APRIL 2, 2014
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Wright State maintains degree distribution under new SSI formula Dylan Dohner News Writer Dohner.6@wright.edu
W
right State declined the “handing out” of general education Associate’s Degrees, meant to boost monetary gain from the state, in favor of higher education. The decline stems from the changes of the State Share of Instruction (SSI) formula announced for spring semester. From 2010 to 2013 the formula awarded chunks of its Ohio educational funds to colleges based
on their enrollment numbers. This new formula for 2014 through 2015, determining who gets what of the $1.4 billion available for distribution, is based on commencement. “The formula changed from bringing students in, to now plopping them out,” said Director of Academic Affairs of student government Anthony Hinojosa. The new SSI formula emphasizes course and degree completion. It may also influence universities to distribute Associate’s Degrees more liberally, as is the case with Kent State University.
Kent State’s Provost announced at a Thursday faculty senate meeting weeks ago that they had no choice but to automatically grant Associate’s Degrees to virtually all students who achieve 60 or more credit hours. “It doesn’t work that way,” Hinojosa said of Wright State. “They’re stating that since the SSI model changed, they’ll be awarding these basic Associate’s Degrees to students with 60 credit hours as a means to increase their funding.” Hinojosa continued, “If you’re giving out these basic degrees,
students say ‘Oh, I have a degree, I can just leave now.’ They go out into the workforce, but they’re not fully well-rounded. If they’re not that great at their job, it reflects badly on their college. This is what we want to avoid.” The Ohio Board of Regents will be meeting with Kent State soon to discuss implications, and likely to deter the college’s plan. WSU’s decision to maintain policies on degree distribution means the university will be losing a bit of money when funding time comes, especially if other Ohio universities agree to award
degrees similarly to Kent State. The Faculty Senate has agreed that WSU was not to take part in Associate’s Degrees at this time unless they work to further students’ education, despite monetary losses. “I think that’s a big thumbs up for our faculty,” said Hinojosa. The hope is that students from WSU’s Lake Campus, the location students go when seeking an Associate’s Degree, come to Wright State Main Campus to continue their education with Bachelor’s Degree programs.