Bill Summary for Bill Number SB10-101

Date: 03/18/2010

Final
BILL SUMMARY for SB10-101

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

Votes: View-->	Action Taken:
Moved to refer Senate Bill 10-101 to the Committee	PASS

01:34 PM -- Senate Bill 10-101

Representative Scanlan, sponsor of Senate Bill 10-101, concerning authorizing Colorado Mountain College (CMC) to offer baccalaureate degrees, presented the bill to the committee and provided information about CMC (Attachment A). Representative Massey, co-prime sponsor, discussed the importance of the bill to the mountain communities and noted that the bill does not have a fiscal impact.

Attachment A can be viewed at State Archives

01:37 PM

Representative Murray asked for an overview of how the college operates. Representative Scanlan explained that there are day and residential programs. The residential programs are in Steamboat Springs, Spring Valley, and Leadville.

01:38 PM

The following people testified on the bill:

01:38 PM -- Dr. Stan Jensen, President of CMC, testified in support of the bill. Dr. Jensen shared the mission of CMC. He noted how the bill will increase access to higher education in rural mountain communities. He explained that the college would like to first offer baccalaureate business and teacher preparation programs.

01:42 PM

Representative Murray asked Dr. Jensen to explain how a school becomes a four-year college. Dr. Jensen responded that:

the school's board of trustees must approve the request;
the school must receive legislative approval to expand the mission; and
the degree programs must be regionally accredited and approved by the Colorado Commission on Higher Education (CCHE).

01:45 PM -- Stan Orr, representing the CMC Board of Trustees, testified in support of the bill. He explained that the board of trustees are elected, not appointed. He shared his perspective as a business owner on the importance of having access to higher education in his community.

01:48 PM

Representative Schafer asked about the affordability of the four-year programs. He responded that the CMC has the most affordable tuition rates in the state, at $49 per credit hour.

01:49 PM -- Peter Tijm, representing the Glenwood Springs Chamber Resort Association, testified in support the bill. Mr. Tijm stated that his community is underserved in the area of higher education.

01:51 PM -- Erin Furman, representing herself, testified in support of the bill and shared her experience as a nontraditional student at CMC. She noted the barriers that she has faced in accessing higher education, both geographic and financial.

01:53 PM -- Yesenia Silva-Estrada, representing herself, testified in support of the bill and shared her experience as a graduate of the CMC. She noted the financial effect of needing to complete her four-year degree at Regis University. She noted that she would have stayed in her home community to complete her bachelor's degree had that option been available at that time.

01:55 PM -- Bud Elliott, mayor of the City of Leadville, testified in support of the bill. He shared that he is enrolled in a course at CMC and noted how accommodating the college is to nontraditional students. He also stated that the college is well-managed.

01:57 PM

Representative Scanlan concluded her remarks on the bill, noting that the college is an economic driver in the community, and asked for the committee's support.


BILL:	SB10-101
TIME:	02:00:27 PM
MOVED:	Scanlan
MOTION:	Moved to refer Senate Bill 10-101 to the Committee of the Whole. The motion passed on a 13-0-0 vote.
SECONDED:	Massey
		VOTE
	Benefield	Yes
	Massey	Yes
	McNulty	Yes
	Middleton	Yes
	Murray	Yes
	Peniston	Yes
	Scanlan	Yes
	Schafer S.	Yes
	Summers	Yes
	Tipton	Yes
	Todd	Yes
	Solano	Yes
	Merrifield	Yes

Final YES: 13 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS