The Florida Senate

1001.60  Florida College System.--

(1)  PURPOSES.--In order to maximize open access for students, respond to community needs for postsecondary academic education and career degree education, and provide associate and baccalaureate degrees that will best meet the state's employment needs, the Legislature establishes a system of governance for the Florida College System.

(2)  FLORIDA COLLEGE SYSTEM.--There shall be a single Florida College System comprised of the public postsecondary educational institutions identified in s. 1000.21(3) that grant 2-year and 4-year academic degrees as provided by law. An institution within the Florida College System may not offer graduate degree programs.

(a)  The programs and services offered by institutions in the Florida College System in providing associate and baccalaureate degrees shall be delivered in a cost-effective manner that demonstrates substantial savings to the student and to the state over the cost of providing the degree at a state university.

(b)1.  With the approval of the institution's local board of trustees, an institution in the Florida College System may change the institution's name and use the designation "college" if it has been authorized to grant baccalaureate degrees pursuant to s. 1004.73 or s. 1007.33 or if it has received approval from the State Board of Education pursuant to this paragraph.

2.  With the approval of an institution's local board of trustees, any institution in the Florida College System may request approval from the State Board of Education to change the institution's name and use the designation "college." The State Board of Education may approve the request if the institution enters into an agreement with the State Board of Education to do the following:

a.  Maintain as the institution's primary mission responsibility for responding to community needs for postsecondary academic education and career degree education as prescribed in s. 1004.65(6).

b.  Maintain an open-door admissions policy for associate-level degree programs and workforce education programs.

c.  Continue to provide outreach to underserved populations.

d.  Continue to provide remedial education.

e.  Comply with all provisions of the statewide articulation agreement that relate to 2-year and 4-year public degree-granting institutions as adopted by the State Board of Education pursuant to s. 1007.23

3.  An institution in the Florida College System shall not use the designation "university."

(3)  LOCAL BOARDS OF TRUSTEES.--Each institution within the Florida College System shall be governed by a local board of trustees as provided in s. 1001.64 The membership of each local board of trustees shall be as provided in s. 1001.61

History.--s. 2, ch. 2008-52.