Bill Text: MS HB656 | 2019 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Mississippi Initiative on HBCUs; create to strengthen capacity of HBCUs to provide highest quality of education.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 29-1)
Status: (Failed) 2019-02-05 - Died In Committee [HB656 Detail]
Download: Mississippi-2019-HB656-Introduced.html
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2019 Regular Session
To: Universities and Colleges
By: Representatives Bell (65th), Dortch, Banks, Johnson (94th), Gibbs (72nd), Faulkner, Cockerham, Scott, Anderson, Anthony, Bailey, Blackmon, Burnett, Calhoun, Clark, Clarke, Denton, Dixon, Harness, Holloway, Hudson, Karriem, Mickens, Rosebud, Straughter, Sykes, Taylor, Watson, Williams-Barnes, Young
House Bill 656
AN ACT TO AUTHORIZE THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI TO PROVIDE FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO AN ORGANIZATION COMPRISED OF TWO OR MORE STATE-SUPPORTED HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES OR UNIVERSITIES (HBCUS) LOCATED IN MISSISSIPPI; TO DEFINE THE PURPOSE OF SUCH ORGANIZATION, WHICH SHALL BE KNOWN AS THE MISSISSIPPI HBCU CONSORTIUM, TO IMPLEMENT PLANS DEVELOPED BETWEEN THE CONSORTIUM AND THE MISSISSIPPI HBCU TECHNOLOGY PARTNERSHIP; TO PROVIDE FOR THE FORMATION OF THE PARTNERSHIP PURSUANT TO A MEMORANDUM OF COOPERATION BY THE DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF STATE INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING, HBCUS THAT PARTICIPATE IN THE CONSORTIUM AND PARTICIPATING PRIVATE INDUSTRY ORGANIZATIONS; TO STIPULATE THAT ANY FUNDS APPROPRIATED TO THE CONSORTIUM BY THE LEGISLATURE SHALL BE DIVIDED EQUALLY BETWEEN HBCUS THAT PARTICIPATE IN THE CONSORTIUM; TO AUTHORIZE THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF STATE INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING AND THE DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT TO PROVIDE ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANCE AND SUPPORT TO THE CONSORTIUM, THE INITIATIVE AND THE PARTNERSHIP IN ACCOMPLISHING THEIR MUTUAL KEY OBJECTIVES AND TASKS; TO CREATE THE "MISSISSIPPI INITIATIVE ON HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES (HBCUS)" TO PROVIDE OVERSIGHT TO FOCUS ON METHODS TO STRENGTHEN THE CAPACITY OF HBCUS TO PROVIDE THE HIGHEST QUALITY EDUCATION; TO INCREASE OPPORTUNITIES FOR HBCUS TO PARTICIPATE IN AND BENEFIT FROM STATE PROGRAMS; TO ENSURE THAT THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI HAS THE HIGHEST PROPORTION OF COLLEGE GRADUATES FROM HBCUS IN THE COUNTRY; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:
WHEREAS, historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) have made historic and ongoing contributions to the general welfare and prosperity of our country; and
WHEREAS, America's HBCUs, for over one hundred fifty years, have produced leaders in business, government, academia, and the military and have provided generations of men and women with hope and educational opportunity; and
WHEREAS, 105 HBCUs are located in twenty states, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. Virgin Islands and serve more than 300,000 undergraduate and graduate students; and
WHEREAS, these institutions continue to be important engines of economic growth and community service, and they are proven ladders of intergenerational advancement for men and women of all ethnic, racial, and economic backgrounds, especially African Americans; and
WHEREAS, these institutions also produce a high number of baccalaureate recipients who go on to assume leadership and service roles in their communities and who successfully complete graduate and professional degree programs; and
WHEREAS, in February 2010, President Obama signed Executive Order 13532 to highlight excellence, innovation, and sustainability of HBCUs, using partnerships with federal agencies and departments and the private sector to sustain the important work of HBCUs; NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:
SECTION 1. It is the intent and purpose of this act to promote and enhance the role of historically black colleges and universities located in Mississippi as prime contributors to the economic growth of the state by encouraging such institutions to continue their efforts to organize a consortium for the purpose of strategically partnering with the state and private industry to effectively achieve superior economic development in Mississippi.
SECTION 2. As used in this act, the following terms shall have the meaning ascribed in this section, unless the context clearly requires otherwise:
(a) "Board" means the Board of Trustees of
State Institutions of Higher Learning.
(b) "Commissioner" means the Commissioner of Higher Education.
(c) "Department" means the Mississippi Department of Economic and Community Development.
(d) "Director" means the executive director of the Mississippi Department of Economic and Community Development.
(e) "Historically black college or university" or "HBCU" means and includes any state-supported historically black college or university located in Mississippi, namely, Alcorn State University, Jackson State University and Mississippi Valley State University.
(f) "Mississippi HBCU Consortium" or "consortium" means an organization or association comprised of two (2) or more HBCU institutions, the purpose of which is to facilitate and implement the strategic plans and objectives developed by and between the consortium and the Mississippi HBCU Technology Partnership.
