Bill Text: AZ SB1296 | 2013 | Fifty-first Legislature 1st Regular | Introduced
Bill Title: Community colleges; baccalaureate degrees
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2013-02-04 - Referred to Senate ED Committee [SB1296 Detail]
Download: Arizona-2013-SB1296-Introduced.html
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REFERENCE TITLE: community colleges; baccalaureate degrees |
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State of Arizona Senate Fifty-first Legislature First Regular Session 2013
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SB 1296 |
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Introduced by Senator Ableser
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AN ACT
amending sections 15-1401 and 15-1444, Arizona Revised Statutes; relating to community colleges.
(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:
Section 1. Section 15-1401, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:
15-1401. Definitions
In this chapter, unless the context otherwise requires:
1. "Accredited" means accredited by a regional accrediting agency recognized by the United States department of education or by the council on postsecondary accreditation.
2. "Additional short‑term classes" means those classes that are not in session on the forty‑fifth day of the fall or spring semester, that commence at various times during the fiscal year and that are offered over a period of less than sixteen weeks.
3. "Budget year" means the fiscal year for which the community college district is budgeting and that immediately follows the current year.
4. "Community college" means an educational institution that is operated by a district board and that provides a program not exceeding of at least two years' training in the arts, sciences and humanities beyond the twelfth grade of the public or private high school course of study or vocational education, including terminal courses of a technical and vocational nature and basic adult education courses.
5. "Current year" means the fiscal year in which the community college district is operating.
6. "District" means a community college district that is established pursuant to sections 15‑1402 and 15‑1403 or section 15-1402.01 and that is a political subdivision of this state and, unless otherwise specified, includes provisional community college districts established pursuant to section 15‑1409.
7. "District board" means the community college district governing board.
8. "Full‑time equivalent student" means student enrollment for fifteen community college semester credit units per semester.
9. "Open entry, open exit classes" means those classes in which students enter or exit based on mastery of specified competencies and that commence at various times during the fiscal year.
10. "Operational expense budget" means the budget as adopted by the district board pursuant to section 15‑1461.
11. "Operational expenses" means the administration, instruction, operation of community college plant, maintenance of community college plant, fixed charges and contingencies incurred in the operation of a district exclusive of all capital outlay items, special levies, auxiliary enterprise funds, restricted funds and bond service items.
12. "Provisional community college district" means a community college district organized pursuant to section 15‑1409.
Sec. 2. Section 15-1444, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:
15-1444. General powers and duties of district governing boards
A. Except as otherwise provided, the district board shall:
1. Maintain each community college for a period of not less than eight months in each year and, if the funds of the district are sufficient, maintain each community college for a longer period.
2. Adopt policies in a public forum to offer programs that meet the educational needs of the population served by the community college.
3. Enforce the courses of study prescribed by the district board.
4. Visit each community college under its jurisdiction and examine carefully into its management, conditions and needs.
5. Exclude from each community college all books, publications or papers of a sectarian, partisan or denominational character intended for use as textbooks.
6. Appoint and employ a chancellor or chancellors, vice‑chancellors, a president or presidents, vice‑presidents, deans, professors, instructors, lecturers, fellows and such other officers and employees it deems necessary. The district board may enter into employment contracts with chancellors, vice‑chancellors and presidents for a duration of more than one year but not more than five years.
7. Determine the salaries of persons it appoints and employs.
8. Remove any officer or employee if in its judgment the interests of education in this state require the removal.
9. Award degrees, certificates and diplomas on the completion of courses and curriculum as it deems appropriate.
10. Appoint or employ, if it deems necessary, police officers who shall have the authority and power of peace officers. The police officers who have received a certificate from the Arizona peace officer standards and training board are eligible for membership in and benefits under either title 38, chapter 5, article 2 or the public safety personnel retirement system under title 38, chapter 5, article 4.
11. Determine the location within the district of a community college and purchase, receive, hold, make and take leases of, sell and convey real or personal property for the benefit of the community colleges under its jurisdiction.
12. Obtain insurance or be self‑insured, or a combination of insurance and self‑insurance, against loss, to the extent it is determined necessary on community college buildings of the district. The local district shall have an insurable interest in the buildings.
B. The district board may:
1. Administer trusts declared or created for the district and receive by gift or devise and hold in trust or otherwise property wheresoever located, and if not otherwise provided, dispose of the property for the benefit of the district.
2. Lease real property, as lessor or as lessee. If a district is the lessee, the lease may contain an option to purchase the property. The district board may adopt policies as are deemed necessary and may delegate in writing to the chancellor or president of the district, or their designees, all or any part of its authority to lease property under this paragraph. Any delegation by the district board pursuant to this paragraph may be rescinded in whole or in part at any time by the district board.
3. Sue and be sued.
4. Contract. The district board may adopt such policies as are deemed necessary and may delegate in writing to the chancellor or president of the district, or their designees, all or any part of its authority to contract under this paragraph. Any delegation of authority under this paragraph may be rescinded by the district board at any time in whole or in part.
5. Construct, remodel and repair buildings.
6. In conjunction with other districts, establish policies for procurement of goods and services.
7. Provide a plan or plans for employee benefits, which may include optional retirement programs pursuant to section 15‑1451, subsection A, which allow for participation in a cafeteria plan that meets the requirements of the United States internal revenue code of 1986.
