Florida Senate - 2017                        COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
       Bill No. CS for SB 374
       
       
       
       
       
       
                                Ì917820ÊÎ917820                         
       
                              LEGISLATIVE ACTION                        
                    Senate             .             House              
                  Comm: RCS            .                                
                  03/17/2017           .                                
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       Appropriations Subcommittee on Higher Education (Galvano)
       recommended the following:
       
    1         Senate Amendment 
    2  
    3         Delete lines 4131 - 4370
    4  and insert:
    5         (5) The approval process for baccalaureate degree programs
    6  requires shall require:
    7         (a) Each Florida Community College System institution to
    8  submit a notice of interest at least 180 days before submitting
    9  a notice of its intent to propose a baccalaureate degree program
   10  to the Division of Florida Colleges at least 100 days before the
   11  submission of its proposal under paragraph (d). The notice of
   12  interest must be submitted into a shared postsecondary database
   13  that allows other postsecondary institutions to preview and
   14  provide feedback on the notice of interest. A written notice of
   15  intent must be submitted to the Chancellor of the Florida
   16  Community College System at least 100 days before the submission
   17  of a baccalaureate degree program proposal under paragraph (c).
   18  The notice of intent must include a brief description of the
   19  program, the workforce demand and unmet need for graduates of
   20  the program to include evidence from entities independent of the
   21  institution, the geographic region to be served, and an
   22  estimated timeframe for implementation. Notices of interest and
   23  intent may be submitted by a Florida Community College System
   24  institution at any time throughout the year. The notice of
   25  intent must also include evidence that the Florida Community
   26  College System institution engaged in need, demand, and impact
   27  discussions with the state university and other regionally
   28  accredited postsecondary education providers in its service
   29  district.
   30         (b) The Chancellor of the Florida Community College System
   31  Division of Florida Colleges to forward the notice of intent
   32  submitted pursuant to paragraph (a) and the justification for
   33  the proposed baccalaureate degree program required under
   34  paragraph (c) within 10 business days after receiving such
   35  notice and justification to the Chancellor of the State
   36  University System, the president of the Independent Colleges and
   37  Universities of Florida, and the Executive Director of the
   38  Commission for Independent Education. State universities shall
   39  have 60 days following receipt of the notice of intent and
   40  justification by the Chancellor of the State University System
   41  to submit an objection and a reason for the objection to the
   42  proposed baccalaureate degree program, which may include
   43  objections to the proposed new program or submit an alternative
   44  proposal to offer the baccalaureate degree program. The
   45  Chancellor of the State University System shall review the
   46  objection raised by a state university and inform the Board of
   47  Governors of the objection before a state university submits its
   48  objection to the Chancellor of the Florida Community College
   49  System. The Chancellor of the Florida Community College System
   50  must consult with the Chancellor of the State University System
   51  to consider the objection raised by the state university before
   52  the State Board of Community Colleges approves or denies a
   53  Florida Community College System institution’s proposal
   54  submitted pursuant to paragraph (c). If a proposal from a state
   55  university is not received within the 60-day period, The
   56  Chancellor of the Florida Community College System State Board
   57  of Education shall also provide regionally accredited private
   58  colleges and universities 60 30 days to submit an objection and
   59  a reason for the objection to the proposed baccalaureate degree
   60  program, which may include an alternative proposal to offer a
   61  baccalaureate degree program objections to the proposed new
   62  program or submit an alternative proposal. Objections by a
   63  regionally accredited private college or university or
   64  alternative proposals shall be submitted to the Chancellor of
   65  the Florida Community College System, and the state board must
   66  consider such objections before Division of Florida Colleges and
   67  must be considered by the State Board of Education in making its
   68  decision to approve or deny a Florida Community College System
   69  institution’s proposal submitted pursuant to paragraph (c).
   70         (c) An alternative proposal submitted by a state university
   71  or private college or university to adequately address:
   72         1. The extent to which the workforce demand and unmet need
   73  described in the notice of intent will be met.
   74         2. The extent to which students will be able to complete
   75  the degree in the geographic region proposed to be served by the
   76  Florida College System institution.
