Senate Bill sb1636e1
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
SB 1636 First Engrossed (ntc)
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to postsecondary education;
3 amending s. 240.3836, F.S.; providing
4 legislative intent; providing a process for
5 authorizing community colleges to offer
6 baccalaureate degree programs; providing an
7 effective date.
8
9 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
10
11 Section 1. Section 240.3836, Florida Statutes, is
12 amended to read:
13 240.3836 Site-determined baccalaureate degree access
14 program; funding.--
15 (1) The Legislature recognizes that public and private
16 postsecondary education institutions play essential roles in
17 improving the quality of life and economic well-being of the
18 state and its residents. The Legislature also recognizes that
19 economic development needs and the educational needs of
20 place-bound, nontraditional students have increased the demand
21 for local access to baccalaureate degree programs. In some,
22 but not all, geographic regions, baccalaureate degree programs
23 are being delivered successfully at the local community
24 college through agreements between the community college and
25 4-year postsecondary institutions within or outside of the
26 state. It is therefore the intent of the Legislature to
27 further expand access to baccalaureate degree programs through
28 the use of community colleges apply this concept in the
29 creation and funding of a program that supports local economic
30 development and responds to public demand for increased access
31
1
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
SB 1636 First Engrossed (ntc)
1 to baccalaureate degrees in areas of the state that are
2 underserved by 4-year institutions.
3 (2) A community college may be authorized by the State
4 Board of Education to offer a limited number of baccalaureate
5 degrees designed to meet local workforce needs through one of
6 the following processes:
7 (a) A community college may enter into a formal
8 agreement with the state university in its service area for
9 the community college to deliver specified baccalaureate
10 degree programs. The agreement must be submitted to the State
11 Board of Education for approval. The college's proposal must
12 include the following information:
13 1. Demand for the baccalaureate degree program is
14 identified by the workforce development board, local
15 businesses and industry, local chambers of commerce, and
16 potential students.
17 2. Unmet need for graduates of the proposed degree
18 program is substantiated.
19 3. The community college has the facilities and
20 academic resources to deliver the program.
21
22 The agreement must be submitted to the Postsecondary Education
23 Planning Commission for review and comment. Upon approval of
24 the State Board of Education for the specific degree program
25 or programs, the college shall pursue regional accreditation
26 by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of
27 Colleges and Schools. Any additional baccalaureate degree
28 programs the college wishes to offer must be approved by the
29 State Board of Education.
30 (b) A community college may develop a proposal to
31 deliver specified baccalaureate degree programs in its
2
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
SB 1636 First Engrossed (ntc)
1 district. The proposal must be submitted to the State Board of
2 Education for approval. The college's proposal must include
3 the following information:
4 1. Demand for the baccalaureate degree program is
5 identified by the workforce development board, local
6 businesses and industry, local chambers of commerce, and
7 potential students.
8 2. Unmet need for graduates of the proposed degree
9 program is substantiated.
10 3. The community college has the facilities and
11 academic resources to deliver the program.
12
13 The proposal must be submitted to the Postsecondary Education
14 Planning Commission for review and comment. Upon approval of
15 the State Board of Education for the specific degree program
16 or programs, the college shall pursue regional accreditation
17 by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of
18 Colleges and Schools. Any additional baccalaureate degree
19 programs the college wishes to offer must be approved by the
20 State Board of Education.
21 (3) A community college may not terminate its
22 Associate-in-Arts or Associate-in-Science degree programs as a
23 result of the authorization provided in subsection (2). The
24 Legislature intends that the primary mission of a community
25 college, including a college that offers baccalaureate degree
26 programs, continues to be the provision of associate degrees
27 that provide access to a university.
28 (2) Categorical funding is authorized for the
29 site-determined baccalaureate degree access program created by
30 this section. Funds may not be used to support the
31 construction, renovation, or remodeling of facilities. This
3
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
SB 1636 First Engrossed (ntc)
1 program is voluntary and does not preclude other mutually
2 agreed upon arrangements between community colleges and 4-year
3 institutions for the delivery of baccalaureate degrees on
4 community college sites.