(g) "Mississippi HBCU Technology Partnership" or "partnership" means an organization or association formed pursuant to the terms of a memorandum or cooperation by and among the department, the board, the institutions participating in the consortium and participating organizations from private industry, the purpose of which is to develop certain strategic plans and key objectives to leverage the collective resources of each partnership participant to achieve superior economic growth in Mississippi.
SECTION 3. In addition to the educational programs already provided for and funded by the state, financial support may also be provided for the organization, operation and continuation of a Mississippi HBCU Consortium. Funding for the consortium shall be in such amount as may be appropriated by the Legislature, and any such appropriation shall be expended for the equitable benefit of, or distributed by the consortium in equal amounts to the HBCU institutions participating in the consortium to be used exclusively for meeting the key objectives of the consortium and the Mississippi HBCU Technology Partnership.
SECTION 4. (1) The "Mississippi Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs)" or "initiative," as used in this section, is an organizational unit of the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning, established and administered by the Commissioner of Higher Education for the purpose of providing oversight to focus on ways to strengthen the capacity of historically black colleges and universities to provide the highest quality education, increase opportunities for these institutions to participate in and benefit from state programs, and ensure that the State of Mississippi has the highest proportion of college graduates from HBCUs in the country. The initiative shall operate in consultation with the Mississippi Consortium of HBCUs, pursuant to Sections 1 through 3 of this act.
(2) The initiative shall work with state departments, agencies, offices, the private sector, educational associations, philanthropic organizations and other partners to increase the capacity of HBCUs to provide the highest quality education to a greater number of students, and to take advantage of these institutions' capabilities in serving the state's needs through five (5) core tasks:
(a) Strengthening the capacity of HBCUs to participate in state programs;
(b) Fostering enduring private-sector initiatives and public-private partnerships while promoting specific areas and centers of academic research and programmatic excellence throughout all HBCUs;
(c) Improving the availability, dissemination, and quality of information concerning HBCUs to inform public policy and practice;
(d) Sharing administrative and programmatic practices within the consortium for the benefit of all; and
(e) Exploring new ways of improving the relationship between the state and HBCUs.
(3) (a) The board is authorized and directed to provide all necessary and appropriate guidance, assistance, and support to facilitate strategy development and coordinated implementation by the consortium, the initiative and the partnership to accomplish their respective and mutual key tasks and objectives.
(b) In furtherance of paragraph (a) of this subsection, the board may enter into one (1) or more memoranda of cooperation with the consortium, the initiative and the partnership on terms deemed by the board to be appropriate, mutually beneficial, and in the best interest of the consortium, the initiative and the partnership.
(4) All state departments and agencies are encouraged to create an annual plan of its efforts to strengthen the capacity of HBCUs through increased participation in appropriate federal programs and initiatives. Where appropriate, each agency plan shall address, among other things, the agency's proposed efforts to:
(a) Establish how the department or agency intends to increase the capacity of HBCUs to compete effectively for grants, contracts or cooperative agreements and to encourage HBCUs to participate in state programs;
(b) Identify state programs and initiatives in which HBCUs may be either underserved or underused as national resources, and improve HBCUs' participation therein; and
(c) Encourage public-sector, private-sector and community involvement in improving the overall capacity of HBCUs.
(5) If a department or agency creates an annual plan pursuant to subsection (4), then the department or agency shall:
(a) Provide appropriate measurable objectives and, after the first year, shall annually assess that department's or agency's performance on the goals set in the previous year's agency plan; and
(b) Provide a written summary of the objectives and goals to the education committee of the senate and the education administration and planning committee of the house of representatives within thirty (30) days of the annual assessment required in paragraph (a) of this subsection.
(6) The initiative may establish a board of advisors to consist of no more than twenty-five (25) members appointed by the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning. The board of advisors shall include representatives of a variety of sectors, including philanthropy, education, business, finance, entrepreneurship, innovation and private foundations, as well as sitting HBCU presidents. The board may advise the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning and the initiative in the following areas:
(a) Improving the identity, visibility and distinctive capabilities and overall competitiveness of HBCUs;
(b) Engaging the philanthropic, business, government, military, homeland security and education communities in a dialogue regarding new HBCU programs and initiatives;
(c) Improving the ability of HBCUs to remain fiscally secure institutions that can assist the state in reaching its educational goals;
(d) Elevating the public awareness of HBCUs; and
(e) Encouraging public-private investments in HBCUs.
SECTION 5. (1) The Department of Economic and Community Development is authorized and directed to provide all necessary and appropriate administrative assistance, support, and guidance to facilitate strategy development and coordinated implementation by the Mississippi HBCU Consortium, the Mississippi Initiative on HBCUs and the Mississippi HBCU Technology Partnership to accomplish their respective and mutual key objectives.
(2) In furtherance of subsection (1), the department may enter into one (1) or more memorandums of cooperation with the consortium and the partnership on such terms as are deemed by the executive director to be appropriate, mutually beneficial, and in the best interest of the consortium and the partnership.
SECTION 6. (1) The provisions of Sections 1 through 4 of this act shall be codified in Chapter 101, Title 37, Mississippi Code of 1972.
(2) The provisions of Section 5 of this act shall be codified in Chapter 55, Title 57, Mississippi Code of 1972.
SECTION 7. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2019.
