Bill Text: FL S1752 | 2012 | Regular Session | Comm Sub

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

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Bill Title: State Universities of Academic and Research Excellence and National Preeminence

Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2012-03-08 - Laid on Table -SJ 963 [S1752 Detail]

Download: Florida-2012-S1752-Comm_Sub.html

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       Florida Senate - 2012                             CS for SB 1752
       
       
       
       By the Committee on Higher Education; and Senator Oelrich
       
       
       
       
       589-03550A-12                                         20121752c1
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to state universities of academic and
    3         research excellence and national preeminence; creating
    4         s. 1001.7065, F.S.; providing a short title;
    5         establishing a partnership initiative between the
    6         Board of Governors of the State University System and
    7         the Legislature to lift the academic and research
    8         excellence and national preeminence of the highest
    9         performing state research universities; authorizing a
   10         state research university that meets specified
   11         criteria, and receives approval, to establish resident
   12         and nonresident student tuition or fees at
   13         differentiated and market rates; providing conditions
   14         for increasing such tuition or fees; authorizing the
   15         Board of Governors to exercise its governing
   16         authority; providing an exemption from the payment of
   17         increased tuition or fees for certain students;
   18         authorizing a state research university that meets
   19         specified criteria, and receives approval, to
   20         establish a set of courses having specified credit
   21         hours to provide a jointly shared educational
   22         experience for all first-time-in-college students;
   23         requiring implementation by the Board of Governors;
   24         authorizing the Board of Governors to make
   25         recommendations to the Legislature; providing an
   26         effective date.
   27  
   28  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   29  
   30         Section 1. Section 1001.7065, Florida Statutes, is created
   31  to read:
   32         1001.7065 State universities of academic and research
   33  excellence and national preeminence.—
   34         (1) This section may be cited as the “State Universities of
   35  Academic and Research Excellence and National Preeminence Act.”
   36         (2) A partnership initiative is established between the
   37  Board of Governors and the Legislature to lift the academic and
   38  research excellence and national preeminence of the highest
   39  performing state research universities in accordance with this
   40  section. The initiative derives from the State University System
   41  Governance Agreement executed on March 24, 2010, wherein the
   42  Board of Governors and leaders of the Legislature agreed to a
   43  framework for the collaborative exercise of their joint
   44  authority and shared responsibility for the State University
   45  System. Specifically, the governance agreement confirmed the
   46  commitment of the Board of Governors and the Legislature to
   47  continue collaboration on accountability measures, the use of
   48  data, and recommendations derived from such data.
   49         (3) Beginning with the 2012-2013 academic year, a state
   50  research university that the Board of Governors finds has
   51  substantially met at least 11 of the following academic and
   52  research excellence standards may establish resident and
   53  nonresident student tuition and fees for undergraduate and
   54  graduate courses and programs at differentiated and market
   55  rates, notwithstanding ss. 1009.01 and 1009.24, as approved by
   56  the university’s board of trustees and the Board of Governors:
   57         (a) An average weighted grade point average of 3.8 or
   58  higher on a 4.0 scale and an average SAT score of 1800 or higher
   59  for incoming freshman during the fall term, as reported
   60  annually.
   61         (b) A top 50 ranking on at least two well-known and highly
   62  respected national public university rankings reflecting
   63  national preeminence while using the most recent data.
   64         (c) A freshman retention rate of 90 percent or higher for
   65  full-time, first-time-in-college students, as reported annually
   66  to the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS).
   67         (d) Six or more faculty members at the state university who
   68  are members of a national academy, as reported annually by the
   69  Center for Measuring University Performance for the Top American
   70  Research Universities.
   71         (e) Total annual research expenditures, including federal
   72  research expenditures, of $200 million or more, as reported
   73  annually, while using the most recent data.
   74         (f) Total annual research expenditures in diversified
   75  health sciences of $100 million or more, as reported annually by
   76  the National Science Foundation (NSF).
   77         (g) A top 100 public university national ranking for
   78  research expenditures in five or more science, technology,
   79  engineering, or mathematics fields of study, as reported
   80  annually by the NSF.
   81         (h) One hundred or more total patents awarded for the most
   82  recent 3-year period, as reported annually to the IPEDS.
   83         (i) Two hundred fifty or more doctoral degrees awarded, as
   84  reported annually to the IPEDS.
   85         (j) Two hundred or more post-doctoral appointees, as
   86  reported annually.
   87         (k) A national ranking in quality better than predicted by
   88  available financial resources, as reported annually by U.S. News
   89  and World Report.
   90         (l) An endowment of $400 million or more, as reported
   91  annually, while using the most recent data.
   92         (m) Annual giving of $45 million or more, as reported
   93  annually, while using the most recent data.
   94         (n) Unallocated funds as a percentage of total budget of
   95  12.5 percent or more, as reported annually to the Board of
   96  Governors.
   97  
   98  An increase to tuition or fees may occur no more than once each
   99  academic year and must be implemented beginning with the fall
  100  term. In addition, the Board of Governors may exercise its
  101  governing authority to identify and grant additional authority
  102  and flexibilities within its constitutional powers and
  103  responsibilities as may be appropriate to achieve the goals of
  104  this section. However, a qualified beneficiary having a prepaid
  105  advance payment contract pursuant to s. 1009.98(2)(b) which was
  106  in effect prior to the first year a state university receives
  107  tuition and fee authority under this subsection, and that
  108  remains in effect, is exempt from the payment of any increase to
  109  tuition and fees assessed pursuant to the tuition and fee
  110  authority. A qualified beneficiary having a prepaid advance
  111  payment contract pursuant to s. 1009.98(2)(b) which is entered
  112  into the first year a state university receives tuition and fee
  113  authority under this subsection, or thereafter, is liable for
  114  the difference between the highest rate of tuition and fees
  115  covered by the advance payment contract and the tuition and fees
  116  assessed by the state university of national preeminence which
  117  the student attends.
  118         (4) In order to provide a jointly shared educational
  119  experience, and notwithstanding the provisions of part II of
  120  chapter 1007 or any other law, rule, or regulation, a state
  121  university that the Board of Governors finds has substantially
  122  met at least 11 of the academic and research excellence
  123  standards set forth in subsection (3) may require its incoming
  124  first-time-in college students to take a 9-credit to 12-credit
  125  set of courses specifically determined by the state university.
  126  The state university may require that they be taken at the
  127  specific state university involved and that credit for any such
  128  required courses cannot be fulfilled through any acceleration,
  129  transfer, or other similar mechanism.
  130         (5) The Board of Governors shall oversee the implementation
  131  of this section and may recommend to the Legislature for future
  132  consideration additional state university programs of academic
  133  and research excellence, or academic programs of national or
  134  international preeminence, together with recommended
  135  flexibilities designed to move those state universities or
  136  programs to a higher preeminence in appropriate nationally
  137  recognized rankings.
  138         Section 2. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law.