1. University of New Hampshire | Plymouth State University | Keene State College | Granite State College New Hampshire’s Affordable College Effort (ACE) – opening the doors to higher education for the state’s neediest citizens Matt Cookson, associate vice chancellor August 15, 2007

2. University of New Hampshire | Plymouth State University | Keene State College | Granite State College Four institutions – University of NH, Plymouth State University, Keene State College, and Granite State College Nearly 30,000 students enrolled and 70,000+ alumni living in NH State support is less than 14 cents on the dollar Operational costs are 15-20% below comparator institutions Snapshot of USNH – a small and autonomous system

3. University of New Hampshire | Plymouth State University | Keene State College | Granite State College USNH Mission Summary Make higher education accessible to all NH citizens Offer programs and activities of excellence Enroll a diverse student body to enhance educational experiences for all Conduct research which contributes to the health of humanity Provide professional expertise to the state, region, and nation

4. University of New Hampshire | Plymouth State University | Keene State College | Granite State College USNH 2007-08 Direct Student Costs (tuition, fees, room & board) UNH ResNonres PSU ResNonres KSC ResNonres $0 $5,000 $20,000 $15,000 $10,000 $25,000 $30,000 $19,238 $32,198 $15,574 $23,124 $15,748 $23,298 *GSC charges by the credit: $222 in-state and $240 out-of-state

5. University of New Hampshire | Plymouth State University | Keene State College | Granite State College Institutional Financial Aid More Financial Aid Support for NH Students – Since FY02, the amount of need-based institutional aid being provided to New Hampshire students has increased by 72%

6. University of New Hampshire | Plymouth State University | Keene State College | Granite State College Estimated Debt for a USNH Student at Graduation, 2006 $22,774 *Figure represents an average across USNH residential campuses

7. University of New Hampshire | Plymouth State University | Keene State College | Granite State College Challenges Facing New Hampshire NH public colleges are among the most expensive nationally; state scholarship dollars lowest in the country NH Brain Drain - 45% of high school students leave NH to attend college  US average is 18%; 50% of college grads leave as well In-migration is minimal in NH and flat in New England, state has 6 th oldest population, and employers are concerned about their future workforce

8. University of New Hampshire | Plymouth State University | Keene State College | Granite State College Raising aspirations and increasing college participation 9th Grade Graduate from High School Immediately Enter College Enrolled Sophomore Year Graduate College 100 76 41 25 31 In New Hampshire, on average… Keeping NH Competitive Source: National Center for Higher Education Management Systems, 2004

9. University of New Hampshire | Plymouth State University | Keene State College | Granite State College The Affordable College Effort ACE – The Affordable College Effort – One way through which USNH is supporting its mission that calls for serving the educational needs of its citizenry and removes a major barrier to higher education for the neediest citizens

10. University of New Hampshire | Plymouth State University | Keene State College | Granite State College The Affordable College Effort

11. University of New Hampshire | Plymouth State University | Keene State College | Granite State College The Affordable College Effort Developed in 2005 with the support of the Governor and USNH Board; funds for ACE were included in the budget – estimated cost was $700k per year Was launched for the 05-06 academic year for eligible freshmen and is being expanded to cover sophomores beginning in the fall of 2007 Plugs the gap between the direct cost of attendance and Pell and institutional grants and work study – ACE Award was $4,625 in 06-07 and will be $5,500 in 07-08 (19% increase)

12. University of New Hampshire | Plymouth State University | Keene State College | Granite State College The Affordable College Effort In 05-06, 131 freshmen received ACE Awards. The number of awards is expected to double for 06-07 given the expansion in eligibility 90% of those who received an ACE Award in the fall of 2005 returned for the spring 2006 semester Grade point averages of ACE Award recipients were in line with the averages in their class Additional data on retention, GPAs, and numbers of credit hours will be tallied this fall

13. University of New Hampshire | Plymouth State University | Keene State College | Granite State College The Affordable College Effort There is no application – financial aid officers review the FAFSA to make determinations and verify income There is interest in expanding ACE to the junior year in 08- 09; the Board will make that determination with other budget considerations ACE not aggressively marketed to date, given its newness – additional efforts planned for 2007 Continuing gap between direct costs of education and federal and institutional aid will drive up costs of awards and put pressure on the program

14. University of New Hampshire | Plymouth State University | Keene State College | Granite State College Conclusion With today’s cost of higher education, global competition, an aging population, and growth in minority populations that do not have a college going tradition, such programs as ACE have become necessary. While expensive to put in place, the cost to our communities, states, and nation of not easing access to higher education for those with major financial constraints is significantly greater. Keene State College