UMass, state universities and community colleges ask lawmakers to sustain success funding, annualize bargaining costs and protect financial aid

Leaders from the University of Massachusetts, the State University system, and the community colleges told the Ways and Means panel that FY27 must protect recent investments that expanded access and completion supports.

UMass President Marty Meehan requested continued support for campus operations, capital projects under the BRIGHT Act, and protections against federal changes to research funding. "The University of Massachusetts is one of the Commonwealth's greatest assets," he said, urging support for appropriations and the DRIVE Act to defend research funding.

State university presidents asked the Legislature to annualize FY26 contractual salary obligations and to add $12.5M to support the state-university performance funding formula. They also called for vigilance on MASGrant Plus funding to avoid a shortfall that could reduce need-based awards for students.

Community colleges credited free community college with a nearly 39% enrollment increase since 2022 and asked the committee to preserve House 2 funding while expanding the Success program that hires advisors, coaches, and counselors who boost persistence. "Free community college is our access strategy; Success is the completion strategy," the community college association said, requesting the Success appropriation be doubled to $28M so more students can be served.

All panels stressed that sustained financial aid, success grants, and predictable campus line items are necessary to keep tuition affordable and to convert enrollment gains into higher completion rates.