1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to education; establishing a consortium to 
  1.3             meet statewide post-secondary learning needs; 
  1.4             providing for a study and report for the development 
  1.5             of an open learning institution; appropriating money. 
  1.6   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.7      Section 1.  [PURPOSE.] 
  1.8      The purpose of sections 1 to 7 is to establish an entity to 
  1.9   meet statewide post-high school learning needs using alternative 
  1.10  methods of delivery and to develop and distribute courseware. 
  1.11     Sec. 2.  [CREATION OF CONSORTIUM.] 
  1.12     A consortium of the University of Minnesota, Minnesota 
  1.13  state colleges and universities, and Minnesota private college 
  1.14  council is established:  (1) either to acquire courseware and 
  1.15  learning materials or to develop and distribute them, or both, 
  1.16  and (2) to develop and implement alternative methods of delivery.
  1.17     Sec. 3.  [FUNCTIONS.] 
  1.18     Subdivision 1.  [ALTERNATIVE DELIVERY.] The consortium 
  1.19  shall: 
  1.20     (a) identify statewide learning needs; 
  1.21     (b) acquire, develop, and distribute high quality learning 
  1.22  resources, including curriculum and support services, needed to 
  1.23  meet identified needs; 
  1.24     (c) facilitate the delivery of learning opportunities to 
  1.25  residents of Minnesota using the most appropriate mode of 
  2.1   delivery for the student and subject matter; and 
  2.2      (d) focus particular attention on widely dispersed needs 
  2.3   including, but not limited to: 
  2.4      (1) courses that could be used statewide for the 
  2.5   post-secondary enrollment options program; 
  2.6      (2) materials for place bound, home bound, or time bound 
  2.7   residents; 
  2.8      (3) courses that would be accepted under the proposed lower 
  2.9   division Minnesota transfer curriculum; and 
  2.10     (4) courses that meet the education and training needs of 
  2.11  employed workers. 
  2.12     Subd. 2.  [COURSEWARE DEVELOPMENT.] The consortium shall: 
  2.13     (1) assist in the development of course material for 
  2.14  distance delivery; 
  2.15     (2) award grants to encourage faculty and student support 
  2.16  staff to develop technology-based courseware for a variety of 
  2.17  academic fields, learning styles, and delivery modes; 
  2.18     (3) identify and acquire high quality courseware and course 
  2.19  materials for use by Minnesota institutions; 
  2.20     (4) develop an inventory of existing materials and 
  2.21  courseware created by Minnesota faculty and institutions; 
  2.22     (5) encourage the use of Minnesota designed courseware 
  2.23  outside Minnesota; 
  2.24     (6) explore the possibility of establishing collaborative 
  2.25  relationships with private organizations for the marketing and 
  2.26  distribution of products outside Minnesota; and 
  2.27     (7) seek to attract private and federal funds to support 
  2.28  its work. 
  2.29     Sec. 4.  [COUNCIL.] 
  2.30     A council is created to oversee the establishment and 
  2.31  development of the consortium.  It shall be composed of one 
  2.32  representative of the University of Minnesota, one 
  2.33  representative of the Minnesota state colleges and universities, 
  2.34  one representative of the Minnesota private college council; and 
  2.35  six citizen members appointed by the governor with the consent 
  2.36  of the senate.  The public membership shall reflect the state's 
  3.1   geographic, employment, gender, and ethnic diversity. 
  3.2      Sec. 5.  [BUDGET AND STAFFING.] 
  3.3      Administrative and personnel services for the consortium 
  3.4   and council shall be provided by the member systems and 
  3.5   institutions. 
  3.6      Sec. 6.  [STUDY.] 
  3.7      Subdivision 1.  [STUDY.] The higher education coordinating 
  3.8   board shall develop plans for an open learning institution. 
  3.9      Subd. 2.  [REPORT.] The higher education coordinating board 
  3.10  shall report to the education committees of the legislature by 
  3.11  February 1, 1996, on the design of an open learning institution 
  3.12  and plans for implementation. 
  3.13     Subd. 3.  [CONVERSION.] The consortium created in sections 
  3.14  1 to 4 shall be converted to the planned open learning 
  3.15  institution. 
  3.16     Sec. 7.  [APPROPRIATIONS.] 
  3.17     Subdivision 1.  [ALTERNATIVE DELIVERY.] $....... is 
  3.18  appropriated from the general fund for fiscal year 1996 and 
  3.19  $....... for fiscal year 1997 to the board of trustees of the 
  3.20  Minnesota state colleges and universities to support the 
  3.21  staffing and functions of the consortium and council, including 
  3.22  the assessment of statewide learning needs; the identification, 
  3.23  acquisition, and distribution of courseware and learning 
  3.24  materials; provision of appropriate student support services; 
  3.25  and training in the use of technologies. 
  3.26     Subd. 2.  [COURSEWARE DEVELOPMENT.] $....... is 
  3.27  appropriated from the general fund for fiscal year 1996 and 
  3.28  $....... for fiscal year 1997 to the board of trustees of the 
  3.29  Minnesota state colleges and universities to support courseware 
  3.30  development and delivery, including staff to coordinate course 
  3.31  development activities. 
  3.32     Subd. 3.  [STUDY.] $....... is appropriated from the 
  3.33  general fund for fiscal year 1996 to the higher education 
  3.34  coordinating board to develop plans for an open learning 
  3.35  institution.