In line with the coalition's principles, The Public Higher Education Network of Massachusetts has endorsed several pieces of legislation for this year.  PHENOM has been lobbying legislators to work towards passage of the following pieces of legislation, which would take us a long way toward the higher education system that Massachusetts deserves and needs.  

       This bill will allow the state to borrow two billion dollars for badly needed repairs and construction on all our campuses.  There is a desperate need for this, since many facilities were built a half century ago.  Many campuses have been forced to divert operating funds needed to teach students into building repair and replacement.  Passage of this bill would help reverse the trends of escalating fees and insufficient hiring. 

This bill would establish a loan forgiveness program such that students who meet certain criteria would not have to repay designated portions of their loans - e.g. if they stay in Massachusetts and major in science, technology, math or engineering.  This, together with increases in the financial aid portion of the budget, would be significant steps toward making public higher education more affordable for Massachusetts residents.

These bills would implement various recommendations of the 2005 Senate Task Force on Higher Education, most notably closing the $400 million funding gap over the next 7 years to fully fund all the campuses.  Besides providing a badly needed infusion of funds for all the campuses, each bill contains provisions that would slow the increase in tuition and fees. 

       

This bill would address the exorbitant costs of textbooks by requiring publishers to "unbundle" textbooks from associated products such as CD-ROMs and workbooks  By allowing students to purchase only what they need and providing greater transparency of pricing information, a significant cost saving for students would occur (with no cost to the state).

This bill was heard before the Joint Committee on Higher Education on October 2.  The room was packed with students, organized by MassPIRG with assistance from PHENOM.  It was reported out favorably the week after the October Hearing.

There are thousands of adjunct faculty members at our colleges, many of whom teach at more than one campus.  Their numbers are steadily increasing, and several hundred of them are without health insurance.  This legislation would provide health insurance to adjunct faculty teaching four or more courses per year in the public higher education system in the state, providing increased stability and fairness to a large and growing sector of our workforce.

       

Bill was filed by Senator Richard T. Moore, Chair of the Joint Committee on Health Care Financing.  The bill was heard before the Joint Committee on Public Service on July 12, 2007.

A small number of students who have attended and graduated from Massachusetts high schools are denied in-state tuition rates at public colleges.  This legislation would eliminate this disparity for those who are not yet citizens or permanent residents but who would sign an affidavit pledging to apply for such status at the earliest possible opportunity.

       

Initially referred to the Joint Committee on Higher Education but has now been referred to the House Ways and Means Committee.  This legislation is sponsored by Rep. Marie St. Fleur, who is the Vice Chair of the Ways and Means Committee.  The Board of Higher Education released a report in April that described that only 400 Students would be affected by this bill and the passage of this legislation would bring an additional $2 million in revenue to the Commonwealth.  The bill has not been scheduled for a hearing and its sponsors are also working with the Governor's Readiness Project and are hoping for a positive recommendation from that group.

Representative Kevin Murphy has introducted amendment 493 to the House budget, asking for an increase of $17.1 million in MASSGrant funding.

The amendment now has 65 co-sponsors. You can view the text of the amendment here.