Senator Dorothy Hukill (R-Port Orange) today filed Senate Bill 374, the College Competitiveness Act of 2017. The legislation, co-sponsored by Senator Bill Galvano (R-Bradenton) and Senate Majority Leader Wilton Simpson (R-Trilby), is a component of the Florida Senate’s Excellence in Higher Education agenda advocated by Senate President Joe Negron (R-Stuart).
“This legislation will elevate the visibility of our nationally-recognized Florida Community College System as an integral partner in Florida’s system of higher education, with a renewed commitment to access and dedication to its primary 2+2 mission, and on-time completion of vital associate degrees and workforce credentials, as fundamental priorities,” said Senator Hukill.
Senate Bill 374, reinstates a statewide coordinating board for the Florida Community College System, tightens the community college bachelor degree approval process, expands 2+2 college-to-university partnerships, and clarifies responsibilities within Florida’s taxpayer-funded K-20 education system to avoid wasteful duplication of programs offered by state universities, community colleges, and technical centers.
“Community colleges are vital to Florida’s K-20 public education system,” said President Negron. “With a distinct mission, separate from the role of our K-12 and state university systems, our nationally-recognized community colleges deserve their own coordinating board to advocate for the success of the system.”
“By clarifying the distinct roles and responsibilities of our state universities, community colleges, and technical centers, we can elevate each component of our higher education system with strategic policy enhancements and funding investments that promote economic growth,” said Senator Galvano.
“Florida’s 2+2 college-to-university partnership program is a nationally-recognized model for success in higher education,” said Leader Simpson. “Strengthening and expanding partnership agreements that enable students to transition seamlessly from a community college to one of our 12 state universities facilitates degree completion, which saves students money and time.”
Reinstates Statewide Coordinating Board
Senate Bill 374 reinstates the State Board of Community Colleges as the coordinating board of the Florida Community College System, independent of the State Board of Education and the Board of Governors of the State University System, to oversee the local community college boards of trustees. The bill requires the State Board of Community Colleges to appoint a Chancellor to the board, and transfers personnel, budget, and other appropriate functions from the State Board of Education to the State Board of Community Colleges.
Clarifies Missions of Community Colleges and School District Workforce Programs
Senate Bill 374 clarifies that providing lower-level undergraduate instruction and awarding Associate in Arts degrees, which transfer to a state university, are responsibilities under the primary mission of community colleges. Additionally, responsibilities under the primary mission of community colleges are to prepare students directly for careers requiring less than bachelor degrees, by awarding Associate in Science degrees, Associate in Applied Science degrees, and nationally-recognized industry certifications, which help students enter the workforce prepared for success.
Offering upper-level instruction and awarding bachelor degrees are responsibilities under the secondary mission of community colleges. To support this delineation in mission, the bill establishes a cap on the planned growth in upper-level undergraduate enrollment at each community college, thereby focusing attention and resources on excellence in meeting primary mission responsibilities. The provisions of the bill do not terminate any existing programs and no students currently enrolled in community college baccalaureate degree programs will be impacted by the enrollment cap.
The legislation further clarifies the mission of technical centers is to promote advances and innovations in specific workforce preparation and economic development. The public technical center learning environment prepares its students to meet the needs of the local community through specific and specialized technical career-based training; thus promoting diversity and choices within the public technical education community and while increasing a quicker turnaround in economic investments as these students are more likely to immediately enter the workforce. The bill clarifies technical centers governed by local school boards may not offer college credit courses, college credit certificates, associate degrees, or bachelor degrees.
Expands 2+2 College-To-University Partnerships
Senate Bill 374 expands successful 2+2 college-to-university programs, such as DirectConnect partnerships with the University of Central Florida and FUSE partnerships with the University of South Florida, by requiring every college to implement, by no later than the 2018 academic year, a minimum of one 2+2 pathway agreement with at least one state university partner. The 2+2 pathway agreement guarantees the college’s Associate in Arts degree graduates, who meet specific requirements, admission to the university partnered with that community college.
