HF 3973

as introduced - 89th Legislature (2015 - 2016) Posted on 04/26/2016 08:50am

A bill for an act
relating to higher education; requiring the Minnesota State Colleges and
Universities to develop a plan to expand and enhance recruitment and retention
of students of color at community and technical colleges; requiring a strategic
plan and report to the legislature; appropriating money.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1. new text begin MNSCU; RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION OF STUDENTS OF
COLOR; STRATEGIC PLAN.
new text end

new text begin (a) $....... in fiscal year 2017 is appropriated from the general fund to the Board of
Trustees of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities to:
new text end

new text begin (1) expand and enhance recruitment and retention programs for students of color on
technical and community college campuses; and
new text end

new text begin (2) implement the strategic plan required by paragraph (b).
new text end

new text begin (b) No later than January 15, 2017, the Board of Trustees must adopt a long-term
strategic plan to address enrollment and completion disparities among students of color,
with benchmarks to measure progress in implementing the plan. The board's strategic
plan must include, but is not limited to:
new text end

new text begin (1) increased access to technical and vocational courses on campuses located in
urban areas with a high concentration of prospective students of color;
new text end

new text begin (2) the development of formal partnerships between technical and community
colleges and local school districts to enhance access to college-level technical or
vocational academic experiences for high school students of color with a demonstrated
interest and likelihood of success in a technical or community college program;
new text end

new text begin (3) the elimination of actual and perceived barriers in college admissions that may
deter prospective students from applying to and enrolling in a technical or community
college program, including reducing requirements for standardized testing in course
placement and providing opportunities for remedial education that can be completed
without interfering with the student's timely progress toward completion of the program;
and
new text end

new text begin (4) strategies for restructuring its community and technical college funding model to
ensure sustainable sources of revenue for technical and vocational academic programs that
otherwise carry a high per-student cost.
new text end

new text begin (c) No later than March 1, 2017, the Board of Trustees must submit a report detailing
use of the appropriation provided by this section to the legislative committees with
jurisdiction over higher education finance and policy. The report must include a copy of
the strategic plan required by paragraph (b) and, if necessary, include recommendations to
the legislature for any changes in law required to achieve the objectives of the strategic
plan without increasing tuition or eliminating or reducing access to academic programs.
new text end