Senate Bill sb2254c1

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    Florida Senate - 2005                           CS for SB 2254

    By the Committee on Education; and Senators King, Pruitt, Diaz
    de la Portilla and Bullard




    581-1933-05

  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to community colleges;

  3         amending s. 1001.64, F.S.; providing that

  4         community colleges that grant baccalaureate

  5         degrees pursuant to s. 1007.33, F.S., remain

  6         under the authority of the State Board of

  7         Education with respect to specified

  8         responsibilities; providing that, subject to

  9         specified conditions, the board of trustees of

10         such a community college is the governing board

11         for purposes of granting baccalaureate degrees

12         and, under certain conditions, approving an

13         articulated associate in science degree program

14         to a bachelor of applied science baccalaureate

15         degree program; providing powers of the boards

16         of trustees, including the power to establish

17         tuition and out-of-state fees; providing

18         restrictions; requiring such boards to adopt a

19         policy requiring teachers who teach certain

20         upper-division courses to teach a specified

21         minimum number of hours; amending s. 1004.65,

22         F.S.; requiring community colleges that offer

23         baccalaureate degrees to maintain their primary

24         purpose and not terminate associate in arts

25         programs because they offer baccalaureate

26         degrees; amending s. 1007.33, F.S.; removing a

27         requirement for review and comment by the

28         Council for Education Policy Research and

29         Improvement of a proposal to deliver

30         baccalaureate degree programs; requiring that a

31         formal agreement for the delivery of specified

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 1         baccalaureate degree programs by a regionally

 2         accredited college or university at a community

 3         college site include certain provisions;

 4         requiring that the curriculum for the degree be

 5         developed and approved within a specified time;

 6         requiring that the degree program be

 7         implemented within a specified time; requiring

 8         that a proposal to deliver such a degree

 9         document that the community college has

10         notified the accredited colleges and

11         universities in the district of its intent to

12         seek approval for delivery of the degree;

13         allowing the colleges and universities to

14         propose an alternative plan for providing the

15         degree; amending s. 1009.23, F.S.; providing

16         guidelines and restrictions for setting tuition

17         and out-of-state fees for upper-division

18         courses; requiring the State Board of

19         Education, annually by a specified date, to

20         adopt a resident fee schedule for baccalaureate

21         degree programs offered by community colleges;

22         amending s. 1011.83, F.S.; providing

23         requirements for funding nonrecurring and

24         recurring costs associated with such programs;

25         limiting per-student funding to a specified

26         percentage of costs associated with

27         baccalaureate degree programs offered in state

28         universities; requiring community colleges to

29         maintain a distinction in reporting and funding

30         between baccalaureate degree programs approved

31         under s. 1007.33, F.S., and those offered under

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    Florida Senate - 2005                           CS for SB 2254
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 1         concurrent-use partnerships; amending s.

 2         1013.60, F.S.; allowing community college

 3         boards of trustees to request funding for all

 4         authorized programs; requiring that enrollment

 5         in baccalaureate degree programs be computed

 6         into the survey of need for facilities;

 7         approving a transfer of an endowment from the

 8         Appleton Cultural Center, Inc., to the Central

 9         Florida Community College Foundation; providing

10         restrictions on the management of the

11         endowment; releasing the foundation from

12         certain trust agreement and statutory

13         requirements; providing an effective date.

14  

15  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

16  

17         Section 1.  Subsections (1), (2), and (8) of section

18  1001.64, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:

19         1001.64  Community college boards of trustees; powers

20  and duties.--

21         (1)  The boards of trustees shall be responsible for

22  cost-effective policy decisions appropriate to the community

23  college's mission, the implementation and maintenance of

24  high-quality education programs within law and rules of the

25  State Board of Education, the measurement of performance, the

26  reporting of information, and the provision of input regarding

27  state policy, budgeting, and education standards. Community

28  colleges may grant baccalaureate degrees pursuant to s.

