CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.House Bill 0159c1
Florida House of Representatives - 1997 CS/HB 159
By the Committee on Community Colleges & Career Prep and
Representatives Dennis and Sindler
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to community colleges;
3 providing an appropriation to the Florida
4 Education Fund to support the Community College
5 Faculty Diversity Program to increase the
6 number of minority personnel holding faculty or
7 executive-level positions in community
8 colleges; amending s. 240.498, F.S., relating
9 to the Florida Education Fund; establishing the
10 program; providing for fellowships; requiring
11 service or repayment; providing an effective
12 date.
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14 WHEREAS, the Florida Legislature recognizes the
15 underrepresentation of ethnic and gender minorities as faculty
16 and executive, administrative, and managerial personnel in
17 Florida community colleges, and
18 WHEREAS, the Florida Legislature is interested in
19 increasing the number of ethnic and gender minorities employed
20 in these positions, and
21 WHEREAS, national availability statistics indicate a
22 severe shortage of minorities holding the requisite degrees to
23 enter the pool as faculty senior-level employees in Florida
24 community colleges, and
25 WHEREAS, the Florida Legislature wishes to establish a
26 means to develop, utilize, promote, and maintain human
27 resources currently employed in the Florida Community College
28 System, NOW, THEREFORE,
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30 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
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Florida House of Representatives - 1997 CS/HB 159
613-106-97
1 Section 1. The sum of $500,000 is hereby appropriated
2 for fiscal year 1997-1998 from the General Revenue Fund to the
3 Florida Education Fund, as established in s. 240.498, Florida
4 Statutes, to support the Community College Faculty Diversity
5 Program of the Florida Education Fund. This appropriation
6 shall provide for at least 20 fellowships of $25,000 each, per
7 year, as a means to increase the number of ethnic minorities
8 and women holding faculty and executive-level positions in the
9 Florida Community College System.
10 Section 2. Subsection (9) is added to section 240.498,
11 Florida Statutes, to read:
12 240.498 Florida Education Fund.--
13 (9) There is created the Community College Faculty
14 Diversity Program of the Florida Education Fund, a
15 collaborative effort of the State Board of Community Colleges
16 and the Florida Education Fund, to provide the opportunity for
17 ethnic minorities and women to attain greater representation
18 as faculty, executive, administrative, and managerial
19 personnel in Florida's community colleges. The faculty
20 diversity program shall include, but not be limited to, a
21 fellowship program to be administered by the board of
22 directors of the Florida Education Fund for this purpose.
23 (a) The board of directors shall provide financial,
24 academic, and other support to those selected for
25 participation in this program from funds appropriated for this
26 purpose.
27 (b) Selection of participants must be made in
28 accordance with policies established by the Florida Education
29 Fund and adopted by the board of directors for that purpose
30 and must be based, at least in part, on an assessment of
31 potential for success, merit, and financial need. Such
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Florida House of Representatives - 1997 CS/HB 159
613-106-97
1 selection shall also consider representation of participants
2 throughout the state. First preference shall be given to
3 participants employed by institutions where ethnic minorities
4 and women are underrepresented in faculty and executive-level
5 positions.
6 (c) Funds for this program must be appropriated
7 directly to the Florida Education Fund to be distributed
8 appropriately between the sponsoring institution and the
9 selected fellows.
10 (d) Participants must agree in writing to return to
11 the employing community college for a period of time equal to
12 the amount of time for which the participant received aid, up
13 to 3 years, or repay the amount of aid received.
14 (e) During the period of participation, the employing
15 community college must agree to continue the fellow on the
16 payroll at full salary and benefits, based on the salary
17 earned by the participant at the time of initial entry into
18 the program.
19 Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 1997.
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