   77         3. The level of financial commitment of the college or
   78  university to the development, implementation, and maintenance
   79  of the specified degree program, including timelines.
   80         4. The extent to which faculty at both the Florida College
   81  System institution and the college or university will
   82  collaborate in the development and offering of the curriculum.
   83         5. The ability of the Florida College System institution
   84  and the college or university to develop and approve the
   85  curriculum for the specified degree program within 6 months
   86  after an agreement between the Florida College System
   87  institution and the college or university is signed.
   88         6. The extent to which the student may incur additional
   89  costs above what the student would expect to incur if the
   90  program were offered by the Florida College System institution.
   91         (c)(d) Each Florida Community College System institution to
   92  submit a baccalaureate degree program proposal at least 100 days
   93  after submitting the notice of intent. Each proposal must
   94  submitted by a Florida College System institution to, at a
   95  minimum, include:
   96         1. A description of the planning process and timeline for
   97  implementation.
   98         2. A justification for the proposed baccalaureate degree
   99  program, including, at a minimum, a data-driven An analysis of
  100  workforce demand and unmet need for graduates of the program on
  101  a district, regional, or statewide basis, as appropriate, and
  102  the extent to which the proposed program will meet the workforce
  103  demand and unmet need. The analysis must include workforce and
  104  employment data for the most recent years and projections by the
  105  Department of Economic Opportunity for future years, and a
  106  summary of degree programs similar to the proposed degree
  107  program which are currently offered by state universities or by
  108  independent nonprofit colleges or universities that are eligible
  109  to participate in a grant program pursuant to s. 1009.89 and
  110  which are located in the Florida Community College System
  111  institution’s regional service area. The analysis and evidence
  112  must be verified by the Chancellor of the Florida Community
  113  College System including evidence from entities independent of
  114  the institution.
  115         3. Identification of the facilities, equipment, and library
  116  and academic resources that will be used to deliver the program.
  117         4. The program cost analysis of creating a new
  118  baccalaureate degree when compared to alternative proposals and
  119  other program delivery options.
  120         5. The program’s admission requirements, academic content,
  121  curriculum, faculty credentials, student-to-teacher ratios, and
  122  accreditation plan.
  123         6. The program’s student enrollment projections and funding
  124  requirements, including:
  125         a. The impact of the program’s enrollment projections on
  126  compliance with the upper-level enrollment provisions under
  127  subsection (6); and
  128         b. The institution’s efforts to sustain the program at the
  129  cost of tuition and fees for students who are classified as
  130  residents for tuition purposes under s. 1009.21, not to exceed
  131  $10,000 for the entire degree program, including flexible
  132  tuition and fee rates, and the use of waivers pursuant to s.
  133  1009.26(11).
  134         7. A plan of action if the program is terminated.
  135         (d)(e) The State Board of Community Division of Florida
  136  Colleges to review the proposal, notify the Florida Community
  137  College System institution of any deficiencies in writing within
  138  30 days following receipt of the proposal, and provide the
  139  Florida Community College System institution with an opportunity
  140  to correct the deficiencies. Within 45 days following receipt of
  141  a completed proposal by the State Board of Community Division of
  142  Florida Colleges, the Chancellor of the Florida Community
  143  College System Commissioner of Education shall recommend
  144  approval or disapproval of the proposal to the State Board of
  145  Community Colleges Education. The State Board of Community
  146  Colleges Education shall consider such recommendation, the
  147  proposal, input from the Chancellor of the State University
  148  System and the president of the Independent Colleges and
  149  Universities of Florida, and any objections or alternative
  150  proposals at its next meeting. If the State Board of Community
  151  Colleges Education disapproves the Florida Community College
  152  System institution’s proposal, it shall provide the Florida
  153  Community College System institution with written reasons for
  154  that determination.
  155         (e)(f) The Florida Community College System institution to
  156  obtain from the Commission on Colleges of the Southern
  157  Association of Colleges and Schools accreditation as a
  158  baccalaureate-degree-granting institution if approved by the
  159  State Board of Community Colleges Education to offer its first
  160  baccalaureate degree program.
  161         (f)(g) The Florida Community College System institution to
  162  notify the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of
  163  Colleges and Schools of subsequent degree programs that are
  164  approved by the State Board of Community Colleges Education and
