Utah Businesses Consulted On Schools

Gov. Mike Leavitt is turning to the business community for solutions to the
challenges faced by Utah’s public schools and colleges: not enough money
and too many students.

BY MARTA MURVOSH
THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE

On Tuesday, Leavitt announced the creation of coalition of employers
lead by Fraser Bullock, president of the Salt Lake Organizing Committee,
and several other powerful Utah businesspeople.
It is not the first time an attempt has been made to tackle these issues. A
legislative plan from 2001 has largely been put on hold because of the
shortfall in state tax revenue.
Leavitt said that a "confluence of events" caused him to propose the
coalition. The state’s schools and colleges are grappling with the affects of
the national recession, a shortfall in state tax revenue and a pending student
enrollment boom — up to 100,000 more students are expected in Utah’s
schools by 2011.
The coalition will have five goals: analyze the implication of current
education trends, assess the financial viability of the public and higher
education systems, identify objectives critical to the systems’ long-term
success, suggest methods to track success and offer recommendations
toward a long-term solution.
In addition to Bullock, the coalition’s steering committee will include
Teresa Beck, management consultant and former president of American
Stores; Dinesh Patel, a partner in vSpring Capital; Kelly Matthews, vice
president of Wells Fargo Bank; Paul Ross, president of Alliant Technology;
and Fred Lampropoulous, president of Merit Medical.
The committee will approach the state’s various business groups.
Additionally, both the Utah Education Association and the PTA will be
involved.
Success will depend on who is on the coalition and their goals, said Pat
Rusk, UEA president-elect.
[email protected]

http://www.sltrib.com/06192002/business/746602.htm