| 1 | A bill to be entitled |
| 2 | An act relating to public postsecondary education; |
| 3 | creating a study committee to investigate the feasibility |
| 4 | of, and the process for, establishing a research |
| 5 | university; providing for the appointment of study |
| 6 | committee members; specifying responsibilities and |
| 7 | requiring presentation of findings and recommendations; |
| 8 | providing for termination; providing an appropriation; |
| 9 | providing an effective date. |
| 10 |
|
| 11 | Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: |
| 12 |
|
| 13 | Section 1. (1) There is created a study committee to |
| 14 | investigate the feasibility of, and the process for, |
| 15 | establishing a new university in the State University System |
| 16 | with a strong emphasis on advanced scientific and technological |
| 17 | research. Initially, the university shall offer postgraduate |
| 18 | studies and attract only the most academically gifted students. |
| 19 | (2) The study committee shall be composed of the following |
| 20 | members: |
| 21 | (a) Four members of the Board of Governors of the State |
| 22 | University System appointed by the Governor. |
| 23 | (b) Two individuals with expertise in scientific and |
| 24 | technological research appointed by the Governor. |
| 25 | (c) Two individuals with expertise in educational finance, |
| 26 | one each appointed by the President of the Senate and the |
| 27 | Speaker of the House of Representatives. |
| 28 | (3) The responsibilities of the study committee include, |
| 29 | but are not limited to, the responsibility to: |
| 30 | (a) Study and make visitations to some of the nation's |
| 31 | top-ranked research universities, such as the Georgia Institute |
| 32 | of Technology, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and |
| 33 | the California Institute of Technology, to determine how the |
| 34 | missions of such institutions are accomplished. |
| 35 | (b) Develop a plan and process for establishing a new |
| 36 | university in the State University System that: |
| 37 | 1. Is committed to educating future leaders in science and |
| 38 | technology, initially at the postgraduate level. |
| 39 | 2. Integrates research with education with a focus on |
| 40 | producing innovation that will benefit society, help drive |
| 41 | economic growth, and improve human life on a global scale. |
| 42 | 3. Investigates and addresses the challenges in science |
| 43 | and technology in an interdisciplinary approach. |
| 44 | 4. Attracts students with high academic qualifications and |
| 45 | capabilities. |
| 46 | (c) Develop a cost analysis and financial strategy for |
| 47 | establishing a leading research university. |
| 48 | (d) Establish criteria for naming opportunities for the |
| 49 | solicitation of private donors. |
| 50 | (4) The study committee shall present findings and |
| 51 | recommendations to the Governor, the President of the Senate, |
| 52 | the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the Board of |
| 53 | Governors of the State University System by January 31, 2010, |
| 54 | and shall terminate after such presentation. |
| 55 | Section 2. The sum of $100,000 is appropriated from the |
| 56 | General Revenue Fund to the Board of Governors of the State |
| 57 | University System for fiscal year 2009-2010 to implement the |
| 58 | provisions of this act. |
| 59 | Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2009. |