1.1 	 A bill for an act
1.2 	 relating to higher education; requiring clear English pronunciation as a condition 
1.3 	of instructing certain students at public postsecondary institutions; proposing 
1.4 	coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 135A.
1.5 	 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.6 	 Section 1. [135A.156] PRONUNCIATION OF ENGLISH.
1.7 		 Subdivision 1.Policy required. The Board of Trustees of the Minnesota State 
1.8 	Colleges and Universities shall, and the Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota 
1.9 	is requested to, adopt a clear, understandable written policy requiring clear English 
1.10 	pronunciation as a condition of instructing undergraduate students at public postsecondary 
1.11 	institutions. The policy shall be made available to students by appropriate means as 
1.12 	determined by each institution, which may include publication in a student handbook or 
1.13 	other institutional publication, or posting by electronic display on the Internet, and shall be 
1.14 	posted at appropriate locations on campus.
1.15 		 Subd. 2.Policy to include. (a) A policy adopted under subdivision 1 must, at a 
1.16 	minimum, accomplish the objectives provided in paragraphs (b), (c), and (d).
1.17 	 (b) Before employing or assigning an individual to instruct undergraduate students, 
1.18 	the chair of the department in which the individual would be employed or assigned must 
1.19 	conduct an oral interview with the individual and document that the individual speaks 
1.20 	English clearly and with good pronunciation.
1.21 	 (c) If a student notifies in writing the chair of the department and the dean of students 
1.22 	of the public postsecondary institution the student is attending that the student believes that 
1.23 	an individual employed or assigned to instruct a class in which the student is enrolled, does 
1.24 	not speak English clearly and with good pronunciation the postsecondary institution, upon 
2.1 	request of the student, must reimburse the student for all tuition and fees paid for the class 
2.2 	and permit the student to withdraw from the class without financial or academic penalty.
2.3 	 (d) When the dean of students of any public postsecondary institution receives 
2.4 	notices under paragraph (c), from students equal in number to ten percent of those enrolled 
2.5 	in a class on the tenth academic day, the individual must be reassigned to a nonteaching 
2.6 	position and may not be permitted to instruct students until a hearing before a panel is held 
2.7 	and determines that the individual can speak English clearly and with good pronunciation. 
2.8 	A panel under this paragraph must include a member of the public postsecondary 
2.9 	institution's student governing body, selected by the president of the student governing 
2.10 	body, and a representative selected by the president of the public postsecondary institution.