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House Bill 0159e2

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