges as well, but it is not working. In our area, Ivy Tech is not the place for students to attend when they live at home. Instead, they look to IU and Purdue satellite campuses.
Ivy Tech could do a better job working with employers to create training programs for the technical jobs. Perhaps better partnerships with the local four-year programs could help them.</p>