FRIDAY, JUNE 22, 2012 Gov . Bill Haslam e yes reform for hi gher e d ( Chatt anooga Ti mes Free- Press/Trevizo) Gov. Bill Haslam says he is setting off on a mission to re-examine higher education. On Thursday, in front of the Universi ty of Tennessee system's board of trustee, Haslam said he'll launch the initiative July 10 and the statewide effort will include understanding the cost structure of the higher-ed system, how much a student pays, how m uch the state pays and w hat is the real cost of educating that student. There also will be a statewide "tour" in which an appointed committee will meet with employers to determine how to better prepare students for the workforce. Haslam said he'll launch the mission during a meeting at the governor's residence with board members from the UT and Tennessee Board of Regen ts systems, the Tennessee Higher Education Commission and legislative leaders. On Wednesday, Senate and House Democrats called on Haslam, a Republican, to call a special legislative session and use state surpluses to offset college tuition hikes. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2012/jun/22/bill-haslam-governor-eyes-reform-for-higher -ed/?local UT trustees approve tuition hike; Haslam wants to address costs (NS/Boe hnke) Gov. Bill Haslam tol d University of Tennessee trustees Thursday he want s to spend the comi ng months examining the cost of college and ways the state could help make it more affordable. "This is a critical time around higher education. I think we all know the status quo will not hold," Haslam said during his remarks to the board. "The old model of higher educati on, I thi nk everyone is saying — from academic circles to business circles across the country — that it won't look the same 10 years from now." H is comments at the annual board of trustees meeting were followed with a unanimous approval of an 8 percent tuition increase in Knoxville and a plan to require full-time students to pay for an additional three credit hours each semester. The new tuition model, which would go into effect in fall 2013, requires all new full-time students to pay for 15 credit hours instead of the current 12 hours. http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2012/jun/21/ut-trustees-approve-8-tuition-hike-hasla m-wants/ Haslam says there's no nee d for special session on tuiti on (AP/John son) Gov. Bill Haslam said Thursday he doesn’t believe Democratic lawmakers’ request for a special session to discuss using surplus state revenues to halt tuiti on increases is “wise planning for the state.” The legislators told reporters at a news conference Wednesday that lawmakers would like a session to be held in August, possibly before students return to school. They also want to uses the state surplus to drop the sales tax on groceri es below 5.25 percent. Haslam included funding in his budget to reduce the sales tax from 5.5 percent. But the governor told The Associated Press before a meeting of the University of Tennessee Board of Trustees on Thursday that there are many other issues to be addressed, such as dealing with uncertain costs associat ed with federal health care, which he said could be more than $200 million. “I’m not sure I see the wisdom in having a knee-jer k special session ri ght now w hen there a so many things on the board for us to consider when it comes to the budget,” said Haslam, who also serves as chairman of the B oard of Trustees. “I don’t thi nk that would be wise planning for the state.” http:/ /www.tennessean.com/viewart /20120622/NEWS21/306220071/Haslam-says-there- s-no-need-sp ecial- session-tuition?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|N ew s (SUBSCRIPTION) UT board OKs tuition hikes up to 8 percen t (Associated Press) Trustee says goal is no increase in 2013 The Universit y of Tennessee Board of Trustees approved tuition hikes that range from 8 percent at the K noxville campus to 3.5 percent at the university's College of Law. Trustee Doug
