New Hampshire operates a bifurcated governance model: The University System of New Hampshire (USNH) and the Community College System of New Hampshire (CCSNH) each have autonomous, statute-defined boards responsible for institutional management and policy, while the Higher Education Commission, housed within the Department of Education, serves as the state’s coordinating body and SHEEO member, providing regulatory oversight and administering financial aid programs (including for private providers). The public four-year sector comprises three universities under USNH, and the public two-year sector comprises seven CCSNH colleges with statewide reach. The nonprofit New Hampshire College & University Council (NHCUC) is a consortium comprised of all public institutions and most private 4-year colleges in the state.
