Date: 03/09/2009

Final
BILL SUMMARY for HB09-1295

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

Votes: View--> Action Taken:
Moved to refer House Bill 09-1295 to the CommitteePASS



01:36 PM -- Call to Order

Representative Merrifield, the chair, called the committee to order.


01:36 PM -- House Bill 09-1295

Representative Todd, sponsor of House Bill 09-1295, concerning the authorization of Metropolitan State College of Denver (MSCD) to offer master's degrees. Representative Todd noted the importance of having a graduate degree for a variety of fields, and specifically mentioned the professions of social work, accounting, and teacher education. She also shared remarks from Representative Massey, the co-prime sponsor, who was not able to be at the committee hearing. Representative Massey's remarks noted that the bill has the support of the Colorado Commission on Higher Education (CCHE), and noted the benefits the bill will provide to working students.


01:40 PM

The following people testified on the bill :


01:41 PM -- Steve Jordan, president, MSCD, testified in support of the bill. He noted the efforts the institution has made to be a Hispanic serving institution. He also stated that institutions with masters programs attract better faculty and improve student retention, because of the peer mentor aspect between graduate and undergraduate students Dr. Jordan explained that more than 1/5 of all resident undergraduate students in the state attend MSCD, with 97 percent hailing from the seven-county Denver metropolitan area. He shared with committee members a federal grant the school has been awarded for the school's teacher education program. Dr. Jordan noted that the grant is the largest awarded by the federal government in the country, and includes a partnership with Denver Public Schools (DPS). He also discussed the school's social work program


01:48 PM -- Adele Phelan, representing the MSCD board of trustees, testified in support of the bill and explained how the bill improves access and affordability for students. She shared the names of groups who endorse the bill.


01:50 PM -- John Karakoulakis, representing the CCHE, testified in support of the bill, and noted that the CCHE passed a resolution of support of the bill.


01:52 PM

Representative Todd concluded her remarks on the bill, and asked for the committee's support.


BILL:HB09-1295
TIME: 01:52:24 PM
MOVED:Todd
MOTION:Moved to refer House Bill 09-1295 to the Committee of the Whole. The motion passed on a 11-0-2 vote.
SECONDED:Solano
VOTE
Baumgardner
Yes
Benefield
Yes
Massey
Excused
Middleton
Yes
Murray
Yes
Peniston
Yes
Priola
Yes
Scanlan
Yes
Schafer S.
Yes
Summers
Excused
Todd
Yes
Solano
Yes
Merrifield
Yes
Final YES: 11 NO: 0 EXC: 2 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS