College of Wooster President R. Stanton Hales was recently appointed to the Governor's Commission on Higher Education and the Economy by Ohio Gov. Bob Taft. The 33-member commission was formed to study the state's system of higher education, with a particular focus on funding, structure, governance, and accessibility. Dr. Hales responds to questions about higher education in Ohio and the issues to be addressed by the newly formed commission.

Q. Why is higher education so often a target of state budget cuts?

A. Education is the second largest category in the state budget, so it is natural for it to be a major focus of cost saving through budget cuts. There is also the belief of some that inefficiency and duplication exist in the state's education system. However, given the growth of the "knowledge" economy nationwide, higher education is more important than ever to a healthy economy in Ohio, and many believe that our state is behind. Yet, resources are limited, and it is essential to obtain the best value for the resources committed to higher education.

Q. What will the commission attempt to accomplish?

A. Governor Taft has charged the Commission to make recommendations within a year in response to the following questions: (1) What are appropriate goals and expectations for higher education in Ohio regarding students, employers, and the economy? (2) How should higher education be structured, organized, governed, and financed in order to meet these goals? and (3) How should higher education be held accountable to meet these goals? The Commission aims to improve the quality of higher education, increase efficiencies, eliminate unnecessary duplication, broaden the use of technology, and determine how higher education can most effectively support the state's economy and add to the quality of life.

Q. What other issues will be addressed by the commission?

A. Some of the other issues likely to be addressed by the commission are (1) the role of higher education in making Ohio competitive in the knowledge economy; (2) the strategies that should be adopted to promote access, create opportunities, and support success for all students; and (3) the necessary steps in the areas of governance, organization, and institutional collaboration/competition in order to deliver optimum return on public investment.

Q. How will the new commission affect private colleges in general?

A. Wooster will be affected primarily through funding decisions for the financial aid programs, through admissions competition with state institutions, through decisions on graduate programs that might affect student access, and through the overall economy of the state and its influence on charitable giving.

Q. How will the commission affect The College of Wooster in particular?

A. New courses will be developed to focus on the implications of the concept of vocation for individuals in various professions and for the professions themselves. The grant will allow the college to explore the expansion of its service-learning course offerings, which combine classroom and field work with a local social service agency, and guided reflection that helps solidify the connections between classroom theory and real-world practice.

Q. As a member of the commission, what do you hope to accomplish?

A. I hope contribute to the value of the Commission's recommendations by bringing to the discussions the perspective of the independent college sector and my own experience in higher education organization and funding.