President Townsley Talks Economic Impact with Governor

 

Governor Deval Patrick met with 35 college presidents at a “Presidents Only” meeting of the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities in Massachusetts (AICUM) on November 16th. As Chair of AICUM’s Executive Committee, Nichols College President Debra Townsley welcomed guests and led a discussion of the issues impacting private colleges in the Commonwealth.

The meeting was organized by AICUM to facilitate communication and engagement with the Governor, particularly in education policy and in workforce/economic initiatives, where 70 percent of all bachelor’s degrees in Massachusetts are awarded in the private higher education sector.

President Townsley stated that 61 percent of Nichols 1500 students come from communities within Massachusetts and that the College’s annual economic impact on the surrounding region is $104 million. In addition, key service projects have made Nichols partnership with host communities even more symbiotic, including mentoring the Webster-Dudley Boys & Girls Club, the START youth leadership training program attended by freshmen from 88+ local high schools, and programs which provide equal access to high education for low income and minority students (e.g. Kids2College, Upward Bound, Pipeline Program).

Governor Patrick was recognized and thanked for his leadership in helping to shape the federal stimulus package to benefit Massachusetts and its higher education sector. His advocacy, and that of the Massachusetts Congressional delegation, has resulted in a stimulus package that infused $225M into the Pell Grant program for students attending college in Massachusetts. 

Issues of concern raised included various taxation proposals introduced in the Legislature around ‘not for profit’ status and the protection of intellectual property in a digital age of downloads.

Governor Patrick was appreciative of the group’s collective offer to be more active participants in the education reform initiatives being put forth by his administration.