Welcome to the Business Journal Archives
Search for articles below, or continue to the all new BusinessJournalDaily.com now.
Search
Commission Calls for Ohio to Make Strategic Investments in Higher Ed
COLUMBUS, Ohio --The Ohio Commission on Higher Education and the Economy today provided Gov. Bob Taft with a blueprint for the state's collection of colleges and universities to transform Ohio's economy.The commission, established by Taft to recommend ways to maximum return on the state's investment in higher education, concluded Ohio must provide more Ohioans with advanced education and training, and invest in college- and university-based research to create more jobs. "For Ohio to be economically competitive in today's knowledge- and innovation-based economy, we must invest more strategically in the state's colleges and universities," said Richard W. Pogue, former managing partner of Jones Day and chair of the Commission on Higher Education and the Economy. "The focus of those investments must be to produce more highly educated, highly skilled workers, and invest in college- and university-based research that generates the scientific breakthroughs and technological innovations that will create jobs and strengthen the competitiveness of Ohio business and industry."The commission's 68-page report -- Building on Knowledge, Investing in People: Higher Education and the Future of Ohio's Economy -- contains nine recommendations in four broad areas. They include the following:Energize business leadership. The commission calls for the establishment of a private sector-led Ohio Business Alliance for Higher Education & the Economy. The alliance would serve as a catalyst, mediator and advocate for an enhanced and more strategic role for Ohio's colleges and universities as contributors to the state's economic growth.Provide more Ohioans with the knowledge and skills to succeed. The commission sets a goal of increasing college and university enrollment by 30% over the next decade.Recommendations call for actions that will increase awareness of the value of higher education; raise aspirations for learning beyond high school; improve academic preparation at all levels, especially in science and mathematics; and reduce the financial barriers to higher education. The report also calls for changes that would remove the barriers that prevent students of all ages from moving among Ohio's colleges and other providers of workforce development services.Strengthen higher education's research base. The commission calls for actions to build higher education's capacity to conduct and participate in cutting-edge basic and applied research, particularly in areas defined by Ohio's Third Frontier program. The commission also calls for policy changes that help businesses and entrepreneurs turn university-based research into technology-driven products, processes and services that reach and create jobs.Strengthen accountability. The commission calls for a series of changes designed to strengthen higher education's accountability for delivering value for state investments and for contributing to economic growth. Central to the thinking in this area is the call for a "compact" among state government, higher education, and the business community that will help Ohio achieve the goals of better educating more Ohioans and enhancing the quality and competitiveness of university-based research and technology transfer and commercialization.The 33 members of the governor's commission include nine senior officers of educational institutions; nine individuals from business and commerce; six members of the Ohio General Assembly; four state government officials; four representatives from the Ohio Board of Regents; and one congressional aide.The full text of the report can be found on the Web at www.chee.ohio.gov. "