Preface

SUMMARY OF MASTER PLANNING
COMMISSION RESPONSE TO THE
LEGISLATIVE CHARGE

This summary constitutes a compilation of Master Planning Commission (MPC) findings and recommendations organized in a sequence consistent with the Legislative charge. Fuller discussions relative to these recommendations as well as background and related material are presented in the main body of the report.

CHARGE NO. 1: Prepare a plan of the educational goals and objectives of Kansas for the area between the elementary-secondary school system and the four-year colleges and universities.

RESPONSE: The hallmark strategy of the Master Planning Commission's operations has been to investigate objectively the current structure of postsecondary education, to gauge its future course, to quantify relationships as much as possible and to isolate for closer inspection the accomplishments of the past and the problems of the present and future. Critical analysis was directed to enrollment forecasts, projections of manpower needs of the state's economy and determination of student needs and aspirations. These findings, reflected in background Chapters 1 and 2, led in a positive manner to the MPC's philosophical position and to its recommendations.

A summary of the MPC's statement on goals for education, the role of institutions and philosophy relative to financing, performance and governance as delineated in Chapter 3 follows.

Among the goals are: to provide for an educated citizenry, to provide a source of trained manpower, to serve as a catalyst in shaping progress, to provide broader educational opportunities to meet the diverse needs of all Kansans, to foster excellence in teaching and research, to encourage and facilitate life-long learning, and to optimize the use of educational resources.

The MPC recognizes that each institution at any given time has a unique constituency, and believes that the primary role of each institution is to serve its constituency in the best possible manner. The state system should be sufficiently flexible so that as the

1 In responding to this and subsequent charges, the Master Planning Commission is cognizant of the broadening of its assignment in the 1971 Legislative Session to include explicitly the institutions governed by the Board of Regents.

postsecondary needs of Kansas change, institutional roles will be able to efficiently and appropriately respond.

Postsecondary education needs to place a high priority on the objective assessment of outcomes in terms of student, program, institutional and state goals. A rapid transition from the present evaluation methods, which emphasize the measurement of educational processes instead of educational products, is needed.

In addition to recognizing the need for greater financial support of postsecondary education, the MPC embraces two fundamental principles regarding funding. First, the percentage distribution of revenue from the various sources (e.g., tuition, state funds) among public institutions and types of institutions should be comparable. Secondly, the state has a responsibility for direct assistance to students in financial need.

Effective governance of the total system of postsecondary education consistent with the overall goals and purposes requires coordination, institutional autonomy, state-wide planning, public participation and streamlined organization at the state level. Statements regarding these elements of governance follow.

In order that limited resources may be most effectively used, it is imperative that the state exercise responsibility for coordinating their use in supplying educational services to the public. Although the state must be concerned with coordination, its role should not extend to matters of how each institution is to accomplish its objectives. The MPC believes that each institution should be independent while operating within the dimensions of overall state plans, coordination and fiscal management.

Continuous planning to meet the needs of the public for postsecondary education and to effectively utilize available resources is of great importance. To facilitate objective evaluation and establishment of priorities and in order to receive appropriate emphasis, the MPC is committed to the philosophy of providing separate, but coordinated, planning and management capabilities.

Education is a matter of public concern; therefore, the public is obliged to participate in its planning and implementation. While public input is essential in state and local planning as well as policy formation and evaluation, the responsibility for operations should be left to the staff appointed by the public boards.

Finally, the MPC believes that the state governance of postsecondary education should not result in great bureaucracy. Rather, the commitment to institutional autonomy and efficiency should reflect streamlining in terms of personnel and cost at the state level. Each institution should be independent while operating within the dimensions of overall state plans, coordination and fiscal management.

CHARGE NO. 2A: Project the educational needs of Kansas students. RESPONSE: A series of surveys were designed to determine the needs, aspirations and accomplishments of Kansas students and to obtain comparative and evaluative information and opinions from students who were in the postsecondary system at the time of the survey or who had recently graduated. The scope of the overall study, which is published as MPC Planning Report Number 3, is briefly described:

● Over 11,000 high school seniors stratified by size of
graduating class and by geographic location were
surveyed. Major findings included the identification of
educational aspirations of students eligible for entry to
postsecondary education.

Students who graduated from high schools in 1968 were
surveyed. Principal findings pertained to: what they had
done since graduation relative to such activities as
education, work, military, etc; what they were presently
doing; and what they planned to do in the future.

