Florida Senate - 2012 (Corrected Copy) CS for SB 1752
By the Committee on Higher Education; and Senators Oelrich and
Lynn
589-03550A-12 20121752c1
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to state universities of academic and
3 research excellence and national preeminence; creating
4 s. 1001.7065, F.S.; providing a short title;
5 establishing a partnership initiative between the
6 Board of Governors of the State University System and
7 the Legislature to lift the academic and research
8 excellence and national preeminence of the highest
9 performing state research universities; authorizing a
10 state research university that meets specified
11 criteria, and receives approval, to establish resident
12 and nonresident student tuition or fees at
13 differentiated and market rates; providing conditions
14 for increasing such tuition or fees; authorizing the
15 Board of Governors to exercise its governing
16 authority; providing an exemption from the payment of
17 increased tuition or fees for certain students;
18 authorizing a state research university that meets
19 specified criteria, and receives approval, to
20 establish a set of courses having specified credit
21 hours to provide a jointly shared educational
22 experience for all first-time-in-college students;
23 requiring implementation by the Board of Governors;
24 authorizing the Board of Governors to make
25 recommendations to the Legislature; providing an
26 effective date.
27
28 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
29
30 Section 1. Section 1001.7065, Florida Statutes, is created
31 to read:
32 1001.7065 State universities of academic and research
33 excellence and national preeminence.—
34 (1) This section may be cited as the “State Universities of
35 Academic and Research Excellence and National Preeminence Act.”
36 (2) A partnership initiative is established between the
37 Board of Governors and the Legislature to lift the academic and
38 research excellence and national preeminence of the highest
39 performing state research universities in accordance with this
40 section. The initiative derives from the State University System
41 Governance Agreement executed on March 24, 2010, wherein the
42 Board of Governors and leaders of the Legislature agreed to a
43 framework for the collaborative exercise of their joint
44 authority and shared responsibility for the State University
45 System. Specifically, the governance agreement confirmed the
46 commitment of the Board of Governors and the Legislature to
47 continue collaboration on accountability measures, the use of
48 data, and recommendations derived from such data.
49 (3) Beginning with the 2012-2013 academic year, a state
50 research university that the Board of Governors finds has
51 substantially met at least 11 of the following academic and
52 research excellence standards may establish resident and
53 nonresident student tuition and fees for undergraduate and
54 graduate courses and programs at differentiated and market
55 rates, notwithstanding ss. 1009.01 and 1009.24, as approved by
56 the university’s board of trustees and the Board of Governors:
57 (a) An average weighted grade point average of 3.8 or
58 higher on a 4.0 scale and an average SAT score of 1800 or higher
59 for incoming freshman during the fall term, as reported
60 annually.
61 (b) A top 50 ranking on at least two well-known and highly
62 respected national public university rankings reflecting
63 national preeminence while using the most recent data.
64 (c) A freshman retention rate of 90 percent or higher for
65 full-time, first-time-in-college students, as reported annually
66 to the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS).
67 (d) Six or more faculty members at the state university who
68 are members of a national academy, as reported annually by the
69 Center for Measuring University Performance for the Top American
70 Research Universities.
71 (e) Total annual research expenditures, including federal
72 research expenditures, of $200 million or more, as reported
73 annually, while using the most recent data.
74 (f) Total annual research expenditures in diversified
75 health sciences of $100 million or more, as reported annually by
76 the National Science Foundation (NSF).
77 (g) A top 100 public university national ranking for
78 research expenditures in five or more science, technology,
79 engineering, or mathematics fields of study, as reported
80 annually by the NSF.
81 (h) One hundred or more total patents awarded for the most
82 recent 3-year period, as reported annually to the IPEDS.
83 (i) Two hundred fifty or more doctoral degrees awarded, as
84 reported annually to the IPEDS.
85 (j) Two hundred or more post-doctoral appointees, as
86 reported annually.
87 (k) A national ranking in quality better than predicted by
88 available financial resources, as reported annually by U.S. News
89 and World Report.
90 (l) An endowment of $400 million or more, as reported
91 annually, while using the most recent data.
92 (m) Annual giving of $45 million or more, as reported
93 annually, while using the most recent data.
94 (n) Unallocated funds as a percentage of total budget of
95 12.5 percent or more, as reported annually to the Board of
96 Governors.
97
98 An increase to tuition or fees may occur no more than once each
99 academic year and must be implemented beginning with the fall
100 term. In addition, the Board of Governors may exercise its
101 governing authority to identify and grant additional authority
102 and flexibilities within its constitutional powers and
103 responsibilities as may be appropriate to achieve the goals of
104 this section. However, a qualified beneficiary having a prepaid
105 advance payment contract pursuant to s. 1009.98(2)(b) which was
106 in effect prior to the first year a state university receives
107 tuition and fee authority under this subsection, and that
108 remains in effect, is exempt from the payment of any increase to
109 tuition and fees assessed pursuant to the tuition and fee
110 authority. A qualified beneficiary having a prepaid advance
111 payment contract pursuant to s. 1009.98(2)(b) which is entered
112 into the first year a state university receives tuition and fee
113 authority under this subsection, or thereafter, is liable for
114 the difference between the highest rate of tuition and fees
115 covered by the advance payment contract and the tuition and fees
116 assessed by the state university of national preeminence which
117 the student attends.
118 (4) In order to provide a jointly shared educational
119 experience, and notwithstanding the provisions of part II of
120 chapter 1007 or any other law, rule, or regulation, a state
121 university that the Board of Governors finds has substantially
122 met at least 11 of the academic and research excellence
123 standards set forth in subsection (3) may require its incoming
124 first-time-in college students to take a 9-credit to 12-credit
125 set of courses specifically determined by the state university.
126 The state university may require that they be taken at the
127 specific state university involved and that credit for any such
128 required courses cannot be fulfilled through any acceleration,
129 transfer, or other similar mechanism.
130 (5) The Board of Governors shall oversee the implementation
131 of this section and may recommend to the Legislature for future
132 consideration additional state university programs of academic
133 and research excellence, or academic programs of national or
134 international preeminence, together with recommended
135 flexibilities designed to move those state universities or
136 programs to a higher preeminence in appropriate nationally
137 recognized rankings.
138 Section 2. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law.