5 (3) Each community college wishing to participate in
6 the site-determined baccalaureate degree access program must:
7 (a) Identify baccalaureate degree programs that are
8 not currently offered at the community college but are
9 proposed for delivery at the college to meet the academic and
10 economic development needs of one or more communities within
11 the college's service area. When assessing local needs, the
12 college should seek input from the appropriate chamber of
13 commerce, workforce development council, and other civic and
14 business groups. As used in this section, the term "economic
15 development" means entrepreneurial efforts, the attraction of
16 new business and industry to the area, and the expansion of
17 existing business and industry.
18 (b) Determine the number of students interested in
19 pursuing each proposed baccalaureate degree program and
20 identify the enrollment patterns, any special characteristics
21 of those students, and any unique combination or modification
22 of course offerings that may be necessary to meet student
23 enrollment needs.
24 (c) Submit a proposal to the Postsecondary Education
25 Planning Commission requesting validation of the need for the
26 proposed baccalaureate degree program and tentative approval
27 for program funding. The proposal must include:
28 1. A description of each proposed baccalaureate degree
29 program identifying the junior-level and senior-level courses
30 to be offered and designating whether the program should be
31 offered for a cohort group or as an ongoing degree program.
4
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
SB 1636 First Engrossed (ntc)
1 2. Evidence that local occupational forecasts support
2 the existence of jobs for graduates of the proposed
3 baccalaureate degree programs.
4 3. An estimated number of students to be served by
5 each proposed degree program.
6 4. An assurance that the community college's existing
7 facilities are sufficient to meet the additional demands for
8 classroom and laboratory space for the proposed degree
9 programs.
10 5. Evidence that the college has requested the
11 participation of no fewer than three regionally accredited
12 4-year postsecondary institutions, including at least one
13 member of the State University System. Any member of the
14 State University System and any independent, regionally
15 accredited, 4-year institution that is chartered in, and has
16 its primary campus located in, Florida may be a partner in a
17 site-determined baccalaureate degree access program at any
18 community college.
19 6. A tentative agreement between the community college
20 and the 4-year postsecondary institution selected to offer the
21 upper-level courses leading to the proposed degree or degrees.
22 7. Any additional provisions that the Postsecondary
23 Education Planning Commission considers pertinent to the
24 proposal.
25 (4) The Postsecondary Education Planning Commission,
26 after soliciting comments from the Board of Regents and the
27 State Board of Community Colleges, shall validate the need for
28 each baccalaureate degree program proposed for delivery
29 according to this section and shall notify the community
30 college that its proposal has been approved or rejected. The
31 commission shall establish procedures for the timely
5
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
SB 1636 First Engrossed (ntc)
1 submission, review, and approval of the proposals and
2 agreements required by this section. These procedures must be
3 designed to allow the initiation of approved baccalaureate
4 degree programs at least 3 times each fiscal year.
5 (5) Once the Postsecondary Education Planning
6 Commission validates the need for the proposed baccalaureate
7 degree program and notifies the community college that its
8 proposal has been approved, the community college shall
9 finalize an agreement with the regionally accredited, public
10 or nonpublic, 4-year postsecondary institution selected to
11 provide the upper-level instructional services in the approved
12 baccalaureate degree program. The commission shall identify
13 the common aspects that each agreement must address,
14 including, but not limited to:
15 (a) A course delivery pattern based on the student
16 enrollment patterns and characteristics included in the
17 approved proposal.
18 (b) An articulation provision that guarantees
19 acceptance of students who hold an associate in arts or
20 associate in science degree and satisfy any other
21 prerequisites for admission to the specific baccalaureate
22 degree program.
23 (c) The provision of library services and student
24 support services.
25 (d) An agreement that the participating 4-year
26 postsecondary institution will continue offering instructional
27 services at least until all qualified members of the initial
28 group of students have had an opportunity to complete the
29 degree program.
