CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.House Bill 0159
Florida House of Representatives - 1997 HB 159
By Representative Dennis
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to community colleges;
3 providing an appropriation to the Commissioner
4 of Education to enter into an agreement with
5 the Southern Regional Education Board to
6 support a "Compact for Faculty Diversity
7 Program" to increase the number of minority
8 personnel holding doctoral degrees in selected
9 Florida community colleges; providing for
10 scholarships; establishing a process for
11 selection of community college and minority
12 participants; providing requirements of
13 doctoral candidates; requiring service or
14 repayment; requiring rules; providing an
15 effective date.
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17 WHEREAS, the Florida Legislature recognizes the
18 underrepresentation of ethnic and gender minorities as faculty
19 and executive, administrative, and managerial personnel in
20 Florida community colleges, and
21 WHEREAS, the Florida Legislature is interested in
22 increasing the number of ethnic and gender minorities employed
23 in these positions, and
24 WHEREAS, national availability statistics indicate a
25 severe shortage of minorities holding the requisite degrees to
26 enter the pool as faculty senior-level employees in Florida
27 community colleges, and
28 WHEREAS, the Florida Legislature wishes to establish a
29 means to develop, utilize, promote, and maintain human
30 resources currently employed in the Florida Community College
31 System, NOW, THEREFORE,
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Florida House of Representatives - 1997 HB 159
511-118B-97
1 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
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3 Section 1. The sum of $510,000 is hereby appropriated
4 for fiscal year 1997-1998 from the General Revenue Fund to the
5 Florida Commissioner of Education to enter into an agreement
6 with the Southern Regional Education Board to support a
7 "Compact For Faculty Diversity Program." The agreement shall
8 provide for 10 scholarships of $17,000 per candidate, per
9 year, as a means to increase the number of minority doctoral
10 scholars in Florida community colleges. The funds shall be
11 maintained in an account of the Office of the Commissioner of
12 Education and shall be appropriated at an amount of $170,000
13 per year for 3 consecutive years. The Legislature intends
14 that the Southern Regional Education Board will make
15 arrangements with participating state boards, institutions,
16 and foundations for tuition and fee waivers or scholarships
17 for the candidates selected.
18 Section 2. The selection of participating institutions
19 shall be based on the identification by the State Board of
20 Community Colleges of institutions in the Florida Community
21 College System which have demonstrated commitment to
22 increasing diversity among faculty and senior-level personnel
23 and willingness to grant its participants 3 years of release
24 time for doctoral study. Minority employees holding the
25 credentials to enter doctoral programs shall be nominated to
26 the State Board of Community Colleges and provided support by
27 their respective institutions. The sponsoring community
28 college shall provide full benefits and may provide up to
29 one-half of the annual salary earned by the candidate at the
30 time of initial approval for program participation. Two
31 ethnic and/or gender minority employees per region, among the
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Florida House of Representatives - 1997 HB 159
511-118B-97
1 five regions identified by the Florida Association of
2 Community Colleges, shall be selected by the State Board of
3 Community Colleges to participate. Preference shall be given
4 to ethnic minorities in the selection of candidates.
5 Section 3. Program participants must seek and attain
6 admission to a doctoral program in a participating public
7 institution identified by the Southern Regional Education
8 Board. Participants also must attend school full-time and
9 pursue a doctoral degree in any field, with emphasis on
10 mathematics, science, and fields other than education or
11 professional areas.
12 Section 4. Upon completion of the program, doctoral
13 scholars must agree to the following: provide at least 1 full
14 academic year of service to the community college where he or
15 she is employed for each year of funding in the program; or
16 repay to the Office of the Commissioner of Education an amount
17 equal to the total cost of state support provided by the
18 program and repay to the sponsoring community college an
19 amount equal to the total cost of salary support provided by
20 the community college. The manner of repayment shall be
21 established by the Office of the Commissioner of Education.
22 Section 5. The State Board of Community Colleges shall
23 promulgate rules for the implementation of this act, including
24 provisions for the exemption of an individual from the
25 requirements of section 4 based on a demonstration of
26 hardship.
27 Section 6. This act shall take effect July 1, 1997.
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Florida House of Representatives - 1997 HB 159
511-118B-97
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2 HOUSE SUMMARY
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Provides an appropriation from the General Revenue Fund
4 to the Commissioner of Education to enter into an
agreement with the Southern Regional Education Board to
5 support a faculty diversity program. Provides for
scholarships to increase the number of minority personnel
6 holding doctoral degrees in the state's community
colleges. Provides a selection process and repayment
7 requirements.
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