Reference is to the resolution as introduced.
Amend the joint resolution, as and if amended, by deleting all after the enacting words and inserting:
/ SECTION 1. The General
Assembly finds that:
(1) to further the
mission and goals for higher education in South Carolina as
provided in Section 59-103-15;
(2) in recognition of
the cultural, educational, and economic value of the senior
public colleges and universities of this State, the General
Assembly makes significant annual investments in these
institutions;
(3) the people of South
Carolina are supportive of these investments, provided that
these institutions demonstrate that this commitment is resulting
in tangible benefits for the State;
(4) senior public
colleges and universities may best demonstrate their responsible
stewardship of these funds through their performance, as
measured against objective benchmarks;
(5) a system of funding
based on accountability, performance, and outcomes is a policy
tool intended to align the State's investment with the State's
priorities to support and encourage institutional and system
reforms that ultimately foster greater student success;
(6) a new method of
allocating funds is required to ensure that senior public
colleges and universities receive financial support from the
State based upon the quality and effectiveness of the services
they provide to South Carolina's students; and
(7) if senior public
colleges and universities are to receive state appropriations
based upon their performance, then institutions that demonstrate
responsible fiscal stewardship and effective management should
be granted greater autonomy to conduct their affairs.
SECTION 2. (A)
The General Assembly intends to evaluate its method
of annual appropriations to senior public colleges and
universities and directs the Commission on Higher Education, in
collaboration with the presidents of these institutions, to make
recommendations to the General Assembly on a funding method that
contains the following major features:
(1)
organization of the senior public colleges and
universities of this State and the selection of peer
institutions and benchmarks, based upon the Carnegie
Classification of Institutions of Higher Education;
(2)
evaluation criteria organized into categories that
include, but are not limited to:
(a)
completion;
(b)
affordability and access;
(c)
educational quality;
(d)
economic development and institutional mission; and
(e)
other categories as may be necessary;
(3)
a five year transition to a new funding model that may
preserve certain elements of the existing process in a
streamlined and improved form; and
(4)
a financial and regulatory incentive structure that
promotes the objectives identified in this joint resolution by
rewarding institutions for achieving their missions and state
goals.
(B) The Commission on
Higher Education shall support the efforts of the General
Assembly to establish a funding model based on these features by
submitting a report to the Governor, the Chairman of the House
Education and Public Works Committee, the Chairman of the Senate
Education Committee, the Chairman of the House Ways and Means
Committee, and the Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee no
later than December 31, 2013, which:
(1)
identifies specific indicators associated with each of the
categories identified above, which would be appropriate for
incorporation into a new funding model, based upon the findings
of the General Assembly in SECTION 1. For each indicator, the
commission must identify prospective public or nonprofit sources
of data that could be used to support the annual evaluation
process;
(2)
identifies any aspects of the existing funding mechanism
that merit retention in the new model, with suggested changes to
current indicators or procedures that should be adopted;
(3)
uses the research and findings of the Higher Education
Task Force as provided in Proviso 5A.28 of the 2007-2008
Appropriations Act and Proviso 6.27 of the 2008-2009
Appropriations Act directing the task force to develop and
recommend a Statewide Higher Education Strategic Plan and
prioritizes the use of existing data sources and reporting
mechanisms to the greatest practical extent;
(4)
suggests any appropriate revisions to the critical success
factors and performance indicators established by Section
59-103-30, in light of the legislative findings in SECTION 1 and
the evaluation criteria in (A)(2) of this section;
(5)
proposes degrees and measures of autonomy to be granted to
institutions upon attainment of specific goals or thresholds;
and
(6)
inventories all state mandated and other reporting
requirements imposed on institutions of higher education in
South Carolina and recommends the elimination of any
conflicting, redundant, or other excessive requirements, to
reduce institutional compliance burdens.
SECTION 3. Colleges under the jurisdiction of the State Board for Technical and Comprehensive Education as provided for in Section 59-53-20 are exempt from the provisions of this resolution.
SECTION 4. This joint resolution takes effect upon approval by the Governor and expires on June 30, 2014. /
Amend the title to read:
/ TO PROVIDE THAT THE COMMISSION ON HIGHER EDUCATION AND THE PRESIDENTS OF THE SENIOR PUBLIC COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES SHALL TAKE CERTAIN ACTIONS TO SUPPORT THE EFFORTS OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY IN EVALUATING ITS METHOD OF STATE FUNDING FOR THE SENIOR PUBLIC COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES. /
Renumber sections to conform.
Amend title to conform.