What you need to know in education for 2017
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Ryan Forsythe, vice president of enrollment management, Worcester State University, which has articulation agreements with Quinsigamond Community College and Mount Wachusett Community College.
As Central Massachusetts colleges and universities compete with each other and with others across the country for students, making school more affordable and reaching outside of the traditional student population without sacrificing quality are new goals.
Schools in the region will continue to emphasize affordability and reach out to different kinds of students, including older adults, in order to grow their bases.
More articulation agreements
Articulation agreements, where schools partner to provide seamless transfer pathways for students, grew in 2016, and this national trend will continue.
Whether it's agreements with a price stamp on them – like the $30,000 deals between the area's community colleges and some four-year public universities – or others that create easier transfer pathways, like the agreements Nichols College is involved in to bring in non-traditional transfers from out of state, expect to see more articulation agreements in the coming year.
Emphasis on diversity and inclusion
In these polarized times, there is an urgency among Central Massachusetts colleges and universities to bring all voices to the table.
This idea got a high profile nod in 2016 when Worcester Polytechnic Institute hired its first chief diversity officer, Michelle Jones-Johnson, who is tasked with increasing diversity among faculty and staff and making diversity and inclusion a part of every conversation on campus.
Other local schools, including Clark University, the College of the Holy Cross, and the University of Massachusetts Medical School, also have people in a similar. In order to become more attractive to potential students and faculty and unify their existing campus communities, colleges in the area will continue to make this a priority.
Uncertain recruitment of international students
After the divisive election, in which President-elect Donald Trump made several statements resulting in unease among immigrants, private colleges with significant portions of international students might see a lag in their overseas recruitment efforts.
Since international students usually pay top dollar for their education, there could be an impact on schools' bottom lines.
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