29  1007.33 and shall remain under the authority of the State

30  Board of Education with respect to planning, coordination,

31  oversight, and budgetary and accountability responsibilities.

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 1         (2)  Each board of trustees is vested with the

 2  responsibility to govern its respective community college and

 3  with such necessary authority as is needed for the proper

 4  operation and improvement thereof in accordance with rules of

 5  the State Board of Education. This authority includes serving

 6  as the governing board for purposes of granting baccalaureate

 7  degrees. The board of trustees of a community college that has

 8  been authorized pursuant to s. 1007.33(3) to offer a specific

 9  baccalaureate degree program approved by the State Board of

10  Education and the Legislature, whose community college has

11  become regionally accredited by the Commission on Colleges of

12  the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to offer that

13  degree, and which has graduated the first class from the

14  authorized degree program, may approve the community college

15  offering other baccalaureate degree programs that will

16  articulate a specific associate in science degree with a

17  specific bachelor's in applied science degree without having

18  to seek approval of the State Board of Education or the

19  Legislature. This exemption applies only to articulated

20  associate of science to bachelor of applied science degree

21  programs and does not exempt a community college from s.

22  1004.65(7) or s. 1007.33(4) or from the requirement to notify

23  in writing the accredited public and private colleges and

24  universities in the community college's district of its intent

25  to deliver the proposed program. The notified colleges and

26  universities have 90 days to submit in writing to the

27  community college an alternative plan for providing the

28  specified degree program. The alternative plan must include

29  the curriculum for the new degree program and a timeline for

30  implementation which will result in the initiation of the

31  program within 1 year. The board of trustees of the community

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 1  college must evaluate each proposal received for the new

 2  degree to determine the relative merit of each alternative

 3  plan versus the community college's own plan. Such an

 4  evaluation must consider which proposal is best for the

 5  students who would enroll in the new degree program and the

 6  cost of each proposal. The board of trustees of the community

 7  college shall make the final decision on who will offer each

 8  new degree program.

 9         (8)  Each board of trustees has authority for policies

10  related to students, enrollment of students, student records,

11  student activities, financial assistance, and other student

12  services.

13         (a)  Each board of trustees shall govern admission of

14  students pursuant to s. 1007.263 and rules of the State Board

15  of Education. A board of trustees may establish additional

16  admissions criteria, which shall be included in the district

17  interinstitutional articulation agreement developed according

18  to s. 1007.235, to ensure student readiness for postsecondary

19  instruction. Each board of trustees may consider the past

20  actions of any person applying for admission or enrollment and

21  may deny admission or enrollment to an applicant because of

22  misconduct if determined to be in the best interest of the

23  community college.

24         (b)  Each board of trustees shall adopt rules

25  establishing student performance standards for the award of

26  degrees and certificates pursuant to s. 1004.68. The board of

27  trustees of a community college that is authorized to grant a

28  baccalaureate degree under s. 1007.33 may continue to award

29  degrees, diplomas, and certificates as authorized for the

30  college, and in the name of the college, until the college

31  receives any necessary changes to its accreditation.

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 1         (c)  Each board of trustees shall establish tuition and

 2  out-of-state fees for approved baccalaureate degree programs,

 3  consistent with law and proviso language in the General

 4  Appropriations Act. However, a board of trustees may not

 5  increase tuition and out-of-state fees as provided in s.

 6  1009.23(4).

 7         (d)(c)  Boards of trustees are authorized to establish

 8  intrainstitutional and interinstitutional programs to maximize

 9  articulation pursuant to s. 1007.22.

10         (e)(d)  Boards of trustees shall identify their core

11  curricula, which shall include courses required by the State

12  Board of Education, pursuant to the provisions of s.

13  1007.25(6).

14         (f)(e)  Each board of trustees must adopt a written

15  antihazing policy, provide a program for the enforcement of

16  such rules, and adopt appropriate penalties for violations of

17  such rules pursuant to the provisions of s. 1006.63(1)-(3).

