HJR 69 — HIGHER EDUCATION

*LRB09512266NHT36747r* HJ0069 Engrossed LRB095 12266 NHT 36747 r HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION 69 WHEREAS, Postsecondary education is essential in the modern economy;

therefore, be it RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that the Board of Higher Education undertake a master plan for Illinois higher education through HJ0069 Engrossed -2- LRB095 12266 NHT 36747 r the creation of a Task Force on Higher Education and the Economy to study the challenges and opportunities facing higher education, the State’s workforce needs, demographic trends, and higher education funding and student financial aid;

and be it further RESOLVED, Thatthat the Task Force shall be chaired by the Chairperson of the Board of Higher Education and be comprisedcomposed of 4 members of the General Assembly, one appointed by the Speaker of the House,House of Representatives, one appointed by the Minority Leader of the House,House of Representatives, one appointed by the President of the Senate, and one appointed by the Minority Leader of the Senate;

and 1220 members appointed by the GovernorGovernor, from nominees recommended by the Board of Higher EducationEducation, as follows:

(1) a trusteepresident or senior administrator of a public university;

(2) a trustee or senior administrator of a community college;

(3) a trusteepresident or senior administrator of ana independentcommunity collegecollege; or university;

(4) 2a businessrepresentative leadersof from statewide business associations or the Illinoisindependent, Workforcenot-for-profit Investmenteducation Board;sector;

(5) a3 leaderbusiness ofleaders from statewide business associations, an Illinois-based corporation, or the healthcareIllinois industry;Workforce Investment Board;

(6) a localleader schoolof superintendent;a civic or nonprofit organization or HJ0069 Engrossed -3- LRB095 12266 NHT 36747 r foundation;

(7) a labor leader representingof athe statewidehealthcare laborindustry; organization;

HJ0069 -3- LRB095 12266 NHT 36747 r (8) 2an facultyexpert members,in onestudent fromfinancial aaid; community college and one from a public university;

(9) onea student;school district superintendent;

and (10) onea representativelabor ofleader therepresenting proprietarya educationstatewide sector;labor organization;

(11) 2 faculty members or academic professionals from community colleges;

(12) 2 faculty members or academic professionals from public universities;

(13) one faculty member nominated by the Faculty Advisory Council to the Board of Higher Education;

(14) one student nominated by the Student Advisory Committee to the Board of Higher Education;

(15) one nationally recognized leader in higher education policy;

and (16) a representative of the proprietary education sector;

(ii) economic conditions, including HJ0069 Engrossed -4- LRB095 12266 NHT 36747 r industry mix, importing and exporting, economic strengths, effects of globalization, State gross domestic product, tax collections, new business starts, regional differences, personal income, and healthcare quality and availability;

(2) review existing policies to determine how the Illinois higher education system operates and meets the public needs of this State in such areas as (i) preparation for the workplace and college, including kindergarten through grade 12 student development, teacher and school HJ0069 -4- LRB095 12266 NHT 36747 r leader preparation, dual enrollment, curriculum alignment between kindergarten through grade 12 schools and higher education, use of placement examinations, high school graduation standards, and college entrance requirements, the need for remedial coursework in colleges and universities, adult education and adult literacy, mechanisms for feedback on student and graduate performance, data systems, efficiency and productivity, marketing, and financial implications;

(ii) postsecondary participation, including institutional and sector capacity, underrepresented groups, distance education, off-campus degree completion opportunities, dual enrollment, counseling, advising, and other student HJ0069 Engrossed -5- LRB095 12266 NHT 36747 r services, adult education, healthcare, graduate and professional training, certificate and workforce training, data systems, efficiency, and productivity, marketing, and financial implications;

(iii) affordability, including adequacy of campus funding, tuition and fee policies, financial aid programs and policies (including need-based aid, merit-based aid, institutional aid, waiver programs, savings programs, loan programs, healthcare, and graduate professional training), the relationship between public funding, tuition and fees, and financial aid, data systems, and efficiency and productivity, (iv) degree completion, including counseling, advising, childcare, and other student services, underrepresented groups, off-campus HJ0069 -5- LRB095 12266 NHT 36747 r degree completion, transfer agreements, the Illinois Articulation Initiative, the Course Applicability System, stop-out and dropout intervention, student goals less than a degree, and data systems, efficiency, and productivity, (v) research and economic development, focusing on critical workforce needs, workforce development, adult education and retraining, research and development, applied research activities, technology transfer, retention of graduates, health care provision and training, regional cultural resources, data systems, efficiency, and productivity, and financial implications;

and (vi) learning, including student assessment, use of placement exams, achievement gaps, remediation, and HJ0069 Engrossed -6- LRB095 12266 NHT 36747 r student performance feedback systems;

and be it further RESOLVED, That the House and Senate higher education and higher education appropriation committees may hold hearings to HJ0069 -6- LRB095 12266 NHT 36747 r explore such issues as college preparation, degree persistence and completion, affordability, the needs of nontraditional students, the effect of demographic trends on enrollments, student services, and degree completion, finance and student aid, deferred maintenance and capital needs, and other topics as determined by these committees;

and be it further HJ0069 Engrossed -7- LRB095 12266 NHT 36747 r RESOLVED, That the Board of Higher Education shall provide quarterly progress reports to the Governor, legislative leaders, the House and Senate Higher Education Committees, the House Appropriations - Higher Education Committee, and the Senate Appropriations III Committee, with the first report to be completed within 3 months after the appointment of the Task Force;

and be it further RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall establish a public comment period and mechanisms, including public hearings and a web-based outlet for written testimony, to gather evidence and viewpoints of the public, institutional administrators, students and families, faculty, employers, local civic and HJ0069 -7- LRB095 12266 NHT 36747 r educational leaders, and other interested parties and stakeholders regarding the preliminary report;

(4) integration of prekindergarten through grade 12 schools and postsecondary education in goals, outcomes, HJ0069 Engrossed -8- LRB095 12266 NHT 36747 r and data collection;

(10) future academic and financial pressures for public higher education, including retention of faculty HJ0069 -8- LRB095 12266 NHT 36747 r and staff;

and be it further RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall report to the General Assembly and the Governor on or before August 15, 2008 with a HJ0069 Engrossed -9- LRB095 12266 NHT 36747 r master plan and public agenda for Illinois higher education that includes each of the following:

and be it further HJ0069 -9- LRB095 12266 NHT 36747 r RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be delivered to the Governor, the Chairperson of the Board of Higher Education, the Chairperson of the Illinois Community College Board, the Chairperson of the State Board of Education, the Chairperson of the Illinois Student Assistance Commission, and the President of each public college and university in this State.