  165  to comply with the association’s required substantive change
  166  protocols for accreditation purposes.
  167         (g)(h) The Florida Community College System institution to
  168  annually report to the State Board of Community Colleges, the
  169  Chancellor of the State University System, and upon request of
  170  the State Board of Education, the Commissioner of Education, the
  171  Chancellor of the Florida College System, or the Legislature,
  172  report its status using the following performance and compliance
  173  indicators:
  174         1. Obtaining and maintaining appropriate Southern
  175  Association of Colleges and Schools accreditation;
  176         2. Maintaining qualified faculty and institutional
  177  resources;
  178         3. Maintaining student enrollment in previously approved
  179  programs;
  180         4. Managing fiscal resources appropriately;
  181         5. Complying with the primary mission and responsibility
  182  requirements in subsections (2) and (3); and
  183         6. Other indicators of success, including program
  184  completions, employment and earnings outcomes, student
  185  acceptance into and performance in graduate programs placements,
  186  and surveys of graduates and employers; and.
  187         7. Continuing to meet workforce demand, as provided in
  188  subparagraph (c)2., as demonstrated through a data-driven needs
  189  assessment by the Florida Community College System institution
  190  which is verified by more than one third-party professional
  191  entity that is independent of the institution.
  192         8. Complying with the upper-level enrollment provisions
  193  under subsection (6).
  194  
  195  The State Board of Community Colleges Education, upon annual
  196  review of the baccalaureate degree program performance and
  197  compliance indicators and needs assessment, may require a
  198  Florida Community College System institution’s board of trustees
  199  to modify or terminate a baccalaureate degree program authorized
  200  under this section. If the annual review indicates negative
  201  program performance and compliance results, and if the needs
  202  assessment fails to demonstrate a need for the program, the
  203  State Board of Community Colleges must require a Florida
  204  Community College System institution’s board of trustees to
  205  terminate that baccalaureate degree program.
  206         (6)(a) If the 2015-2016 total upper-level, undergraduate
  207  full-time equivalent enrollment at a Florida Community College
  208  System institution is at or above 8 percent of the 2015-2016
  209  combined total lower-level and upper-level full-time equivalent
  210  enrollment at that institution, the total upper-level
  211  enrollment, as a percentage of the combined enrollment, may not
  212  increase by more than 2 percentage points unless the institution
  213  obtains prior legislative approval.
  214         (b) If the 2015-2016 total upper-level, undergraduate full
  215  time equivalent enrollment at a Florida Community College System
  216  institution is below 8 percent of the 2015-2016 combined total
  217  lower-level and upper-level full-time equivalent enrollment at
  218  that institution, the total upper-level enrollment, as a
  219  percentage of the combined enrollment, may not increase by more
  220  than 4 percentage points unless the institution obtains prior
  221  legislative approval.
  222         (c) Within the 2 percent or 4 percent growth authorized
  223  under paragraph (a) or paragraph (b), for any planned and
  224  purposeful expansion of existing baccalaureate degree programs
  225  or creation of a new baccalaureate program, a community college
  226  must demonstrate satisfactory performance in fulfilling its
  227  primary mission pursuant to s. 1004.65, executing at least one
  228  “2+2” targeted pathway articulation agreement pursuant to s.
  229  1007.23, and meeting or exceeding the performance standards
  230  related to on-time completion and graduation rates under s.
  231  1001.66 for students earning associate of arts or baccalaureate
  232  degrees. The State Board of Community Colleges may not approve a
  233  new baccalaureate degree program proposal for a community
  234  college that does not meet the conditions specified in this
  235  subsection in addition to the other requirements for approval
  236  under this section. Each community college that offers a
  237  baccalaureate degree must annually review each baccalaureate
  238  degree program and annually report to the State Board of
  239  Community Colleges, in a format prescribed by the state board,
  240  current and projected student enrollment for such program,
  241  justification for continuation of each baccalaureate degree
  242  program, and a plan to comply with the upper-level enrollment
  243  provisions of this subsection. A Florida Community College
  244  System institution that does not comply with the requirements of
  245  this section is subject to s. 1001.602(9) and may not report for
  246  funding, the upper-level, undergraduate full-time equivalent
  247  enrollment that exceeds the upper-level enrollment percent
  248  provision of this subsection.
  249         (7)(6) The State Board of Community Colleges Education
  250  shall adopt rules to prescribe format and content requirements
  251  and submission procedures for notices of interest and intent,
  252  baccalaureate degree program proposals, objections, proposals,
  253  alternative proposals, and compliance reviews under subsection
  254  (5).