18         (g)(f)  Each board of trustees may establish a uniform

19  code of conduct and appropriate penalties for violation of its

20  rules by students and student organizations, including rules

21  governing student academic honesty. Such penalties, unless

22  otherwise provided by law, may include fines, the withholding

23  of diplomas or transcripts pending compliance with rules or

24  payment of fines, and the imposition of probation, suspension,

25  or dismissal.

26         (h)(g)  Each board of trustees pursuant to s. 1006.53

27  shall adopt a policy in accordance with rules of the State

28  Board of Education that reasonably accommodates the religious

29  observance, practice, and belief of individual students in

30  regard to admissions, class attendance, and the scheduling of

31  examinations and work assignments.

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 1         (i)  Each board of trustees shall adopt a policy

 2  providing that faculty who teach upper-division courses that

 3  are a component part of a baccalaureate program must meet the

 4  requirements of s. 1012.82.

 5         Section 2.  Paragraph (a) of subsection (7) and

 6  subsection (9) of section 1004.65, Florida Statutes, are

 7  amended to read:

 8         1004.65  Community colleges; definition, mission, and

 9  responsibilities.--

10         (7)  A separate and secondary role for community

11  colleges includes:

12         (a)  Providing upper level instruction and awarding

13  baccalaureate degrees as specifically authorized by law. A

14  community college that is approved to offer baccalaureate

15  degree programs shall maintain its primary mission pursuant to

16  subsection (6) and may not terminate associate in arts or

17  associate in science degree programs as a result of the

18  authorization to offer baccalaureate degree programs.

19         (9)  Community colleges are authorized to offer such

20  programs and courses as are necessary to fulfill their mission

21  and are authorized to grant associate in arts degrees,

22  associate in science degrees, associate in applied science

23  degrees, certificates, awards, and diplomas. Each community

24  college is also authorized to make provisions for the General

25  Educational Development test. Each community college may

26  provide access to and award baccalaureate degrees in

27  accordance with law.

28         Section 3.  Subsection (3) of section 1007.33, Florida

29  Statutes, is amended, present subsection (4) is redesignated

30  as subsection (6), and new subsections (4) and (5) are added

31  to that section, to read:

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 1         1007.33  Site-determined baccalaureate degree access.--

 2         (3)  A community college may develop a proposal to

 3  deliver specified baccalaureate degree programs in its

 4  district to meet local workforce needs. The proposal must be

 5  submitted to the State Board of Education for approval. The

 6  community college's proposal must include the following

 7  information:

 8         (a)  Demand for the baccalaureate degree program is

 9  identified by the workforce development board, local

10  businesses and industry, local chambers of commerce, and

11  potential students.

12         (b)  Unmet need for graduates of the proposed degree

13  program is substantiated.

14         (c)  The community college has the facilities and

15  academic resources to deliver the program.

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17  The proposal must be submitted to the Council for Education

18  Policy Research and Improvement for review and comment. Upon

19  approval of the State Board of Education for the specific

20  degree program or programs, the community college shall pursue

21  regional accreditation by the Commission on Colleges of the

22  Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. Any additional

23  baccalaureate degree programs the community college wishes to

24  offer must be approved by the State Board of Education.

25         (4)  A formal agreement for the delivery of specified

26  baccalaureate degree programs by a regionally accredited

27  public or private college or university at a community college

28  site must include:

29         (a)  A guarantee that students will be able to complete

30  the degree in the community college district;

31  

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 1         (b)  A financial commitment to the development,

 2  implementation, and maintenance of the specified degree

 3  program on behalf of the college or university which includes

 4  timelines; and

 5         (c)  A plan for collaboration in the development and

 6  offering of the curriculum for the specified degree by both

 7  faculty at the community college and at the college or

 8  university. The curriculum for the specified degree must be

 9  developed and approved within 6 months, and the program shall

10  be implemented within 12 months, after the agreement between

11  the community college and the college or university is signed.

