Hartford Business Journal

www.HartfordBusiness.com • January 7, 2019 • Hartford Business Journal 7 ation of Schools and Colleges (NEASC), said Bruhl, who is also a member of the state-sanctioned Planning Commission for Higher Education, and whose or- ganization includes public and private colleges as members. Despite the credibility these schools carry, Bruhl said, they can be ham- strung by the approval process. "The intent — protection of stu- dents — … should still be honored," Bruhl said. "(But the system) impedes the ability of our colleges to compete with online learning and with other well-marketed, reputable institutions." Months-long process Introducing a new program at the University of Hartford takes about nine months, requiring input from industry experts and approvals from depart- ment heads and the school's board, said Sweitzer, the university's provost. And while the state process is supposed to take only 45 days, it often stretches north of six months, he said. The wait time can imperil a pro- gram's early success, Sweitzer said. In order to enroll enough students into a new program to financially justify it, school officials need to start advertis- ing and recruiting months before fall or winter courses begin. However, schools can't advertise a program until it's approved by the state. The University of Hartford in 2016 added a master of science in manage- ment program, before the limited exemption was in effect, but the state approval process took nine months, which was longer than Sweitzer expected. The delay caused the university to miss a crucial window for advertising, he said. "We are delay- ing filling a need in the commu- nity, and we're delaying an income stream, and I don't know why we would do that," Sweitzer said. Sacred Heart University hasn't in- troduced 12 programs in a single year since exemptions were put in place, said Rupendra Paliwal, the uni- versity's provost. In addition to the pressure of competing with an increasing number of online programs offered by institu- tions operating out of state with lower regulatory hurdles, Paliwal said, Sacred Heart competes for out-of-state students from surrounding New England states and New York. "As a state we are actually going to lose the talent and revenue brought from out of state into Connecticut," Paliwal said. "It's a hyper-competitive market." The same is true at the University of New Haven, said Provost Dan May. The majority of students there — about 60 percent — hail from out of state, with most of that population coming from Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania. "If (a) New Jersey (school) beats us to the punch on a unique program, it's a problem," May said. The Connecticut Business & Indus- try Association (CBIA) has repeatedly filed testimony with the state legisla- ture in support of measures that taper off state regulation of new private- college programs. The lobby group has taken an inter- est in the issue partly because some Connecticut schools' inability to quickly introduce programs that focus on in- demand skills could cost them prospec- tive students, as the state loses out on young, upwardly mobile residents, CBIA CEO and President Joe Brennan said. "If you look like you're a little bit behind … I definitely can see how that can have a … chilling effect in your ability to attract (students)," Brennan said. "Anything that might hinder you and make you less competitive from a recruitment standpoint is definitely problematic." Rupendra Paliwal, Provost, Sacred Heart University Dan May, Provost, University of New Haven CT Conference of Independent Colleges President Jennifer Widness (right) has helped private schools gain a limited exemption from state program approval oversight. PHOTO | CONTRIBUTED There's an art to accounting. Yes, it is a precise and analytical profession. But there is also a great satisfaction for us in moving a large complex problem to a logical, elegant solution. We think this makes us a little different. Our clients tell us it makes us better. Federman, Lally & Remis – Not Your Typical Bean Counters. Complexity re-envisioned. 231 Farmington Avenue, Farmington, CT 06032 | 860-678-7100 | www.flrcpa.com FLR25_Origami_HBJ_HalfPg.indd 1 12/7/16 9:31 AM

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