Gregory G. Fitch, director of Alabama Commission on Higher Education, announces retirement
Gregory G. Fitch announced his retirement as executive director of the Alabama Commission on Higher Education (ACHE) Wednesday, ending a 45-year career in education. Fitch, who has been at the helm of the state’s coordinating board for higher education since July 2006, will end his career with ACHE Dec. 31. “As I begin this next chapter of my life, I will miss working with the excellent ACHE staff members and the outstanding higher education institutions in Alabama,” said Fitch. “I want to thank all of the commissioners that I have been privileged to work with since I came to Alabama and for the many opportunities that I have been given.” ACHE Vice Chairman Randy McKinney of Gulf Shores has been appointed to lead the search committee to find a replacement. Other members are Ed Sanders (Jasper), Charles Buntin (Dothan), Miranda Frost (Huntsville), and Bill Jones (Alexander City). Prior to his arrival in Alabama, Fitch was the State Higher Education Executive Officer (SHEEO) in both Missouri and Idaho. He was founding president of the Utah College of Applied Technology and president of three other community colleges in Nebraska, Washington, and Oklahoma. Commission Chairman Charles Ball praised Fitch for the work he has done while at ACHE. “Dr. Fitch has brought a high level of experience to the agency during times of budget cuts and challenging educational issues,” Ball said. “He always has had the best interests of students at heart.”
ITT Technical Institute to cease operations Friday, what’s next for Alabama students
The for-profit college ITT Technical Institute announced its plans to stop operating Friday, Sept. 16. ITT has branches in Madison, Bessemer, and Mobile, reportedly serving approximately 1,600 students across Alabama. Alabama Attorney General Luther Strange is offering information about resources available to assist Alabama students of ITT, which suddenly announced its closure in the face of regulatory actions by the U.S. Department of Education. According to the U.S. Department of Education, students have two general options: to apply for closed school loan forgiveness, or to seek to transfer credits to another educational institution. Students may apply for discharge of their federal loans if the school closed while they were enrolled, or if they had been enrolled within 120 days prior to closing. They are urged not to pay for loan consolidation or forgiveness that the Department of Education provides for free. If a student subsequently completes a comparable program at another school through benefit from one’s training at ITT, the loan may be repayable. Details of eligibility and the process for application are available online from the U.S. Department of Education. In some instances, students may be able to transfer credits to a new institution, but that depends upon whether the new school decides to accept ITT coursework. The U.S. Department of Education is working with postsecondary programs across the country to process records so that future eligibility for financial aid may be determined, and to facilitate information for students about other available programs for their consideration. In Alabama, students should contact the Alabama Commission on Higher Education at 334-242-1998, toll-free at 1-800-960-7773, or through its website at ache.state.al.us. For those with further questions and concerns, a series of webinars with detailed information is being offered by the U.S. Department of Education throughout September. Registration is available at the department website.
Education commission recommends additional $107 million for state colleges, universities
Gregory G. Fitch, executive director for the Alabama Commission on Higher Education (ACHE), appeared before the state House Ways and Means Committee and the Senate Finance and Taxation Committee on Monday to make the case for additional funding for Alabama’s two-year and four-year colleges. Before Fitch addressed the committees, legislators discussed bringing education committees together during the session to discuss ongoing concerns surrounding Alabama’s various education programs and the funding required for each. An idea being tossed around was the consideration of performance-based funding for higher education, as has been done in other states. Currently, only 51 percent of Alabama public school students are attending four-year universities and, of those, 32 percent need remedial courses in english, math or both. Fitch briefly touched on the economic impact of student loans for housing and other necessities outside of tuition, which go into local economies: In fall 2013, students received more than $800 million in grants and scholarships, more than $300 million in Pell grants and more than $500 million in student loans, funneling about $1 billion into state coffers. While most of Fitch’s address discussed the job of ACHE and various benchmarks that Alabama students are and are not meeting, a document presented during the hearing laid bare the committees budget needs. According to that document, Alabama’s public universities are requesting an increase of more than 31 percent from the Executive Budget Office, which rounds out to just about $480 million. That same document places ACHE’s recommended increase at just 7.19 percent, or more than $107 million. Of that, more than $20 million would go to two-year institutions and more than $93 million would go to other public institutions. With the recommended 7 percent increase across the board, all of the Alabama universities listed in the document will receive less than requested. Among those are Alabama State University, which requested the largest increase at 75.47 percent, and Troy University, which requested a 38.7 percent increase. Alabama’s largest universities, the University of Alabama and Auburn University, requested increases of 34.34 percent and 37.44 percent, respectively.
