Given its current preformance, I have trouble enthusing about anything the South Dakota Legislature proposes. The first amendment on our 2016 ballot, Amendment R, is a Legislative proposal to clarify that the Board of Regents does not control our post-secondary vo-tech schools and that the Legislature decides who has that authority. Here’s my two-minute explanation, as recorded by Ken Santema, of what appears to be a tolerable, non-Republic-shaking amendment
A member of the audience at the Brown County Democratic Forum, where I made this presentation on all ten ballot measures on February 8, noted that this amendment protects funding for vo-tech programs, including the recently launched Build Dakota Scholarship, from being folded into the Regental budget and perhaps being siphoned into other programs. That’s an important point for businesses counting on our vo-techs to churn out skilled graduates, so expect a fair amount of business support for Amendment R.
Cory, I don’t often agree with your thoughts, but in this instance, we’re close to being on the same page. The 4 SD tech schools were formed after the existing constitutional language was written, so it’s been a bit of a black hole. The tech schools do not have a spot at the table during financial debate, etc. and formalizing the existing structure is a key step. There’s much debate about tech school mission creep and other concerns, but those of us in industry don’t want the techs to turn into any other type of educational institution. We need them to educate future workers for industry, that’s it. It seems like a simple issue, and we’re working hard to see Amendment R pass in November.
Jeff, it’s always fun to be surprised by agreement. I agree, the tech schools serve an important function distinct from that of our university system (and frankly, our Regental system sometimes acts too much like the vocational system) that warrants separate management.
Although I wonder… is there any conservative argument to be made for consolidating administration to cut costs? To what extent does separate vo-tech management only replicate bureaucracy?
IF (it’s a big if) consolidation actually worked, you could assume some savings. The missions are so different that it would be a difficult, and possibly harmful direction to take. Done at the very beginning, that probably could have worked. Or if the system starts over by creating an entirely new system (including replacing the Regental system), there would be a chance. I’m not an advocate of that at all, I think the Regents do their job well and are passionate about the universities. The Techs need that kind of advocate.
Fair enough. If we all agree the vo-techs’ function is that that substantially different from the Regents’, keep the management separate.