Four opinionnaires were administered to area voca-
tional-technical school (AVTS) students: part-time
secondary students, day students, adult evening students
and recent graduates. The effectiveness of AVTS
instruction as perceived by students was assessed and a
profile of AVTS students was obtained.

Recent graduates of public community junior colleges
were surveyed. Study results included an evaluation of
student experiences and a profile of the community
college graduate.

Two opinionnaires were administered to 'students of private four-year colleges: seniors of the class of 1971 and graduates of the class of 1967. The effectiveness of private postsecondary education as perceived by students was assessed and a profile of students who complete their studies in private colleges was obtained. • Two surveys of students of public four-year colleges and universities were conducted: seniors of the class of 1972 and baccalaureate graduates of the class of 1967. Results of the survey included a student appraisal of the education they had received and a profile of public fouryear colleges and university graduates.

CHARGE NO. 2B: Project the needs of the state and its economy in this middle educational level through the mid-1980's.

RESPONSE: An extensive analysis of present and future male and female manpower requirements of the state as a whole and of regions within the state was conducted. The study, which was based on U.S. Census employment data, encompassed all occupational categories including the professions. The long-range projections regarding job openings were presented in terms of required levels of educational and training preparation, as well as by standard occupational groups (e.g., clerical and kindred workers).

The study is published as MPC Planning Report Number 2. Selected findings pertinent to educational planning include:

During the 1970's, 267,000 workers will die or retire. To
replace these losses and to provide for labor force
expansion, almost a third of a million workers must be
trained, educated and otherwise prepared for entry into
the world of work.

During this decade, the labor force composition will
include an unprecedented number of young workers.

• During the next 15 years, 60 percent of all job openings
will be filled by women. Increased numbers of these jobs
will be held by married women, mothers with young
children and older women.

an

The Kansas labor force is geographically distributed in
uneven pattern. The most apparent continuing
variance is between western and eastern halves of the
state with annual manpower requirements of the western
half projected to constitute less than 15 percent of the
total.

● During the 1970's the job market for persons with a
baccalaureate or advanced degree will continue to be
relatively limited. Three out of five job openings will
require one to two years of postsecondary preparation
and one out of four job openings will not require
postsecondary training or education.

CHARGE NO. 3: Determine what the optimum role, financial structure and school organization should be for:

A. Community junior colleges offering one or more of the following educational programs: two-year general, terminal, technical, occupational and transfer type courses;

B. Vocational education schools offering general, occupational, vocational and technical programs.

RESPONSE: The Master Planning Commission reached the following conclusions (see Recommendations 1 through 5, Chapter 4) relative to the role and organizational structure of academicvocational instruction:2

1. It is recommended that the existing dual system of vocationaltechnical schools and community junior colleges be combined into a streamlined network of comprehensive two-year colleges. The mix of career-oriented and academic curricula shall be determined by local needs.

2. It is recommended that philosophical unification be accompanied by consolidation of physical plant and staff where possible. The following pairs of area vocationaltechnical schools and community junior colleges are recommended for merger: Northwest Kansas AVTS and Colby CJC, Liberal AVTS and Seward County CJC, Southwest Kansas AVTS and Dodge City CJC, North Central Kansas AVTS and Cloud County CJC, Central Kansas AVTS and Hutchinson CJC, Northeast Kansas AVTS and Highland CJC and Kansas City AVTS and Kansas City Kansas CJC.

3. It is recommended that the offerings of the following existing two-year institutions be expanded to enable each to provide occupational and academic training opportunities consistent with local needs and with the capabilities of the institution and of other institutions to meet these needs:

4. It is recommended that seven southeast Kansas institutions be merged to form two multicampus, comprehensive institutions as follows:

• Southeast Kansas AVTS, Coffeyville CJC,

Independence CJC and Labette County CJC

Allen County CJC, Ft. Scott CJC and Neosho County CJC 5. It is recommended that the programs, staff and facilities of Salina Area Vocational-Technical School and Kansas Technical Institute be merged and that objectives and programs of the consolidated institution be established consistent with the vocational and technical training needs of

2 These recommendations were formulated after extensive analysis of alternatives. The analysis was facilitated by a computer model, developed especially for the study, which simulated the key elements of postsecondary education in the future-singularly and as an integrated system (see Chapter 1).