Higher Education Committee Embarks on Public Campus Tours

Representative Jeffrey Roy (D-Franklin) and Senator Anne Gobi (D-Spencer), co-chairs of the Joint Committee on Higher Education, begin a mission on this week to visit all 29 public colleges and universities in the commonwealth. The tour is set for every Friday starting in North Adams on September 27 and continuing until every campus has been visited.

The Higher Education Committee will be visiting each campus to get a first-hand look at the facilities, meet with faculty and administrators, and hear from students about their experiences. The tours will include meetings with campus leaders, faculty, staff, and students at each of the institutions.

"It's ambitious, but when appointed to chair this committee, one of the very first things I did was to print out a map of the 29 public institutions in the Commonwealth to plan the trip," said Representative Roy. "We want to experience what life is like on these campuses which should provide a better context for the budget and legislative decisions we make. And the tours will provide an up close and personal view of each campus to give us a better perspective on the issues faced by those in each academic community."

Senator Gobi remarked, "I look forward to visiting each campus and having the opportunity to meet with students, faculty, and staff. I am aware that there are several deficiencies within higher education, funding being one, and I expect that these visits will help myself and the committee members to find ways that we can be most helpful and propel us forward."

The tours will also include the members of the Higher Education Committee, as well as the area legislators. The Committee will have an opportunity to see what has been done on each campus, and see what remains to be done to ensure that students have an engaging learning environment which will not only ensure their success, but wi1l contribute to the success of the Commonwealth as well.

The tentative tour schedule through the end of October is as follows: 

• FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 27 (START: TIME 9:30 A.M.):

Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts - 375 Church Street, North Adams, MA
Berkshire Community College - 1350 West Street, Pittsfield, MA

• FRIDAY, OCTOBER 11 (START TIME: 9:30 A.M.):

University of Massachusetts Amherst - 300 Massachusetts Avenue, Amherst, MA 
Greenfield Community College - One College Drive, Greenfield, MA

• FRIDAY, OCTOBER 18 (START TIME: 9:30 A.M.):

Salem State University - 352 Lafayette Street, Salem, MA
North Shore Community College - One Femcroft Road, Danvers, MA

• FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25 (START TIME: 9:30 A.M.):

Fitchburg State University - 160 Pearl Street, Fitchburg, MA
Mount Wachusett Community College - 444 Green Street, Gardner, MA


Additional info on the Joint Committee on Higher Education 
https://malegislature.gov/Committees/Detail/J29

Joint Committee on Higher Education