Bill Text: FL S1402 | 2020 | Regular Session | Introduced
NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft
Bill Title: Higher Education
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Failed) 2020-03-14 - Died in Appropriations Subcommittee on Education [S1402 Detail]
Download: Florida-2020-S1402-Introduced.html
Bill Title: Higher Education
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Failed) 2020-03-14 - Died in Appropriations Subcommittee on Education [S1402 Detail]
Download: Florida-2020-S1402-Introduced.html
Florida Senate - 2020 SB 1402 By Senator Diaz 36-01365-20 20201402__ 1 A bill to be entitled 2 An act relating to higher education; amending s. 3 1001.7065, F.S.; revising standards for the preeminent 4 state research universities program; requiring such 5 standards to be reported annually in a specified plan; 6 deleting the “emerging preeminent state research 7 university” designation within the State University 8 System; conforming provisions to changes made by the 9 act; deleting the programs of excellence designation 10 within the State University System; creating the 11 “state universities of distinction” designation within 12 the State University System; requiring the Board of 13 Governors to establish standards and measures for 14 specific state university competencies; providing 15 requirements for such standards and measures; 16 authorizing the Board of Governors to annually submit 17 such programs to the Legislature for funding by a 18 specified date; amending s. 1001.92, F.S.; revising 19 the performance-based metrics for state universities 20 to include specific data beginning in a certain fiscal 21 year; authorizing the Board of Governors to approve 22 other metrics; prohibiting the adjustment of such 23 metrics and benchmarks once specified data has been 24 received; amending s. 1004.085, F.S.; requiring 25 innovative pricing techniques and payment options to 26 include an opt-out provision; amending s. 1004.346, 27 F.S.; removing a limitation on the length of time a 28 Phosphate Research and Activities Board member may 29 serve after expiration of his or her term; amending s. 30 1011.90, F.S.; providing requirements for a specified 31 legislative budget request; requiring the Board of 32 Governors to define specified classifications in 33 regulation and provide such classifications in 34 specified budget requests; prohibiting the growth rate 35 of administrators at a state university from exceeding 36 the growth rate of faculty at such university; 37 providing effective dates. 38 39 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 40 41 Section 1. Effective upon this act becoming a law, 42 subsections (2), (3), (5), (6), and (7) of section 1001.7065, 43 Florida Statutes, are amended to read: 44 1001.7065 Preeminent state research universities program.— 45 (2) ACADEMIC AND RESEARCH EXCELLENCE STANDARDS.—The 46 following academic and research excellence standards are 47 established for the preeminent state research universities 48 program and shall be reported annually in the Board of Governors 49 Accountability Plan: 50 (a) An average weighted grade point average of 4.0 or 51 higher on a 4.0 scale and an average SAT score of 1800 or higher 52 on a 2400-point scale or 1200 or higher on a 1600-point scale 53 for fall semester incoming freshmen, as reported annually. 54 (b) A top-50 ranking on at least two well-known and highly 55 respected national public university rankings, including, but 56 not limited to, the U.S. News and World Report rankings, 57 reflecting national preeminence, using most recent rankings. 58 (c) A freshman retention rate of 90 percent or higher for 59 full-time, first-time-in-college students, as reported annually60to the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS). 61 (d) A 4-year graduation rate of 60 percent or higher for 62 full-time, first-time-in-college students, as reported annually63to the IPEDS.However, for the 2018 determination of a state64university’s preeminence designation and the related65distribution of the 2018-2019 fiscal year appropriation66associated with preeminence and emerging preeminence, a67university is considered to have satisfied this graduation rate68measure by attaining a 6-year graduation rate of 70 percent or69higher by October 1, 2017, for full-time, first-time-in-college70students, as reported to the IPEDS and confirmed by the Board of71Governors.72 (e) Six or more faculty members at the state university who 73 are members of a national academy, as reported by the Center for74Measuring University Performance in the Top American Research75Universities (TARU) annual report or the official membership76directories maintained by each national academy. 77 (f) Total annual research expenditures, including federal 78 research expenditures, of $200 million or more, as reported79annually by the National Science Foundation (NSF). 80 (g) Total annual research expenditures in diversified 81 nonmedical sciences of $150 million or more, based on data82reported annually by the NSF. 83 (h) A top-100 university national ranking for research 84 expenditures in five or more science, technology, engineering, 85 or mathematics fields of study, as reported annually by the NSF. 86 (i) One hundred or more total patents awarded by the United 87 States Patent and Trademark Office for the most recent 3-year 88 period. 