Act
Senator Galvano Files Florida Excellence in Higher Education Act
Senator Bill Galvano (R-Bradenton), Chair of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Higher Education, today filed two key components of the Senate’s Excellence in Higher Education Agenda for the 2017 Legislative Session. Senate Bill 2, the “Florida Excellence in Higher Education Act,” promotes on-time graduation by expanding student financial assistance and support, establishing tuition and fee incentives, streamlining 2+2 articulation, and strengthening mechanisms that keep colleges and universities accountable to Florida taxpayers. Senate Bill 4 expands policy and funding tools universities can leverage to recruit and retain the very best faculty, enhance professional and graduate schools, and improve aging infrastructure and research laboratories.
“These bills are key components of a comprehensive higher education agenda that will boost the strength and competitiveness of our state’s higher education system as our primary economic engine to drive vibrant, sustainable economic development and growth in high-paying jobs,” said Senate President Joe Negron (R-Stuart). “Florida taxpayers see a return worthy of their investment in our entire PreK-20 system when our top Florida students attend our own universities, complete degree programs on time, and then graduate with job opportunities in high-demand fields needed in our growing communities.”
“This package of policy enhancements and funding investments will elevate the prominence of our state universities and increase their ability to compete as national destination institutions, while preserving access and increasing affordability for Floridians,” said Senator Bill Galvano.
SENATE BILL 2 – THE FLORIDA EXCELLENCE IN HIGHER EDUCATION ACT
Expands Student Financial Assistance and Support
- Reinstates highest Bright Futures Scholarship Program Award (Florida Academic Scholar) to cover 100 percent of tuition and certain tuition-indexed fees, including the summer term, plus $300 for textbooks and college-related expenses during the fall and spring terms.
- Expands the Benacquisto Scholar Program to provide awards for qualified out-of-state students, as funded in the General Appropriations Act (GAA), equal to the highest cost of resident student attendance at a state university. The student must physically reside in the community of the university he or she is attending.
- Revises the 1st Generation Matching Grant Program to provide two to one (state to local match versus one to one), as funded in the GAA.
Establishes Tuition and Fee Incentives
The Legislature has authorized state universities to implement flexible tuition policies to assist students in accessing higher education in our state. To date, no state university has implemented a block tuition policy.
- Requires universities to implement a block tuition policy which must specify an in-state block tuition rate and an out-of-state block tuition rate for full-time undergraduate students. The block tuition policy must be publicly-approved by the university board of trustees and the Board of Governors in time for implementation by no later than the Fall 2018 semester.
Streamlines 2+2 Articulation
- Establishes the 2+2 targeted pathway program to strengthen Florida’s 2+2 system of articulation and improve student retention and on-time graduation in four years with a baccalaureate degree.
- Requires each community college to execute at least one 2+2 targeted pathway articulation agreement by the 2018-19 academic year. The articulation agreement must provide students who meet specified requirements guaranteed access to the state university and baccalaureate degree program in accordance with the terms of the agreement.
- Requires district school boards to notify students and parents with accurate and timely information about how college credits generated in high school will apply towards a college degree.
Strengthens Mechanisms That Keep Colleges and Universities Accountable To Florida Taxpayers
Incentivizes full-time student graduation in four years by focusing institutional efforts on initiatives that reduce student time to, and costs of, on-time degree completion.
- Upgrades State University System (SUS) Performance Metrics in Preeminence and Performance Funding programs:
- Tightens graduation rate expectations to four-year (from six-year) for a baccalaureate degree.
- Repeals preeminent university authority for a six-credit set of “unique courses” that consume time and money for non-transferable credit.
- Upgrades Florida College System (FCS) Performance Metrics in Distinguished College and Performance Funding programs:
- Tightens degree (associate and bachelor) graduation rate metrics to 100 percent (versus 150 percent) of normal-time completion.
- Adds a college affordability metric, which must be adopted by the State Board of Education.
- Specifies that the job placement metric must be based on wage thresholds that reflect the added value of the applicable certificate or degree.
SENATE BILL 4 – RECRUIT AND RETAIN ELITE FACULTY
- Establishes a World Class Faculty Scholar Program to fund university efforts to recruit, recognize, and retain star faculty and teams, as funded in the GAA.
- Establishes a University Professional and Graduate Degree Excellence Program to promote quality and excellence in university professional school and graduate study outcomes in high-impact fields of medicine, law, and business, as funded in the GAA.
- Links education to job opportunities by expanding university responsibility to identify internship opportunities for students to benefit from industry experts and mentors, earn industry certifications, and become employed in high-demand fields of unmet need.
