News Highlights

President Davenport leads charge to add applied doctoral degrees

2006-04-09

By Robb Murray, Free Press Staff Writer [published in The Free Press, Mankato, MN]

MANKATO — Right now, Minnesota is one of just seven states that does not allow its comprehensive four-year universities to offer doctoral degrees.

That may all change real soon.

Minnesota State University President Richard Davenport will be in St. Paul Monday to lobby lawmakers and possibly testify before the House Higher Education Finance Committee on what he sees as the need for change.

MSU and other four-year universities want to change the state law that grants exclusive doctoral degree-conferring rights to the University of Minnesota.

"There's a need," Davenport said. "We've done a lot of homework, and we have a heckuva lot of good arguments to start getting in step with what's happening in 43 other states."

The proposed bill would allow state universities to offer applied doctoral degrees, which are designed to prepare a student to practice in a specific profession. Applied doctoral degrees are different from Ph.D. programs, which are intended to prepare scholars in a field of study.

The first step, Davenport said, is to get the law changed. He said there appears to be good support behind it so far. Then it's on to the MnSCU board, which would need to amend its own policies. But MnSCU, Davenport said, is already behind the idea. In fact, MnSCU Chancellor Mike McCormick appointed Davenport as the point person in next week's lobbying efforts.

If it all goes as Davenport and MnSCU hope, MSU and St. Cloud State University soon could be offering applied doctorates. Davenport said MSU might offer applied doctorates in nursing practice, educational leadership and administration, school psychology, audiology and rehabilitation.

Adding these degrees, Davenport said, would not require a boost in state funding. Departments already are offering specialist degrees, which is another form of advanced degree, and similar in many cases to preparing to offer an applied doctorate.

Tuition charged will cover the costs of adding the programs, and the sticker price will be a lot lower than other applied doctorate programs around the state. Other institutions, Davenport said, cost between $600 and $700. MnSCU prices will be between $240 and $300.

The University of Minnesota reportedly is opposed to the law being modified to allow other schools to offer doctorate-level programs. So far, its opposition hasn't been too vocal. But Davenport said that could change Monday at the Higher Education Finance Committee hearing.

Monday through Thursday, MnSCU's 32 presidents each will meet lawmakers. They'll divide them up and, according to their goal, they hope to have a president meet with every member of the House and Senate.

The other main thing the presidents are lobbying about is student borrowing. Tuition has gone up more than 60 percent during the past four years. The number of students who have had to borrow money to attend college rose 30 percent between 2002 and 2004. Also, the average amount that students borrowed is up 23 percent from $4,267 to $5,247.

Email this article | Permanent link | Topstories news | Topstories news archives