Charting a New Course: Higher Education in Owensboro and Daviess County, Kentucky
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CHARTING A NEW COURSE: HIGHER EDUCATION IN OWENSBORO AND DAVIESS COUNTY, KENTUCKY A REPORT TO THE OWENSBORO CITIZENS COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION SEPTEMBER 2005 WILLIAM CHANCE [email protected] N O R T H W E S T E D U C A T I O N R E S E A R C H C E N T E R 4218 Leavelle NW, Olympia, Washington 98502 phone: 360-866-4651 fax: 360-866-4652 e-mail: [email protected] or: www,nored.us CHARTING A NEW COURSE: HIGHER EDUCATION IN OWENSBORO-DAVIESS COUNTY, KENTUCKY ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This study was conducted over the course of a year, from May 2004 to May 2005. Many in Owensboro and Kentucky played important parts in its development. Although it is not possible to name all of them here, their contributions should be acknowledged. The list begins with the members of the Owensboro Citizens Committee on Education, and particularly the people who presided as chairs during the study period: Rodney Berry, Forrest Roberts, and Marianne Smith Edge. Their advice and suggestions were consistently helpful. The Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer distributed the community resident questionnaire as an insert in the paper and provided a cover story describing the study and the importance of completing and returning the questionnaire. The paper’s invaluable assistance was instrumental both to getting the questionnaire out in a timely manner and to the numerous responses that were sent back to this office – nearly 700 completed and usable questionnaires. The Greater Owensboro Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development Corporation provided lists of local employers for use in the employer surveys. Brescia University, Kentucky Wesleyan College, and Owensboro Community and Technical College provided meeting rooms for the community forums, and all of the institution presidents and many of their staff and faculty participated in interviews and provided helpful background materials. The employers and members of the community who were interviewed invariably spoke openly and constructively and helped to shape impressions of Owensboro’s present conditions and its future. Many who live and work in the community attended and participated in the forums, and their comments and suggestions influenced the study in many ways. Vernon Smith of the Kentucky State Data Center provided exceptional help locating, compiling, providing, and interpreting data sets. A special word of thanks is extended to him. A word of thanks also goes out to Kathy Strobel at the Public Life Foundation of Owensboro for her assistance with numerous requests for help and information throughout the course of the study. There are many others who deserve mention, more so than space permits. Although they remain unnamed here, they know who they are. Finally, a special note of gratitude is extended to the Public Life Foundation of Owensboro, Daviess County Fiscal Court, and the many generous contributors to the Citizens Committee on Education for their help with funding for the study. And, of course, although all of these people provided invaluable help and support, none are responsible for any mistakes, omissions, or oversights that may be present in the material that follows. Thank all of you. William Chance Olympia, Washington September 11, 2005 -2- CHARTING A NEW COURSE: HIGHER EDUCATION IN OWENSBORO-DAVIESS COUNTY, KENTUCKY TABLE OF CONTENTS Acknowledgements........................................................................................................ 2 Study Purposes and Scope ............................................................................................. 6 About The Study ........................................................................................................ 6 The Questions of Interest ....................................................................................... 6 Other Study Themes............................................................................................... 7 The Research Approach......................................................................................... 8 Qualitative and Quantitative Survey Research ...................................................... 8 Major Findings........................................................................................................... 9 The Setting ................................................................................................................... 12 Comments on The Nature of Higher Education Need ............................................. 12 Economic Competition ........................................................................................ 12 The ‘New’ Students ............................................................................................. 13 Owensboro-Daviess County Population .................................................................. 14 Population Trends .................................................................................................... 15 Net Domestic Migration........................................................................................... 18 Education Attainment............................................................................................... 20 High School Attainment....................................................................................... 20 College-Level Attainment.................................................................................... 20 Public Institution Host Counties .......................................................................... 22 Higher Education Participation................................................................................ 24 Kentucky’s Metropolitan Statistical Areas .............................................................. 29 Education Attainment Among the MSAs ............................................................ 30 Education Participation Among the MSAs.......................................................... 32 Other Indicators for Owensboro and Comparable Places.................................... 32 Additional Indicators of Performance...................................................................... 34 Average Income ................................................................................................... 35 Employment......................................................................................................... 36 Employment Outlook........................................................................................... 38 -3- CHARTING A NEW COURSE: HIGHER EDUCATION IN OWENSBORO-DAVIESS COUNTY, KENTUCKY Owensboro’s Higher Education Assets........................................................................ 44 The Colleges and Universities ................................................................................. 44 Brescia University................................................................................................ 45 Kentucky Wesleyan College................................................................................ 47 Owensboro Community and Technical College .................................................. 49 Western Kentucky University – Owensboro ....................................................... 50 Daymar College ................................................................................................... 51 Institution Missions.............................................................................................. 52 Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green and Owensboro...................... 55 High School to College Transition Patterns in Owensboro ................................. 57 Additional Indicators of Need: Resident Opinions ...................................................... 61 Interviews and Small Group Meetings..................................................................... 61 The Employer Surveys............................................................................................. 64 The Community Survey........................................................................................... 76 Community Forums ................................................................................................. 84 Conclusions and Recommendations ............................................................................ 87 A New Course for Owensboro and Daviess County................................................ 87 A New Course: Strategic Goals ............................................................................... 87 A New Course: Higher Education Goals ................................................................. 90 Higher Education Participation............................................................................ 90 Education Attainment .......................................................................................... 92 A New Course: A High Performance County Standard........................................... 94 A New Course: Two New Concepts For Kentucky................................................. 95 Branch Campus.................................................................................................... 96 Contracts with Accredited Independent Institutions............................................ 98 A New Course: Evaluation Criteria ......................................................................... 99 A New Course: Strategic Initiatives....................................................................... 100 Community Higher Education Association ....................................................... 100 Increased Collaboration and