Governor Robert Bentley made appointments to 13 different boards, commissions
Governor Robert Bentley‘s office reports that he did not make appointments during the session. Last weeks appointments list includes 13 boards and commissions with the majority of them going to the relatively new Advisory Board on Broadband. You can find more information on open board positions on the appointments webpage. Etowah County District Attorney Jody Willoughby Mobile County District Judge Jill Phillips Southern Regional Education Board Chuck Smith Drought Assessment Planning Team Matthew Durdin Chris Isaacson Roy McAuley Alabama Commission on Higher Education Randy McKinney Alabama Housing Authority Michael Toles Alabama Medical Licensure Board L. Daniel Morris Prison Reform Task Force Franklin Johnson State Advisory Group for Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Baker Allen SEARCH Law Enforcement Commission Daniel Urquhart Board of Registration for Architects Daniel Bennett AWAWG FAP Alexia Borden Allison Jenkins Advisory Board on Broadband Dr. Alec Yasinsac Gary R. Bolton Quincy P. Minor Jason Walker Tim Lewis Ben Venable Lisa Volpe McCabe Richard Wolfe Tami Reist Jimmy R. Copeland Bill Dean Kevin Harris William Stimpson Hanes Tomi J. Selby Will Choat Nancy C. Pack Bill Gillespie Sonny Brasfield John M. Wade John Clyde Riggs Jason Jackson Jeremy L. Arthur George Ford George Stegall David Cole John Schremser C. Wayne Hutchens John C. Nettles Taylor Vice Bill Johnson Betty Willis
Gov, Robert Bentley, his appointees see great success in Senate confirmations: See full list
While a lot didn’t go according to plan this session, Gov. Robert Bentley and his appointees have a lot to celebrate. Based on the list below Bentley and his appointments office had a very successful Legislative Session. Congratulations to everyone who saw their appointment confirmed. Below you will find a full list of 2015 Confirmations: CONFIRMED APPOINTMENTS Landscape Architect Board of Examiners Lea Ann Macknally Family Trust Board of Trustees Judy Shepura David Salter Lynn Campisi Athens State University Board of Trustees Senator Arthur Orr Macke Mauldin Ronnie Chronister State Board of Human Resources Dr. Phil B. Hammonds Alabama Firefighters’ Personnel Standards and Education Commission Gary Lenn Sparks Alabama Environmental Management Commission Houston Lanier Brown, II Scott Phillips Dr. Craig Elliott Martin Credit Union Administrator Sarah Moore Credit Union Administrators Board Ralph Altice Linda Cencula Greta Webb-Williams Harold Gregory McClellan Joseph R. Hand Charles Faulkner Port Authority Board of Directors Joseph S. McCarty Alvin Hope Algernon Stanley State Board of Education Al Thompson Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind BOT Frances E. Taylor Jackie L. Smith Ronald Lee Garrett Gerri W. Robinson Hope Curry Richard M. “Mitch” Kemmer, Jr. Board of Appeals for the Department of Labor Ray VanSchoubroek Public Accountancy Board Connie Sheppard-Harris Crime Victims Compensation Commission Billy Sharp Miriam Shehane Alabama Real Estate Appraisers Board Christopher Alan Baker Edmond Eslava Angela Frost Dennis Wayne Key Penni McClammy Department of Rehabilitation Services Jimmie Varnado Eddie C. Williams Court of the Judiciary Lucinda Samford Cannon Gwaltney L. McCollum Daryl Perkins Auburn University Board of Trustees David Gainer Lanier Alabama Commission on Higher Education Stan Pylant Gulf States Marine Fisheries Council Chris Nelson Securities Commission James L. Hart Forestry Commission Steve May Banking Board Larry K. Deason Ann Scott Yelverton Alabama Electronic Security Board John David Orr Sheriff Derrick Cunningham Alabama Educational Television Commission J. Holland Tijuanna Adatunji Real Estate Commission Authority Danny Sharp Drycleaning Environmental Response Trust Fund Advisory Board Jason Windham University of South Alabama Board of Trustees Sandy Stimpson Ken O. Simon Mike Windom Sheriff Bryant Mixon Captain Ron Jenkins (USN, Ret.) Chandra Brown Stewart University of North Alabama Board of Trustees William Trapp Marcus Maples Alabama Surface Mining Commission Jack F. Bergsieker Kenneth Ray Russell Keith Plott Alabama Community College Systems Board of Trustees Al Thompson, III Frank Caldwell Crystal Brown Milton A. Davis, P.E. Ron Fantroy Chuck Smith Blake McAnally, PE/PLS Susan Blythe Foy Alabama Trust Fund Board Edgar Pruitt Agriculture & Industries Board Emory Mosely, Jr. J.B. Turner, Jr. John Walker Phillip Hunter Fred Cespedes Joey Harris Reafield Vester Tuscaloosa County Civil Service Board Brock Jones Rev. Jefferey Cammon Alabama State University Board of Trustees Angela D. McKenzie Pamela J. Ware Ralph D. Ruggs Joe Whitt Darrell Hudson Textbook Committee: Science Claudia Thomas Mitchell David Vess Mary Hooks Ginger Montgomery Katherine Emmerson Jo Chambers Jacksonville State University Board of Trustees Tony Ingram Board of Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Contractors Heshmat Aglan Statewide 911 Board Wayne Hutchens Robert Smith Evelyn Causey Betty Sanders FAVORABLE COMMITTEE REPORT WITH NO FURTHER ACTION (APPOINTEES CONTINUE TO SERVE) University of Montevallo Board of Trustees Gary Ellis Board of Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Contractors Barrett S. Richard CARRIED OVER IN COMMITTEE (APPOINTEE CONTINUES TO SERVE) Alabama State University Board of Trustees Kimberly Kelley Rucker REJECTED BY SENATE Alabama State University Board of Trustees Lonnie A. Washington