12         (5)  A community college proposal to deliver a

13  specified baccalaureate degree program must document that the

14  community college has notified in writing the accredited

15  public and private colleges and universities in the community

16  college's district of its intent to seek approval for delivery

17  of the proposed program. The notified colleges and

18  universities have 90 days to submit in writing to the

19  community college an alternative plan for providing the

20  specified degree program.

21         Section 4.  Subsections (1), (2), and (3) of section

22  1009.23, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:

23         1009.23  Community college student fees.--

24         (1)  Unless otherwise provided, the provisions of this

25  section applies apply only to fees charged for college credit

26  instruction leading to an associate in arts degree, an

27  associate in applied science degree, or an associate in

28  science degree, or a baccalaureate degree authorized by the

29  State Board of Education pursuant to s. 1007.33, and for

30  noncollege credit college-preparatory courses defined in s.

31  1004.02.

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 1         (2)(a)  All students shall be charged fees except

 2  students who are exempt from fees or students whose fees are

 3  waived.

 4         (b)  Tuition and out-of-state fees for upper-division

 5  courses must reflect the fact that the college has a less

 6  expensive cost structure than that of a state university.

 7  Therefore, the board of trustees shall establish tuition and

 8  out-of-state fees for upper-division courses consistent with

 9  law and proviso language in the General Appropriations Act.

10  However, the board of trustees may not increase tuition and

11  out-of-state fees as provided in subsection (4). Identical

12  fees shall be required for all community college resident

13  students within a college who take a specific course,

14  regardless of the program in which they are enrolled.

15         (3)  The State Board of Education shall adopt by

16  December 31 of each year a resident fee schedule for the

17  following fall for advanced and professional programs,

18  associate in science degree programs, baccalaureate degree

19  programs authorized by the State Board of Education pursuant

20  to s. 1007.33, and college-preparatory programs that produce

21  revenues in the amount of 25 percent of the full prior year's

22  cost of these programs. Fees for courses in

23  college-preparatory programs and associate in arts and

24  associate in science degree programs may be established at the

25  same level. In the absence of a provision to the contrary in

26  an appropriations act, the fee schedule shall take effect and

27  the colleges shall expend the funds on instruction.  If the

28  Legislature provides for an alternative fee schedule in an

29  appropriations act, the fee schedule shall take effect the

30  subsequent fall semester.

31  

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 1         Section 5.  Section 1011.83, Florida Statutes, is

 2  amended to read:

 3         1011.83  Financial support of community colleges.--

 4         (1)  Each community college that has been approved by

 5  the Department of Education and meets the requirements of law

 6  and rules of the State Board of Education shall participate in

 7  the Community College Program Fund. However, funds to support

 8  workforce education programs conducted by community colleges

 9  shall be provided pursuant to s. 1011.80. A community college

10  may request funds from the Legislature in the State Board of

11  Education legislative budget request for costs related to the

12  initiation of a new baccalaureate degree program. The request

13  for such funds may recognize the costs expected to be incurred

14  until the Legislature provides full-time equivalent recurring

15  funding based on actual FTE enrollment after the program has

16  served both a junior and senior class in the new baccalaureate

17  degree program. A community college that is authorized to

18  grant baccalaureate degrees under s. 1007.33 must receive

19  recurring operational funding:

20         (a)  As a community college for its workforce

21  development education programs and for its

22  lower-division-level college credit courses and programs

23  funded by the Community College Program Fund under this

24  section.

25         (b)  As a baccalaureate-degree-level institution for

26  its upper-division-level courses and programs. State support

27  for these programs may not exceed 85 percent of the amount of

28  state support per full-time equivalent student in a comparable

29  state university program. Funds appropriated for this purpose

30  may be used only for the baccalaureate degree programs.

31  

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 1         (2)  A community college that grants baccalaureate

 2  degrees shall maintain reporting and funding distinctions

 3  between any baccalaureate degree program approved under s.