89 (j) Four hundred or more doctoral degrees awarded annually, 90 including professional doctoral degrees awarded in medical and 91 health care disciplines, as reported in the Board of Governors92Annual Accountability Report. 93 (k) Two hundred or more postdoctoral appointees annually,94as reported in the TARU annual report. 95 (l) An endowment of $500 million or more, as reported in96the Board of Governors Annual Accountability Report. 97 (3) PREEMINENT STATE RESEARCH UNIVERSITY DESIGNATION.— 98(a)The Board of Governors shall designate each state 99 university that annually meets at least 11 of the 12 academic 100 and research excellence standards identified in subsection (2) 101 as a “preeminent state research university.” 102(b)The Board of Governors shall designate each state103university that annually meets at least 6 of the 12 academic and104research excellence standards identified in subsection (2) as an105“emerging preeminent state research university.”106 (5) PREEMINENT STATE RESEARCH UNIVERSITIES PROGRAM 107 SUPPORT.— 108 (a) A state university that is designated as a preeminent 109 state research university shall submit to the Board of Governors 110 a 5-year benchmark plan with target rankings on key performance 111 metrics for national excellence. Upon approval by the Board of 112 Governors, and upon the university’s meeting the benchmark plan 113 goals annually, the Board of Governors shall award the 114 university its proportionate share of any funds provided 115 annually to support the program created under this section. 116 (b)A state university designated as an emerging preeminent117state research university shall submit to the Board of Governors118a 5-year benchmark plan with target rankings on key performance119metrics for national excellence. Upon approval by the Board of120Governors, and upon the university’s meeting the benchmark plan121goals annually, the Board of Governors shall award the122university its proportionate share of any funds provided123annually to support the program created under this section.124(c)The award of funds under this subsection is contingent 125 upon funding provided by the Legislature to support the 126 preeminent state research universities program created under 127 this section. Funding increases appropriated beyond the amounts 128 funded in the previous fiscal year shall be distributed equally 129 toas follows:1301.each designated preeminent state research university 131 that meets the criteria in paragraph (a)shall receive an equal132amount of funding. 1332.Each designated emerging preeminent state research134university that meets the criteria in paragraph (b) shall,135beginning in the 2018-2019 fiscal year, receive an amount of136funding that is equal to one-fourth of the total increased137amount awarded to each designated preeminent state research138university.139 (6) PREEMINENT STATE RESEARCH UNIVERSITY FLEXIBILITY 140 AUTHORITY.—The Board of Governors is encouraged to identify and 141 grant all reasonable, feasible authority and flexibility to 142 ensure that each designated preeminent state research university 143and each designated emerging preeminent state research144universityis free from unnecessary restrictions. 145 (7) STATE UNIVERSITIESPROGRAMSOF DISTINCTIONEXCELLENCE146 THROUGHOUT THE STATE UNIVERSITY SYSTEM.—The Board of Governors 147 shall establish standards and measures whereby state 148 universities that focus on one core competency unique to the 149 State University System which achieves excellence at the 150 national or state level, meets state workforce needs, and 151 fosters an innovation economy that focuses on areas such as 152 health care, security, transportation, and science, technology, 153 engineering, and mathematics (STEM), including supply chain 154 management,individual undergraduate, graduate, and professional155degree programs in state universities which objectively reflect156national excellencecan be identified. The Board of Governors 157 may annually submit such programsand make recommendationsto 158 the Legislature by JanuarySeptember1 for funding, 2018, as to159how any such programs could be enhanced and promoted. 160 Section 2. Subsection (1) of section 1001.92, Florida 161 Statutes, is amended to read: 162 1001.92 State University System Performance-Based 163 Incentive.— 164 (1) A State University System Performance-Based Incentive 165 shall be awarded to state universities using performance-based 166 metrics adopted by the Board of Governors of the State 167 University System. Beginning with the Board of Governors’ 168 determination of each university’s performance improvement and 169 achievement ratingsfor 2018, and the related distribution of 170 annualthe 2018-2019fiscal year appropriation, the performance 171 based metrics must include: 172 (a) Beginning in fiscal year 2021-2022, a single graduation 173 rate metric comprised of 4-year graduation rates for first-time 174 in-college students and 2-year graduation rates for Florida 175 College System institution associate in arts transfer students; 176 (b) Retention rates; 177 (c) Postgraduation education rates; 178 (d) Degree production; 179 (e) Affordability; 180 (f) Postgraduation employment and salaries, including wage 181 thresholds that reflect the added value of a baccalaureate 182 degree; 183 (g) Access rate, based on the percentage of undergraduate 184 students enrolled during the fall term who received a Pell Grant 185 during the fall term; and 186 (h) Beginning in fiscal year 2021-2022, the 6-year 187 graduation rate for students who are awarded a Pell Grant in 188 their first year. 189 190 The Board of Governors may approveandother metricsapproved by191the boardin a publiclyformallynoticed meeting. The board 192 shall adopt benchmarks to evaluate each state university’s 193 performance on the metrics to measure the state university’s 194 achievement of institutional excellence or need for improvement 195 and minimum requirements for eligibility to receive performance 196 funding. Benchmarks and metrics may not be adjusted after 197 university performance data has been received by the Board of 198 GovernorsAccess rate benchmarks must be differentiated and199scored to reflect the varying access rate levels among the state200universities; however, the scoring system may not include bonus201points. 202 Section 3. Subsection (4) of section 1004.085, Florida 203 Statutes, is amended to read: 204 1004.085 Textbook and instructional materials 205 affordability.— 206 (4) Each Florida College System institution and state 207 university board of trustees is authorized to adopt policies in 208 consultation with providers, including bookstores, which allow 209 for the use of innovative pricing techniques and payment options 210 for textbooks and instructional materials. Such policies may 211 include bulk pricing arrangements that enable students to 212 purchase course materials or texts that are delivered digitally; 213 delivered through other technologies that are, or the licenses 214 of which are, required for use within a course; or delivered in 215 a print format. Innovative pricing techniques and payment 216 options must include an opt-in or opt-out provision for students 217 and may be approved only if there is documented evidence that 218 the options reduce the cost of textbooks and instructional 219 materials for students taking a course. 220 Section 4. Paragraph (c) of subsection (2) of section 221 1004.346, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 222 1004.346 Florida Industrial and Phosphate Research 223 Institute.— 224 (2) PHOSPHATE RESEARCH AND ACTIVITIES BOARD.—The Phosphate 225 Research and Activities Board is created to monitor the 226 expenditure of funds appropriated to the university from the 227 Phosphate Research Trust Fund. 228 (c) Members of the board appointed by the Governor shall be 229 appointed to 3-year terms. A board member may continue to serve 230 until a successor is appointed, but not more than 180 daysafter231the expiration of his or her term. A board member is eligible 232 for reappointment to subsequent terms. 233 Section 5. Subsection (4) of section 1011.90, Florida 234 Statutes, is amended to read: 235 1011.90 State university funding.— 236 (4) The Board of Governors shall establish and validate a 237 cost-estimating system consistent with the requirements of 238 subsection (1) and shall report as part of its legislative 239 budget request the actual expenditures for the fiscal year 240 ending the previous June 30. The legislative budget request must 241 also include 5-year trend information on the number of faculty 242 and administrators at each university and the proportion of FTE 243 dedicated to instruction and research compared to 244 administration. The Board of Governors, by regulation, shall 245 define faculty and administrator classifications and shall also 246 report the definitions in the legislative budget request. The 247 growth rate of administrators at a state university may not 248 exceed the growth rate of faculty at such university. 249 Expenditure analysis, operating budgets, and annual financial 250 statements of each university must be prepared using the 251 standard financial reporting procedures and formats prescribed 252 by the Board of Governors. These formats shall be the same as 253 used for the 2000-2001 fiscal year reports. Any revisions to 254 these financial and reporting procedures and formats must be 255 approved by the Executive Office of the Governor and the 256 appropriations committees of the Legislature jointly underthe257provisions ofs. 216.023(3). The Board of Governors shall 258 continue to collect and maintain at a minimum management 259 information existing on June 30, 2002. The expenditure analysis 260 report shall include total expenditures from all sources for the 261 general operation of the university and shall be in such detail 262 as needed to support the legislative budget request. 263 Section 6. Except as otherwise expressly provided in this 264 act and except for this section, which shall take effect upon 265 this act becoming a law, this act shall take effect July 1, 266 2020.