SENATE 3rd Reading Unamended March 20, 2013 SENATE Amended 2nd Reading March 19, 2013First Regular Session Sixty-ninth General Assembly STATE OF COLORADO REENGROSSED This Version Includes All Amendments Adopted in the House of Introduction LLS NO. 13-0625.01 Brita Darling x2241 SENATE BILL 13-165 SENATE SPONSORSHIP Todd, Jahn, Marble HOUSE SPONSORSHIP Wilson, May Senate Committees House Committees Education A BILL FOR AN ACT Concerning authorizing a limited number of baccalaureate degrees that may be offered in the community college system. Bill Summary (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced and does not reflect any amendments that may be subsequently adopted. If this bill passes third reading in the house of introduction, a bill summary that applies to the reengrossed version of this bill will be available at http://www.leg.state.co.us/billsummaries.) The bill allows the state board for community colleges and occupational education (state board) to seek approval from the Colorado commission on higher education (CCHE) for up to 10 technical, career and work force development baccalaureate degree programs that may be offered at community colleges within the state system. The CCHE may approve baccalaureate degree programs that meet criteria established in the bill. Among other factors, the CCHE shall consider whether the baccalaureate degree program proposed by the state board is sufficiently distinguishable from a degree program at a public 4-year institution of higher education in the community college geographic service area, or whether the degree program is one that has previously been offered successfully in conjunction with another 4-year institution of higher education. The state board may authorize the establishment of an approved baccalaureate degree program at a community college within the state system. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado: SECTION 1. Legislative declaration. (1) The general assembly hereby finds and declares that: (a) It is a priority in Colorado to afford the citizens in rural and urban areas of the state greater access to higher education; and (b) Four-year baccalaureate degrees are of increasing importance in enabling individuals to qualify for and obtain jobs. (2) It is therefore in the best interests of the state of Colorado to allow community colleges within the state system to offer a limited number of four-year baccalaureate degrees. SECTION 2. In Colorado Revised Statutes, amend 23-60-201 as follows: 23-60-201. State system of community and technical colleges established - local district colleges - role and mission. There is hereby established a state system of community and technical colleges which shall be under the management and jurisdiction of the state board for community colleges and occupational education. The mission of the community colleges shall be to serve Colorado residents who reside in their service areas by offering a broad range of general, personal, vocational, and technical education programs. Except as provided in section 23-60-211, each college shall be a two-year college. Each community college may offer two-year degree programs with or without academic designation, and, upon approval of the board pursuant to section 23-60-211, may offer a limited number of technical, career and work force development baccalaureate degree programs. No college shall impose admission requirements upon any student. The objects of the community and technical colleges shall be to provide educational programs to fill the occupational needs of youth and adults in technical and vocational fields, two-year transfer educational programs to qualify students for admission to the junior year at other colleges and universities, basic skills, workforce development, and a broad range of personal and vocational education for adults, and technical, career and work force development baccalaureate degree programs established pursuant to section 23-60-211, that address the needs of the community within each community college service area. SECTION 3. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 23-60-211, add (3) as follows: 23-60-211. Degrees. (3) The board may establish at community colleges within the state system technical, career and work force development baccalaureate degree programs approved by the Colorado commission on higher education, pursuant to section 23-1-132, notwithstanding the provisions of section 23-5-129 (6) (b) to the contrary. Nothing in this section shall be construed to allow for the approval of bachelor of arts degree programs, with the exception of a bachelor of fine arts. SECTION 4. In Colorado Revised Statutes, add 23-1-132 as follows: 23-1-132. Commission directive - baccalaureate degree programs - community colleges - approval. (1) The state board for community colleges and occupational education, referred to in this section as the "state board", may submit to the commission for its approval technical, career and work force baccalaureate degree programs to be offered at one or more community colleges within the state system. The commission may approve up to seven degree programs. The commission shall consider the following criteria in determining whether to approve a baccalaureate degree program: (a) Whether the state board provides data demonstrating workforce and student demand for the degree program; (b) The regional and professional accreditation requirements for the degree program, if applicable, and compliance with those requirements, as appropriate, at both the institutional and program levels; (c) Whether the state board can demonstrate that provision of the degree program within the community college system is cost-effective; and (d) Whether the state board can demonstrate that the degree program is sufficiently distinguishable from a degree program at a public four-year institution of higher education in the community college geographic service area, or that the degree program is one that has previously been offered successfully in conjunction with another four-year institution of higher education. (2) In determining whether to approve a baccalaureate degree program, the commission may consult with any public four-year institution of higher education that shares the same geographic service area as the state board's proposed degree program to inform the commission of any anticipated systemwide effects of the new degree program. SECTION 5. Act subject to petition - effective date. This act takes effect at 12:01 a.m. on the day following the expiration of the ninety-day period after final adjournment of the general assembly (August 7, 2013, if adjournment sine die is on May 8, 2013); except that, if a referendum petition is filed pursuant to section 1 (3) of article V of the state constitution against this act or an item, section, or part of this act within such period, then the act, item, section, or part will not take effect unless approved by the people at the general election to be held in November 2014 and, in such case, will take effect on the date of the official declaration of the vote thereon by the governor.