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June 07, 2013

Forum Will Bring Higher Education Governing Board Members to the Capitol

Jefferson City - Board members, presidents and chancellors from campuses all across Missouri will convene Tuesday, June 11, for the second annual Governing Board Forum at the Capitol Plaza Hotel in Jefferson City.

The Coordinating Board for Higher Education is hosting the forum, which provides an opportunity for board members and chief executives to network and discuss state and national issues facing higher education.

The day-long conference will cover such topics as higher education finance, efficiency, advocacy, student preparation, improving degree attainment rates, using classroom technology and keeping college affordable and accessible.

Gov. Jeremiah "Jay" Nixon will welcome attendees to the forum. Dewayne Matthews, vice president for policy and strategy at the Lumina Foundation, will speak at noon about Missouri's progress toward meeting the goal of having 60 percent of working-age Missourians attain a college degree or high quality certificate by 2025.

Local governing boards provide fiscal oversight, allocate financial resources, approve policies and plans, and hire and fire chief executive officers at Missouri's 13 community colleges, 10 public four-year institutions, and one two-year technical college. Board members at four-year institutions are appointed by the governor, while community college boards are elected by voters within their districts.

Bringing local governing board members together to discuss topics of mutual interest helps build a more cohesive system of higher education, according to CBHE chair, Dalton Wright.

"Colleges and universities across Missouri are grappling with similar issues," said Wright. "The forum is an opportunity to hear other institutions' success stories and challenges, to share ideas and hear the perspectives of state and national experts in higher education."

Sponsors for the conference include the Lumina Foundation, the Missouri Community College Association and the Council on Public Higher Education.