John Carey believes in education at all levels.
“We have bi-partisan support for higher education in Ohio,” Carey, chancellor of the Ohio Department of Higher Education, told the Delaware Rotary Club Monday.
“Gov. Kasich and others believe we need to invest more and reduce the cost for higher education,” Carey said.
Carey was appointed to the position by Gov. Kasich in April, 2013. As Chancellor, Carey oversees the state’s public two-year and four-year institutions and Ohio Technical Centers. With the advice of the nine-member Board of Regents, he provides policy guidance to the Governor and the Ohio General Assembly, and carries out state higher education policy.
The department has a budget of more than $5 million and about 70 employees.
Carey noted that 43 percent of Ohio residents has some type of higher education. “We need to that to be 65 percent by 2025,” Carey said.
The cost of higher education, including textbooks, was addressed.
“We’re aware of that in the budgeting process,” Carey said. He said high costs of textbooks can be a factor in some students dropping out of college.
“We are above the national average in cost for a college education,” Carey said. “The cost of textbooks has risen three times the rate of inflation.”
Carey also said “there are many paths to getting a degree” in Ohio. He cited Columbus State Community College’s Delaware campus as a prime example.
“We have more and more students interested in that. Community colleges are much cheaper in many instances,” Carey said.
Carey credits College Credit Plus with giving high school students a boost into higher education.
Ohio’s College Credit Plus can help you earn college and high school credits at the same time by taking college courses from community colleges or universities. The purpose of this program is to promote rigorous academic pursuits and to provide a wide variety of options to college-ready students.
“We want students to find their right path.”
Another important factor is workforce transformation aimed at adult education.
“There are thousands of good paying jobs going unfilled now,” Carey said. “The other thing we must do is develop a culture of life-long learning. We must also be prepared to adjust in higher education. There is pressure to adopt technology and offer services beyond what is offered now.”