30 (e) The specific and measurable performance criteria
31 that the Postsecondary Education Planning Commission may use
6
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
SB 1636 First Engrossed (ntc)
1 to evaluate the outcomes and outputs of the baccalaureate
2 degree program within an identified timeframe.
3 (f) An agreement that in-state student tuition for the
4 degree program will not exceed the matriculation fee for the
5 State University System unless the proposal approved by the
6 Postsecondary Education Planning Commission allows the
7 participating institutions to charge differentiated tuition
8 and fees to encourage student attendance and participation.
9 Out-of-state students shall pay full costs. Notwithstanding
10 s. 240.605, students participating in a site-determined
11 baccalaureate degree program may not receive a Florida
12 Resident Access Grant.
13 (6) Each participating community college must submit
14 the agreement required by this section to the Postsecondary
15 Education Planning Commission for review and final approval
16 before initiating an approved site-determined baccalaureate
17 degree access program. Subject to the availability of
18 legislative appropriations specifically provided for this
19 purpose, the Postsecondary Education Planning Commission must
20 recommend to the Commissioner of Education the total funds to
21 be released to each participating community college for the
22 initiation of the approved site-determined baccalaureate
23 degree access program. The community college shall distribute
24 funds to the participating 4-year postsecondary institution at
25 the rate specified in the approved agreement. The
26 Postsecondary Education Planning Commission shall not
27 recommend the release of funding for any program that is
28 terminated before or after the evaluation required by this
29 section. The total funds to be released for the initiation of
30 an approved program shall be based on the number of fundable
31 upper-level student credit hours for each term. Unless
7
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
SB 1636 First Engrossed (ntc)
1 otherwise provided in an appropriations act, the funding per
2 credit hour shall be an amount equal to the state funds,
3 excluding student fees, appropriated to the State University
4 System for each full-time equivalent student enrolled in
5 upper-level course work. Student credit hours funded under
6 this program may not be duplicated in any other calculation of
7 state funding for the 4-year institution.
8 (7) The Postsecondary Education Planning Commission
9 may require the participating community colleges and 4-year
10 postsecondary institutions to submit information necessary to
11 monitor the annual performance of the program. Within 90 days
12 after the 2nd and 4th year of the site-determined
13 baccalaureate degree access program, the commission shall
14 submit to the chairs of the education and fiscal committees of
15 the Legislature a progress report, including an evaluation of
16 the funding mechanism created by this section. The commission
17 shall review each site-determined baccalaureate degree access
18 program funded under this section to ascertain whether the
19 performance measures specified in the agreement between the
20 participating community college and the 4-year institution
21 have been met. Each program must be reviewed 4 years after
22 initiation unless a shorter timeframe is specified in the
23 agreement. The performance measures must include the student
24 graduation rate, the employment rate of program graduates both
25 within and outside the community college service area, the
26 continuing need to offer the specific baccalaureate degree
27 program in the community college service area, and such other
28 information as the Postsecondary Education Planning Commission
29 may determine necessary for program and performance
30 evaluation. Based on its evaluation, the commission shall
31 either approve continuation of the program, require
8
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
SB 1636 First Engrossed (ntc)
1 modifications prior to program approval, or recommend that the
2 participating institutions terminate the program after all
3 qualified members of the initial group of students have an
4 opportunity to complete the degree program. The commission
5 must submit to the Commissioner of Education for inclusion in
6 the legislative budget a request for funding for approved
7 site-determined baccalaureate degree access programs.
8 (8) If no accredited 4-year institution is willing to
9 provide a baccalaureate degree program approved by the
10 Postsecondary Education Planning Commission under this
11 section, the community college board of trustees may ask the
12 commission to evaluate the college's request to offer the
13 degree program. If the commission is satisfied that the
14 community college should offer the degree program, it shall
15 recommend to the Legislature the enactment of statutory
16 authority for the community college to offer that specific
17 baccalaureate degree program.
18 Section 2. This act shall take effect upon becoming a
19 law.
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
9
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.