Vigo County higher educational forum urges collaboration, advancement

"Look how together we present such an educational package for Terre Haute," Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College President Dottie L. King told a higher education forum audience, referring to her school and Vigo County's four other higher educational entities.

"I really think this is something that not many communities of our size could really boast about the way we can," King said. "Being a college town is a good thing."

On a forum panel, King joined Indiana State University President Daniel Bradley; Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology President James C. Conwell; Ivy Tech Community College Regional Chancellor Jonathan Weinzapfel; and Deborah Humphrey, president of Harrison College's Terre Haute campus. The five schools run the gamut from a mid-sized state university, a national leader in engineering education, a Catholic liberal arts college, a statewide community college and a business college that is expanding into health care instruction.

The five leaders fielded questions on how those institutions benefit the community, costs of tuition and the value of a higher education degree. Tribune-Star Editor Max Jones moderated the forum. The newspaper sponsored the event, staged at First Financial Conference Center in Terre Haute.

When asked how institutions can help the community grow and retain students, Bradley said his thoughts on that question have evolved.

"As a person who has a long history in technical and professional education, my answer for most of my life would have been if you want people to stay, you give them good, high-paying job opportunities," Bradley said. "That is very 20th century or maybe even 19th century thinking."

Bradley referred to his three children, saying two created their own jobs to remain in places they wanted to live. The third drives an hour to a job so he can stay in a community he likes.

"The short answer to this question is the quality of life," Bradley said. "We have got to improve the quality of life in Terre Haute, and we have to improve the quality of life in all the smaller communities around it if we want to see population growth.

"The best and brightest of our next generation will create their own jobs. Some of them will be lucky enough, bright enough to create jobs that will create jobs for other people. They aren't going to stay here if they don't want to live here," Bradley said.

"We need to figure out what the next generation wants and make sure that they can find it here in Terre Haute or in the Wabash Valley. Then we will grow," Bradley said.

"I think Terre Haute's future and how Terre Haute develops will impact Indiana State, just like Indiana State's future is going to impact Terre Haute," Bradley said.

Rose-Hulman's Conwell said his school works to attract the best faculty and staff in the world to maintain its excellence in science, technology, engineering and mathematics courses. Conwell said the first question asked by someone considering Terre Haute is about its educational system.

"I agree with Dr. Bradley," Conwell said. "We have to make sure that the quality of life in Terre Haute exists so we can do that. We compete for faculty and staff from across the globe. We do that so that Rose-Hulman continues to be the best that it can be."

Because of that, Conwell said Rose-Hulman works with Wabash Valley school corporations through its PRISM (Portal Resource for Indiana Science and Mathematics) program, which is a free website that provides online resources for Indiana educators in STEM courses.

Rose-Hulman students also offer a homework hotline to provide free tutoring to middle and high students with math and science homework. The hotline was established in 1991. More information on the hotline (877-275-7573) can be found at www.AskRose.org.

Weinzapfel said Ivy Tech first provides degrees and certificates to "place folks into jobs that exist in the community." Secondly, it acts as a stepping stone for people to continue on to a four-year institution to obtain a bachelor's or higher degree.

"We are living in an economy where at least 75 percent of the jobs being created are going to require some sort of post-secondary credential," Weinzapfel said. "So those ... who aren't continuing their education are really doing a disservice to themselves. They are limiting their employment and potential earnings down the road. But more significantly, I think about the impact on the community. What a loss that we are not encouraging these individuals to continue their education," he said.

Ivy Tech has assigned academic coaches to work with high school guidance counselors to help students find career path opportunities, Weinzapfel said.

"I think the key to our community moving forward is collaboration," Weinzapfel said.

Harrison College's Humphrey said her school focuses its curriculum on the needs of business, including demands for medical positions, such as health care management, medical office assistant and medical reimbursement technology.

"Most of our graduates stay, live and work in the community," Humphrey said. "Nine out of 10 graduates stay in the community. We ask local companies to work with our students on internships and externships, to allow our students a better understanding of how businesses operate. ... It allows businesses to get a better understanding of the type of skills we are teaching and the type of local talent we offer to help them grow."

Terre Haute is in a unique educational position to provide academic and community opportunities, through cultural, athletic and academic events, King said.

"I think what we see in downtown Terre Haute is so positive, and we should all get behind that," she said, adding the Wabash River also provides potential for community development.

"I am excited about Terre Haute right now. I see real forward momentum in so many areas. I really think it is really crucial we all recognize that and celebrate that," King said.

The five higher educational entities together employ more than 3,100 people and have a combined annual payroll of more than $160.4 million.

Indiana State University has the largest impact, with about 2,000 employees, both full- and part-time, with an annual payroll of about $103.5 million. Rose-Hulman is second, with 532 full- and part-time employees, with annual payroll of $37.8 million.

"The impact of [five schools'] service to education stretches around the state, with the number of alumni in excess of 70,000" people, excluding Ivy Tech, which does not track alumni, Jones said in introducing the forum.

Leaders were asked about rising costs of tuition. King said SMWC has raised tuition twice, each time at 2 percent, in the past five years. The college offers $5 million in institutional aid annually. Harrison College and Ivy Tech both freeze tuition for students who continue to take classes toward graduation. ISU works to keep tuition raises at the same rate as inflation.

Bradley said institutions need to provide better advice on where students should go to school, and that can lower the expense of educational debt. Some students may best be suited for community colleges or military service, he said.