Senate Bill sb1570

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    Florida Senate - 2007                                  SB 1570

    By Senator Lynn





    7-1593-07

  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to the awarding of

  3         baccalaureate degrees by community colleges;

  4         amending s. 1001.64, F.S.; providing for

  5         community colleges that grant baccalaureate

  6         degrees to remain under the authority of the

  7         State Board of Education with respect to

  8         specified responsibilities; providing that the

  9         board of trustees is the governing board for

10         purposes of granting baccalaureate degrees;

11         providing powers of the boards of trustees,

12         including the power to establish tuition and

13         out-of-state fees; providing restrictions;

14         requiring policies relating to minimum faculty

15         teaching hours per week; amending s. 1007.33,

16         F.S.; authorizing a community college to

17         develop proposals to deliver baccalaureate

18         degree programs in math and science which would

19         prepare graduates to enter certain professions;

20         removing a requirement that proposals for a

21         baccalaureate degree program be submitted to

22         the Council for Education Policy Research and

23         Improvement for review and comment; providing

24         requirements for the delivery of specified

25         baccalaureate degree programs by a regionally

26         accredited college or university at a community

27         college site; requiring notification to

28         colleges and universities of intent to offer

29         the degree program; providing an effective

30         date.

31  

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    Florida Senate - 2007                                  SB 1570
    7-1593-07




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

 2  

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

 4  1001.64, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:

 5         1001.64  Community college boards of trustees; powers

 6  and duties.--

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

 8  cost-effective policy decisions appropriate to the community

 9  college's mission, the implementation and maintenance of

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

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

12  reporting of information, and the provision of input regarding

13  state policy, budgeting, and education standards. Community

14  colleges may grant baccalaureate degrees pursuant to s.

15  1007.33 and shall remain under the authority of the State

16  Board of Education with respect to planning, coordination,

17  oversight, and budgetary and accountability responsibilities.

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

19  responsibility to govern its respective community college and

20  with such necessary authority as is needed for the proper

21  operation and improvement thereof in accordance with rules of

22  the State Board of Education. This authority includes serving

23  as the governing board for purposes of granting baccalaureate

24  degrees as authorized in s. 1007.33 and approved by the State

25  Board of Education.

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

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

28  student activities, financial assistance, and other student

29  services.

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

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

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    Florida Senate - 2007                                  SB 1570
    7-1593-07




 1  of Education. A board of trustees may establish additional

 2  admissions criteria, which shall be included in the district

 3  interinstitutional articulation agreement developed according

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

 5  instruction. Each board of trustees may consider the past

 6  actions of any person applying for admission or enrollment and

 7  may deny admission or enrollment to an applicant because of

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

 9  community college.

10         (b)  Each board of trustees shall adopt rules

11  establishing student performance standards for the award of

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

13  trustees of a community college which is authorized to grant a

14  baccalaureate degree under s. 1007.33 may continue to award

15  degrees, diplomas, and certificates as authorized for the

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

17  receives any necessary changes to its accreditation.

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

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

20  consistent with law and proviso language in the General

21  Appropriations Act; however, a board of trustees may not vary

22  tuition and out-of-state fees as provided in s. 1009.23(4).

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

24  intrainstitutional and interinstitutional programs to maximize

25  articulation pursuant to s. 1007.22.

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

27  curricula, which shall include courses required by the State

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

29  1007.25(6).

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

31  antihazing policy, provide a program for the enforcement of

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    Florida Senate - 2007                                  SB 1570
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 1  such rules, and adopt appropriate penalties for violations of

 2  such rules pursuant to the provisions of s. 1006.63.

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

 4  code of conduct and appropriate penalties for violation of its

 5  rules by students and student organizations, including rules

 6  governing student academic honesty. Such penalties, unless

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

 8  of diplomas or transcripts pending compliance with rules or

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

10  or dismissal.

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

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

13  Board of Education that reasonably accommodates the religious

14  observance, practice, and belief of individual students in

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

16  examinations and work assignments.

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

18  providing that faculty who teach upper-division courses that

19  are a component part of a baccalaureate degree program must

20  meet the requirements of s. 1012.82.

21         Section 2.  Subsection (3) of section 1007.33, Florida

22  Statutes, is amended, subsection (4) is renumbered as

23  subsection (6), and new subsections (4) and (5) are added to

24  that section, to read:

25         1007.33  Site-determined baccalaureate degree access.--

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

27  deliver specified baccalaureate degree programs in its

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

29  submitted to the State Board of Education for approval. A

30  community college may develop proposals to deliver

31  baccalaureate degree programs in math and science which would

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    Florida Senate - 2007                                  SB 1570
    7-1593-07




 1  prepare graduates to enter a teaching position in math or

 2  science or employment in a position that requires a

 3  baccalaureate degree in math or science. The community

 4  college's proposal must include the following information:

 5         (a)  Demand for the baccalaureate degree program is

 6  identified by the workforce development board, local

 7  businesses and industry, local chambers of commerce, and

 8  potential students.

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

10  program is substantiated.

11         (c)  The community college has the facilities and

12  academic resources to deliver the program.

13  

14  The proposal must be submitted to the Council for Education

15  Policy Research and Improvement for review and comment. Upon

16  approval of the State Board of Education for the specific

17  degree program or programs, the community college shall pursue

18  regional accreditation by the Commission on Colleges of the

19  Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. Any additional

20  baccalaureate degree programs the community college wishes to

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

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

23  baccalaureate degree programs by a regionally accredited

24  public or private college or university at a community college

25  site must include:

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

27  the degree in the community college district.

28         (b)  A financial commitment to the development,

29  implementation, and maintenance of the specified degree

30  program on behalf of the college or university which includes

31  timelines.

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    Florida Senate - 2007                                  SB 1570
    7-1593-07




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

 2  offering of the curriculum for the specified degree by faculty

 3  at both the community college and the college or university.

 4  The curriculum for the specified degree must be developed and

 5  approved within 6 months after the agreement between the

 6  community college and the college or university is signed.

 7         (5)  A community college proposal to deliver a

 8  specified baccalaureate degree program must document that the

 9  community college has notified in writing the accredited

10  public and private colleges and universities in the community

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

12  of the proposed program. The notified colleges and

13  universities have 90 days to submit in writing to the

14  community college an alternative plan for providing the

15  specified degree program.

16         Section 3.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2007.

17  

18            *****************************************

19                          SENATE SUMMARY

20    Provides for community colleges that grant baccalaureate
      degrees to remain under the authority of the State Board
21    of Education with respect to specified responsibilities.
      Provides that the board of trustees is the governing
22    board for purposes of granting baccalaureate degrees.
      Provides powers of the boards of trustees, including the
23    power to establish tuition and out-of-state fees.
      Requires policies relating to minimum faculty teaching
24    hours per week. Removes a requirement that proposals for
      a baccalaureate degree program be submitted to the
25    Council for Education Policy Research and Improvement for
      review and comment. Provides requirements for the
26    delivery of specified baccalaureate degree programs by a
      regionally accredited college or university at a
27    community college site. (See bill for details.)

28  

29  

30  

31  

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