Florida Senate - 2012                        COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
       Bill No. SB 1752
       
       
       
       
       
       
                                Barcode 276536                          
       
                              LEGISLATIVE ACTION                        
                    Senate             .             House              
                  Comm: RCS            .                                
                  02/20/2012           .                                
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       The Committee on Higher Education (Lynn) recommended the
       following:
       
    1         Senate Amendment (with title amendment)
    2  
    3         Delete everything after the enacting clause
    4  and insert:
    5         Section 1. Section 1001.7065, Florida Statutes, is created
    6  to read:
    7         1001.7065 State universities of academic and research
    8  excellence and national preeminence.—
    9         (1) This section may be cited as the “State Universities of
   10  Academic and Research Excellence and National Preeminence Act.”
   11         (2) A partnership initiative is established between the
   12  Board of Governors and the Legislature to lift the academic and
   13  research excellence and national preeminence of the highest
   14  performing state research universities in accordance with this
   15  section. The initiative derives from the State University System
   16  Governance Agreement executed on March 24, 2010, wherein the
   17  Board of Governors and leaders of the Legislature agreed to a
   18  framework for the collaborative exercise of their joint
   19  authority and shared responsibility for the State University
   20  System. Specifically, the governance agreement confirmed the
   21  commitment of the Board of Governors and the Legislature to
   22  continue collaboration on accountability measures, the use of
   23  data, and recommendations derived from such data.
   24         (3) Beginning with the 2012-2013 academic year, a state
   25  research university that the Board of Governors finds has
   26  substantially met at least 11 of the following academic and
   27  research excellence standards may establish resident and
   28  nonresident student tuition and fees for undergraduate and
   29  graduate courses and programs at differentiated and market
   30  rates, notwithstanding ss. 1009.01 and 1009.24, as approved by
   31  the university’s board of trustees and the Board of Governors:
   32         (a) An average weighted grade point average of 3.8 or
   33  higher on a 4.0 scale and an average SAT score of 1800 or higher
   34  for incoming freshman during the fall term, as reported
   35  annually.
   36         (b) A top 50 ranking on at least two well-known and highly
   37  respected national public university rankings reflecting
   38  national preeminence while using the most recent data.
   39         (c) A freshman retention rate of 90 percent or higher for
   40  full-time, first-time-in-college students, as reported annually
   41  to the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS).
   42         (d) Six or more faculty members at the state university who
   43  are members of a national academy, as reported annually by the
   44  Center for Measuring University Performance for the Top American
   45  Research Universities.
   46         (e) Total annual research expenditures, including federal
   47  research expenditures, of $200 million or more, as reported
   48  annually, while using the most recent data.
   49         (f) Total annual research expenditures in diversified
   50  health sciences of $100 million or more, as reported annually by
   51  the National Science Foundation (NSF).
   52         (g) A top 100 public university national ranking for
   53  research expenditures in five or more science, technology,
   54  engineering, or mathematics fields of study, as reported
   55  annually by the NSF.
   56         (h) One hundred or more total patents awarded for the most
   57  recent 3-year period, as reported annually to the IPEDS.
   58         (i) Two hundred fifty or more doctoral degrees awarded, as
   59  reported annually to the IPEDS.
   60         (j) Two hundred or more post-doctoral appointees, as
   61  reported annually.
   62         (k) A national ranking in quality better than predicted by
   63  available financial resources, as reported annually by U.S. News
   64  and World Report.
   65         (l) An endowment of $400 million or more, as reported
   66  annually, while using the most recent data.
   67         (m) Annual giving of $45 million or more, as reported
   68  annually, while using the most recent data.
   69         (n) Unallocated funds as a percentage of total budget of
   70  12.5 percent or more, as reported annually to the Board of
   71  Governors.
   72  
   73  An increase to tuition or fees may occur no more than once each
   74  academic year and must be implemented beginning with the fall
   75  term. In addition, the Board of Governors may exercise its
   76  governing authority to identify and grant additional authority
   77  and flexibilities within its constitutional powers and
   78  responsibilities as may be appropriate to achieve the goals of
   79  this section. However, a qualified beneficiary having a prepaid
   80  advance payment contract pursuant to s. 1009.98(2)(b) which was
   81  in effect prior to the first year a state university receives
   82  tuition and fee authority under this subsection, and that
   83  remains in effect, is exempt from the payment of any increase to
   84  tuition and fees assessed pursuant to the tuition and fee
   85  authority. A qualified beneficiary having a prepaid advance
   86  payment contract pursuant to s. 1009.98(2)(b) which is entered
   87  into the first year a state university receives tuition and fee
   88  authority under this subsection, or thereafter, is liable for
   89  the difference between the highest rate of tuition and fees
   90  covered by the advance payment contract and the tuition and fees
   91  assessed by the state university of national preeminence which
   92  the student attends.
   93         (4) In order to provide a jointly shared educational
   94  experience, and notwithstanding the provisions of part II of
   95  chapter 1007 or any other law, rule, or regulation, a state
   96  university that the Board of Governors finds has substantially
   97  met at least 11 of the academic and research excellence
   98  standards set forth in subsection (3) may require its incoming
   99  first-time-in college students to take a 9-credit to 12-credit
  100  set of courses specifically determined by the state university.
  101  The state university may require that they be taken at the
  102  specific state university involved and that credit for any such
  103  required courses cannot be fulfilled through any acceleration,
  104  transfer, or other similar mechanism.
  105         (5) The Board of Governors shall oversee the implementation
  106  of this section and may recommend to the Legislature for future
  107  consideration additional state university programs of academic
  108  and research excellence, or academic programs of national or
  109  international preeminence, together with recommended
  110  flexibilities designed to move those state universities or
  111  programs to a higher preeminence in appropriate nationally
  112  recognized rankings.
  113         Section 2. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law.
  114  
  115  ================= T I T L E A M E N D M E N T ================
  116         And the title is amended as follows:
  117         Delete everything before the enacting clause
  118  and insert:
  119                        A bill to be entitled                      
  120         An act relating to state universities of academic and
  121         research excellence and national preeminence; creating
  122         s. 1001.7065, F.S.; providing a short title;
  123         establishing a partnership initiative between the
  124         Board of Governors of the State University System and
  125         the Legislature to lift the academic and research
  126         excellence and national preeminence of the highest
  127         performing state research universities; authorizing a
  128         state research university that meets specified
  129         criteria, and receives approval, to establish resident
  130         and nonresident student tuition or fees at
  131         differentiated and market rates; providing conditions
  132         for increasing such tuition or fees; authorizing the
  133         Board of Governors to exercise its governing
  134         authority; providing an exemption from the payment of
  135         increased tuition or fees for certain students;
  136         authorizing a state research university that meets
  137         specified criteria, and receives approval, to
  138         establish a set of courses having specified credits
  139         hours to provide a jointly shared educational
  140         experience for all first-time-in-college students;
  141         requiring implementation by the Board of Governors;
  142         authorizing the Board of Governors to make
  143         recommendations to the Legislature; providing an
  144         effective date.