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TO CREATE THE HIGHER EDUCATION SAFE CAMPUS AND COLLEGE EXPERIENCE TASK FORCE, TO PROVIDE THE PURPOSES AND COMPOSITION OF THE TASK FORCE, AND TO PROVIDE FOR THE TERMINATION OF THE TASK FORCE UPON REPORTING ITS RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY BEFORE JANUARY 1, 2016.
Whereas, the South Carolina General Assembly finds that a college education can serve as an excellent preparation for success in life; and
Whereas, the General Assembly also finds that the success of a student in college involves not only hard work and discipline on the part of the student and on quality teachers and facilities, but also on the existence of a culture that students find safe, inclusive, and nurturing; and
Whereas, the General Assembly also finds that providing a safe, inclusive, and nurturing culture may be best achieved by the intentional and collaborative efforts of school personnel, students, and entities with the appropriate knowledge and experience in mental illness identification and treatment, substance abuse identification and treatment, diversity and multiculturalism, crisis management and public safety, and harm-reduction. Now, therefore,
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
SECTION 1. (A)(1) There is created the Higher Education Safe Campus and College Experience Task Force to:
(a) examine issues involving:
(i) substance abuse among college students, including illicit alcohol use and abuse and illicit drug and prescription drug use and abuse;
(ii) alcohol-related medical emergencies, including the frequency and cost of such emergencies, and the impact on class attendance;
(iii) discrimination based on race, religion, ethnicity, and sexual orientation;
(iv) student behavior or misconduct indicative of beliefs that might reasonably be construed to lead to discrimination based on race, religion, ethnicity, and sexual orientation;
(v) the frequency and severity of hazing, and a review of the existing statute concerning hazing;
(vi) sexual misconduct, particularly sexual assault;
(vii) domestic violence;
(viii) occurrences of issues in this subitem that take place on campus as compared to off campus, unregulated sites; and
(ix) the degree to which association with fraternal social organizations for men and women interplays with issues in this subitem;
(b) examine protocols for responding to a campus crisis, such as a shooting or other violent harm on or near campus, acts of racial, ethnic, and sexual violence, and so forth;
(c) examine harm-reduction approaches, such as peer education, to address issues like binge drinking, underage drinking, suicide, illegal discrimination, illicit and prescription drug use and abuse;
(d) examine the degree to which the campus environment encourages or discourages the exercise of the rights of a student under the First Amendment to the United States Constitution; and
(f) examine how the school and other participants in the task force can address the issues in this item to create a safer, inclusive, and nurturing culture for students.
(2) Any recommendations made by the task force must be revenue neutral.
(3) The task force shall report its findings and make recommendations concerning proposed changes to the General Assembly.
(B) The task force must be composed of fifteen members appointed by the Commission on Higher Education. In selecting members for appointment to the task force, the commission must include student and staff representatives of public and private universities in this State, the South Carolina Campus Law Enforcement Association, SLED, local law enforcement agencies with jurisdiction over a college or university; the South Carolina Department of Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Services, the South Carolina Department of Mental Health, and any other entities with the appropriate knowledge and experience in mental illness identification and treatment, substance abuse identification and treatment, diversity and multiculturalism, crisis management and public safety, and harm-reduction. College and university staff representatives should include people who work in multicultural affairs and people who work in student affairs.
(C) Vacancies in the membership of the task force must be filled for the remainder of the unexpired term in the manner of original appointment.
(D) Members of the task force shall serve without compensation and may not receive mileage or per diem.
(E) The staffing for the task force must be provided by the staff of the House Education and Public Works Committee and Senate Education Committee.
(F) The task force shall make a report of its recommendations to the General Assembly before January 1, 2016, at which time the task force must be dissolved.
SECTION 2. This joint resolution takes effect upon approval by the Governor.
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