 4  1007.33 and any other baccalaureate degree programs involving

 5  traditional concurrent-use partnerships.

 6         Section 6.  Subsection (2) of section 1013.60, Florida

 7  Statutes, is amended to read:

 8         1013.60  Legislative capital outlay budget request.--

 9         (2)  The commissioner shall submit to the Governor and

10  to the Legislature an integrated, comprehensive budget request

11  for educational facilities construction and fixed capital

12  outlay needs for school districts, community colleges, and

13  universities, pursuant to the provisions of s. 1013.64 and

14  applicable provisions of chapter 216. Each community college

15  board of trustees and each university board of trustees shall

16  submit to the commissioner a 3-year plan and data required in

17  the development of the annual capital outlay budget. Community

18  college boards of trustees may request funding for all

19  authorized programs, including approved baccalaureate degree

20  programs. Notwithstanding s. 1004.73(7) or any other provision

21  of law, such a request for funding must be submitted as a part

22  of the 3-year priority list for community colleges pursuant to

23  s. 1013.64(4)(a). Enrollment in approved baccalaureate degree

24  programs must be computed into the survey of need for

25  facilities. No Further disbursements may not shall be made

26  from the Public Education Capital Outlay and Debt Service

27  Trust Fund to a board of trustees that fails to timely submit

28  the required data until such board of trustees submits the

29  data.

30         Section 7.  Approval is granted for the endowment for

31  the Appleton Museum of Art, currently held by the Appleton

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 1  Cultural Center, Inc., to be transferred to the Central

 2  Florida Community College Foundation. The endowment to be

 3  transferred, which includes state matching funds, was

 4  established in 1987 through the Cultural Arts Endowment

 5  Program. By this provision, the Central Florida Community

 6  College Foundation is authorized to manage the endowment only

 7  for the support of the educational program at the Appleton

 8  Museum of Art and is released from all other provisions of the

 9  Trust Agreement dated July 17, 1987, by and between the State

10  of Florida and the Appleton Cultural Center, Inc., and

11  sections 265.601 through 265.607, Florida Statutes.

12         Section 8.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2005.

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    Florida Senate - 2005                           CS for SB 2254
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 1          STATEMENT OF SUBSTANTIAL CHANGES CONTAINED IN
                       COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR
 2                         Senate Bill 2254

 3                                 

 4  The Committee Substitute authorizes a community college board
    of trustees to approve a bachelor of applied science degree
 5  program under certain conditions. Those conditions include:

 6       The State Board of Education and the Legislature must
         have previously approved a baccalaureate degree program
 7       for the college.

 8       The college has become regionally accredited by the
         Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of
 9       Colleges and Schools to offer that degree.

10       The college has graduated the first class from the
         authorized degree program.
11  
    The board of trustees of a community college:
12  
         May only authorize a new specific bachelor of applied
13       science degree program which is articulated with a
         specific associate of science degree program.
14  
         May not stop offering the associate of science degree
15       program.

16       Must notify in writing each accredited public and private
         college and university in its service area of the
17       college's intent to offer the new degree program and
         provide those institutions 90 days to submit an alternate
18       plan to provide the service to the college.

19       Evaluate each alternate plan against the college's own
         plan with respect to which program would be best for the
20       student and the cost of each proposal.

21       Shall make the final decision determining which plan will
         be implemented.
22  
    The current statutory requirement that a proposal by a
23  community college to offer a baccalaureate degree must be
    submitted to the Council for Education Policy Research and
24  Improvement for review and comment is repealed.

25  A college or university partner that has been approved to
    offer a baccalaureate degree at a community college site must
26  implement the degree program within 12 months of approval.

27  The proposed language related to how community colleges must
    be funded is replaced with more permissive language.  A
28  community college may request funds from the Legislature for
    the initiation of a new baccalaureate degree program through
29  the State Board of Education's legislative budget request.

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