Second Regular Session
Sixty-first General Assembly
LLS NO. R980938.01 JAP
STATE OF COLORADO
BY REPRESENTATIVE G. Berry
EDUCATION
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION 98-1037
WHEREAS, The current governance structure for higher
education in the state of Colorado was established through legislation
enacted in 1985; and
WHEREAS, The demand and need for higher education
has increased significantly since 1985; and
WHEREAS, An overall review of changes to the higher
education governance structure in the state has not been conducted
since 1985; and
WHEREAS, The voters of Colorado adopted in section
20 of article X of the state constitution in 1992, which limits
the fee and tax revenues that may be collected by the state; and
WHEREAS, Tuition and higher education fees are subject
to the limitations imposed in section 20 of article X of the state
constitution and impact the state's overall revenue calculations;
and
WHEREAS, One effect of the revenue limitations imposed
section 20 of article X of the state constitution is to force
state government, including higher education, to reexamine its
existing method of delivering services and determine whether such
services may be delivered in a more efficient and costeffective
manner; and
WHEREAS, The higher education needs of specific geographic
areas of the state, particularly the rural areas, are not being
adequately served under the current higher education governance
structure; and
WHEREAS, Advances in technology and distance learning
should be explored in the context of their potential to improve
the provision of higher education services; now, therefore,
Be It Resolved by the House of Representatives
of the Sixtyfirst General Assembly of the State of Colorado,
the Senate concurring herein:
(1) That the staff of the Legislative
Council shall conduct a study of the higher education governance
system in the state of Colorado. The study shall include, but
shall not be limited to, the following:
(a) Examination of the existing higher
education governance structure in the state of Colorado and, to
the extent necessary, an update of the postsecondary education
organizational chart;
(b) Examination of the higher education
governance structures in other states, including, to the extent
necessary, obtaining information and assessments from higher education
experts concerning higher education systems in other states;
(c) Identification of unnecessary duplication
in the areas of administrative oversight, reporting, curriculum,
and personnel management in higher education governance;
(d) Collection of fiscal data from each
higher education governing board in the state relating to administrative
costs, including but not limited to "charge backs" assessed
against institutions;
(e) Examination of annual campus maintenance
costs, including but not limited to costs of deferred maintenance;
(f) Collection of information concerning
capital construction needs for all facilities owned or operated
by state institutions of higher education;
(g) Determination of projected enrollment
growth or decline at state institutions of higher education during
the next five years;
(h) Examination of the current use of
distance learning techniques and technologies by state institutions
of higher education and the potential for increased use of distance
learning techniques and technologies in meeting future demand
for higher education services, especially in rural areas of the
state;
(i) The potential for increased use of
privatization in obtaining and applying distance learning techniques
and technologies by state institutions of higher education;
(j) Review of the role and mission statement
for each state institution of higher education. In reviewing
the institutional role and mission statements, the legislative
council staff shall solicit evaluations of the applicability and
relevance of each institution's role and mission statement from
the respective institution and the Colorado commission on higher
education;
(k) Examination and identification of
the geographic distribution of graduate education programs throughout
the state, including but not limited to the sources and accessibility
of such programs, particularly in the rural areas of the state;
and
(l) Examination of migration among higher
education students, including but not limited to why students
choose to attend or leave particular institutions.
(2) That the department of higher education,
the Colorado commission on higher education, the governing boards
of the state institutions of higher education, and the state institutions
of higher education shall cooperate with and, as requested, assist
the Legislative Council staff in completing the study required
in this joint resolution.
(3) That the Legislative Council staff
shall complete the study required in this joint resolution and
deliver a report of the study results to each member of the Education
Committees of the House of Representatives and the Senate and
the Joint Budget Committee of the General Assembly on or before
October 15, 1998. In addition, the Legislative Council staff
shall provide a copy of said report to any member of the General
Assembly upon request.
(4) That, during the first full week of
the first regular session of the sixtysecond general assembly,
the Education Committees of the House of Representatives and the
Senate and the Joint Budget Committee of the General Assembly
shall hold a joint meeting to consider the report prepared by
the Legislative Council staff pursuant to this joint resolution.
The agenda for the joint Education Committee and Joint Budget
Committee meeting shall include but shall not be limited to the
following issues:
(a) How to address the growth or decline
in higher education projected for the next five years;
(b) How to meet the higher education needs
of diverse populations, including but not limited to the needs
of persons living in rural areas of the state;
(c) How state institutions of higher education
can more effectively and costefficiently use distance learning
to meet the needs of higher education and the demands of populations
throughout the state, including consideration of appropriate areas
for privatization in the delivery of distance learning services;
(d) How the existing higher education
governance structure may be consolidated or otherwise realigned
to more effectively and efficiently meet the administrative needs
and the goals of state institutions of higher education, including
but not limited to the fiscal impact of any consolidation or realignment;
(e) Whether the role and mission statements
for the state institutions of higher education should be updated;
(f) Whether the existing physical facilities and human resources at state institutions of higher education may be managed and used in a more efficient and costeffective manner;
(g) The distribution and organization
of higher education campuses throughout the state, including but
not limited to whether the existing campus structures are the
most efficient and effective means of delivering higher education
services to persons in all areas of the state;
(h) Any legislative changes that may be
necessary to improve the existing state system of higher education
to enhance productivity and efficiency in the statewide delivery
of higher education services to the people of Colorado.
(5) That representatives from the Colorado
commission on higher education and from each higher education
governing board in the state shall attend the joint meeting required
in this joint resolution and provide recommendations addressing
each of the issues identified as agenda items for the joint meeting.
(6) That all expenditures incurred while conducting the study required by this joint resolution shall be approved by the chairperson of the Legislative Council and paid as provided by law from moneys allocated to the Legislative Council for legislative studies from appropriations made by the General Assembly.