96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2009 and 2010
SB0244

 

Introduced 2/4/2009, by Sen. Dan Kotowski

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
110 ILCS 805/3-65 new

    Amends the Public Community College Act. Provides that the Board of Trustees of Community College District No. 512 may establish and offer a pilot program under which the district may offer bachelor's degrees in 2 fields of study if certain conditions are met, including requiring (i) that the degree programs not compete with any nearby public university and the public universities in this State have the right of first refusal to offer the Bachelor of Applied Science Degree programs on the community college campus or a community college extension site, (ii) that the district identify and document unmet workforce needs, (iii) that the degree programs not require any additional funding from local taxes, the State, or the community college students not enrolled in the program, (iv) that the Board of Higher Education approve the offering of the degree programs, and (v) that the pilot program expire 4 years after the initial offering of the degree programs, unless otherwise extended by law. Prohibits Community College District No. 512 from becoming a primarily baccalaureate degree-granting, 4-year institution of higher learning. Effective July 1, 2009.


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A BILL FOR

 

SB0244 LRB096 08477 NHT 18597 b

1     AN ACT concerning education.
 
2     Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3 represented in the General Assembly:
 
4     Section 5. The Public Community College Act is amended by
5 adding Section 3-65 as follows:
 
6     (110 ILCS 805/3-65 new)
7     Sec. 3-65. Harper College pilot baccalaureate program. The
8 Board of Trustees of Community College District No. 512 may
9 establish and offer a pilot program under which the district
10 may offer bachelor's degrees in 2 fields of study if all of the
11 following conditions are met:
12         (1) The public universities in this State have the
13     right of first refusal to offer the Bachelor of Applied
14     Science Degree programs on the community college campus or
15     a community college extension site in a manner that is
16     mutually agreeable between the district and the
17     university. If there is a disagreement on whether the
18     university program meets local workforce needs, a 5-person
19     panel shall be appointed to determine if the university's
20     proposed program on the community college campus or
21     extension site reasonably meets local workforce needs. Two
22     members of the panel shall be from local employers
23     representing the applicable field of study, appointed by

 

 

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1     the Board of Trustees of Community College District No.
2     512. Two members of the panel shall be university officials
3     with expertise in the applicable field of study, appointed
4     by the board of trustees of the university submitting the
5     program proposal. One member shall be a Community College
6     District No. 512 official with expertise in the applicable
7     field of study, appointed by the Board of Trustees of
8     Community College District No. 512. Community College
9     District No. 512 may only proceed with the pilot program if
10     a majority of the panel rules that the university's
11     proposed program on Community College District No. 512's
12     campus or extension site does not reasonably meet local
13     workforce needs.
14         (2) The Board of Trustees has determined that it has
15     the expertise, resources, and interest to offer quality
16     Bachelor of Applied Science Degree programs and the
17     programs are consistent with existing board policy.
18         (3) The district has identified and documented unmet
19     workforce needs.
20         (4) The degree programs will not compete with any
21     nearby public university.
22         (5) The degree programs will not require any additional
23     funding from local taxes, the State, or Community College
24     District No. 512 students not enrolled in the pilot
25     program. At the completion of the Community College
26     District No. 512 pilot program, an independent audit must

 

 

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1     be conducted to determine if any of the funding for the
2     pilot program was provided by local taxes, the State, or
3     the community college students not enrolled in the program.
4         (6) The Board of Higher Education has approved the
5     offering of the degree programs in a manner consistent with
6     approving new bachelor's degree programs at all State
7     public universities.
8         (7) The pilot program will expire 4 years after the
9     initial offering of the degree programs, unless otherwise
10     extended by law.
11     The intention of this Section is to allow Community College
12 District No. 512 to meet specific, documented workforce needs
13 in the district. Community College District No. 512 is
14 prohibited from becoming a primarily baccalaureate
15 degree-granting, 4-year institution of higher learning.
 
16     Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect July 1,
17 2009.