8. Accept grants or donations of monies from the United States, or from any of its agencies, departments or officers, or from persons, corporations, foundations or associations. A district board shall deposit the monies into a specific fund or account and a district board shall administer the monies in accordance with the purpose of the grant or donation with specific policies or restrictions as described or stipulated in the grant or donation. In the case of personal property granted or donated to or for the benefit of a community college district, a district board shall immediately transfer possession and ownership of the property to the designated district.
9. Enter into intergovernmental agreements or contracts pursuant to section 11‑952.01 for participation in programs offered by public agency pools or separately contract with a trustee or board of trustees that provides a common self‑insurance program with pooled funds and risks pursuant to section 15‑382, subsection B, paragraph 2. The district board is not required to engage in competitive procurement in order to make the decision to participate in these programs.
10. Name a building or a group of buildings that is located on a community college campus on behalf of a person or entity that has made a significant contribution of monies or other property to the community college or the community college district.
11. Enter into research and development agreements, royalty agreements, development agreements, licensing agreements and profit-sharing agreements concerning the research, development, production, storing or marketing of new products developed or to be developed through community college district research.
12. Beginning in fiscal year 20__-20__, offer four-year baccalaureate degrees.
C. If a district acquires real or personal property, whether by purchase, exchange, condemnation, gift or otherwise, the district shall pay to the county treasurer any taxes on the property that were unpaid as of the date of acquisition, including penalties and interest. The lien for unpaid delinquent taxes, penalties and interest on property acquired by the district:
1. Is not abated, extinguished, discharged or merged in the title to the property.
2. Is enforceable in the same manner as other delinquent tax liens.
D. In a district whose boundaries encompass a vehicle emissions control area as defined in section 49‑541, the district board shall require all out‑of‑county and out‑of‑state students to sign an affidavit at the time of course registration that the student's vehicle meets the requirements of section 49‑542. The district board on property under its jurisdiction within a vehicle emissions control area shall prohibit the parking of those vehicles that fail to comply with section 49‑542.
E. A community college district and a joint technical education district governing board may enter into agreements for the provision of administrative, operational and educational services and facilities.
F. Each district may establish a program for the exchange of students between the community colleges under its jurisdiction and colleges and universities located in Sonora, Mexico. The program may provide for in‑state tuition for Sonora students at the community colleges under the jurisdiction of the district in exchange for similar tuition provisions for Arizona students enrolled or seeking enrollment in Sonora colleges and universities. The community colleges may work in conjunction with the Arizona‑Mexico commission in the governor's office to coordinate recruitment and admissions activities to provide for in‑state tuition for up to fifty Sonora students at the community colleges under the jurisdiction of the district in exchange for similar tuition provisions for up to fifty total Arizona students enrolled or seeking enrollment in Sonora colleges and universities.
G. Each district shall facilitate transfer articulation coordination pursuant to section 15‑1824.
Sec. 3. Community college baccalaureate degree study committee; membership; powers and duties; report; delayed repeal
A. The community college baccalaureate degree study committee is established consisting of the following members:
1. Three community college administrators who are appointed by an organization composed of community college presidents in this state that is selected jointly by the president of the senate and the minority leader of the senate, at least one of whom shall be an administrator of a community college district that is located in a county with a population of at least two million persons.
2. Three members who are appointed by an organization composed of presidents of universities under the jurisdiction of the Arizona board of regents that is selected jointly by the speaker of the house of representatives and the minority leader of the house of representatives.
3. One member who is appointed by the commission for postsecondary education and who serves as the chairperson of the study committee.
B. The study committee shall determine the baccalaureate degrees that may be offered by community college districts pursuant to section 15‑1444, Arizona Revised Statutes, as amended by this act, and the criteria under which those baccalaureate degrees may be offered.
C. The study committee may:
1. Request information, data and reports from any state agency or political subdivision of this state. If possible, information shall be provided electronically.
2. Hold hearings, conduct fact-finding tours and take testimony from witnesses, including participants in the educational system, who may assist the committee in fulfilling its responsibilities.
D. On the request of the study committee, an agency of this state, a school district, a university under the jurisdiction of the Arizona board of regents or a community college district shall provide to the committee its services, equipment, documents, personnel and facilities to the extent possible without cost to the committee.
E. The community college districts in this state and the universities under the jurisdiction of the Arizona board of regents shall provide staff and support services to the committee.
F. The committee shall meet at places and times as the chairperson deems necessary or convenient, and all meetings shall be open to the public.
G. Members of the study committee are not eligible to receive compensation but are eligible for reimbursement of expenses pursuant to title 38, chapter 4, article 2, Arizona Revised Statutes.
H. On or before December 31, 2013, the study committee shall submit a report regarding its findings and recommendations to the governor, the speaker of the house of representatives and the president of the senate and provide a copy of its report to the secretary of state. The report shall include the committee's recommendations regarding the offering of baccalaureate degrees by community college districts in this state, including any proposed legislation that may be required to implement the recommendations of the study committee.
I. This section is repealed from and after September 30, 2014.
