House Bill 0159e3
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CS/HB 159, Third Engrossed/ntc
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.
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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,
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25 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
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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
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CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
CS/HB 159, Third Engrossed/ntc
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.
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CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
CS/HB 159, Third Engrossed/ntc
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 of the
7 year in which enacted.
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