HF 1777

as introduced - 90th Legislature (2017 - 2018) Posted on 02/27/2017 01:56pm

A bill for an act
relating to higher education; establishing variable tuition rates at public
postsecondary institutions based upon employment outcomes; amending Minnesota
Statutes 2016, sections 135A.04; 136A.103.

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

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2016, section 135A.04, is amended to read:

135A.04 deleted text begin VARIABLE deleted text end TUITION new text begin AT PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS new text end .

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Variable tuition. new text end

The Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota
and the Board of Trustees of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities shall each
establish tuition. Tuition may vary by program, level of instruction, cost of instruction, or
other classifications determined by each board. deleted text begin Tuition may be set at any percentage of
instructional cost established by the respective boards.
deleted text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Tuition tied to employment rates. new text end

new text begin (a) The Board of Trustees of the Minnesota
State Colleges and Universities must, and the Board of Regents of the University of
Minnesota is requested to, establish variable undergraduate tuition rates based on the
employment outcomes of graduates, in accordance with this section.
new text end

new text begin (b) Each board must determine the employment rates of graduates of each of its
undergraduate fields of study. The board must designate each field of study as belonging
to one of three groups representing the bottom tercile, middle tercile, and upper tercile of
employment outcomes.
new text end

new text begin (c) In identifying employment outcomes by major, each board may consider data from:
new text end

new text begin (1) the Statewide Longitudinal Education Data System;
new text end

new text begin (2) the United States Census Bureau American Community Survey;
new text end

new text begin (3) surveys of graduates; and
new text end

new text begin (4) other employment data the board deems relevant.
new text end

new text begin (d) For coursework other than general education requirements, each board must set
variable tuition rates as follows:
new text end

new text begin (1) for coursework in a field of study that is in the bottom tercile of employment
outcomes, the tuition rate must be at least 15 percent, but no more than 25 percent, greater
than the base tuition rate;
new text end

new text begin (2) for coursework in a field of study that is in the middle tercile of employment
outcomes, the tuition rate must be equal to the base tuition rate; and
new text end

new text begin (3) for coursework in a field of study that is in the top tercile of employment outcomes,
the tuition rate must be at least 15 percent, but no more than 25 percent, lower than the base
tuition rate.
new text end

new text begin (e) Each board must charge a student the base tuition rate for any coursework completed
in order to fulfill a general education requirement.
new text end

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2016, section 136A.103, is amended to read:

136A.103 INSTITUTION ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS.

(a) A postsecondary institution is eligible for state student aid under chapter 136A and
sections 197.791 and 299A.45, if the institution is located in this state and:

(1) is operated by this state or the Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota; or

(2) is operated privately and, as determined by the office, meets the requirements of
paragraph (b).

(b) A private institution must:

(1) maintain academic standards substantially equivalent to those of comparable
institutions operated in this state;

(2) be licensed or registered as a postsecondary institution by the office; and

(3)(i) by July 1, 2010, participate in the federal Pell Grant program under Title IV of
the Higher Education Act of 1965, Public Law 89-329, as amended; or

(ii) if an institution was participating in state student aid programs as of June 30, 2010,
and the institution did not participate in the federal Pell Grant program by June 30, 2010,
the institution must require every student who enrolls to sign a disclosure form, provided
by the office, stating that the institution is not participating in the federal Pell Grant program.

(c) An institution that offers only graduate-level degrees or graduate-level nondegree
programs, or that offers only degrees or programs that do not meet the required minimum
program length to participate in the federal Pell Grant program, is an eligible institution if
the institution is licensed or registered as a postsecondary institution by the office.

(d) An eligible institution under paragraph (b), clause (3), item (ii), that changes
ownership as defined in section 136A.63, subdivision 2, must participate in the federal Pell
Grant program within four calendar years of the first ownership change to continue eligibility.

(e) An institution that loses its eligibility for the federal Pell Grant program is not an
eligible institution.

new text begin (f) A public postsecondary institution that does not establish variable tuition rates based
upon employment outcomes in accordance with section 135A.04, subdivision 2, is not an
eligible institution.
new text end