PRINTER'S NO. 1003
No. 77 Session of 1999
INTRODUCED BY DRUCE, STAIRS, STEVENSON, ROBINSON, ARGALL,
BARRAR, BUNT, CALTAGIRONE, CIVERA, CLARK, CLYMER, M. COHEN,
COLAFELLA, CURRY, DALLY, FICHTER, FREEMAN, GEIST, GEORGE,
HENNESSEY, HERMAN, HERSHEY, KREBS, LAUGHLIN, LYNCH, MAHER,
MANDERINO, MARSICO, McCALL, McGILL, McILHATTAN, McNAUGHTON,
MELIO, PESCI, PLATTS, READSHAW, ROSS, RUBLEY, SANTONI,
SAYLOR, SCHRODER, SCHULER, SCRIMENTI, SHANER, SNYDER,
STABACK, STEIL, E. Z. TAYLOR, YOUNGBLOOD AND ZUG,
MARCH 17, 1999
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON RULES, MARCH 17, 1999
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
1 Establishing the Commission on Postsecondary Education for the
2 Twenty-First Century.
3 WHEREAS, The Commonwealth annually provides more than $1.6
4 billion to support higher education institutions in Pennsylvania
5 and the student financial aid programs administered by the
6 Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency; and
7 WHEREAS, The General Assembly believes that adequate access
8 to postsecondary education programs continues to be unavailable
9 to many Pennsylvania residents because of barriers which
10 include, but are not limited to, financial issues; and
11 WHEREAS, The Commonwealth and its residents place great value
12 on the opportunity for all residents to pursue educational
13 programs beyond the high school level; and
14 WHEREAS, The General Assembly is concerned that the public
1 funds appropriated to support higher education institutions and
2 students in Pennsylvania promote:
3 (1) access to postsecondary education programs of their
4 choice for all residents of this Commonwealth;
5 (2) effective and high-quality academic programs which
6 serve the needs of students and this Commonwealth; and
7 (3) the efficient operation of public higher education
8 institutions;
9 and
10 WHEREAS, The General Assembly is concerned about the
11 effectiveness of State government to utilize the public policy
12 tools at its disposal, including the appropriations process and
13 the master plan for higher education developed periodically by
14 the State Board of Education, to address these issues; and
15 WHEREAS, The 1998 report of the Subcommittee on Higher
16 Education of the Committee on Education of the House of
17 Representatives, pursuant to House Resolution No.379 of 1998,
18 made several recommendations to address these issues, including
19 the recommendation for the establishment of a "blue-ribbon
20 commission"; and
21 WHEREAS, Such a blue-ribbon commission would build on and
22 expand the work of the Subcommittee on Higher Education as well
23 as facilitate a collaborative approach among public officials,
24 representatives of higher education and other community leaders
25 to develop additional recommendations on these issues for
26 consideration by the General Assembly, the Governor, the State
27 Board of Education and the higher education community; therefore
28 be it
29 RESOLVED (the Senate concurring), That the General Assembly
30 establish a Commission on Postsecondary Education for the
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1 Twenty-First Century to:
2 (1) continue to study the issue of postsecondary
3 education costs, especially the efficiency of the current
4 system of funding higher education and the ability of that
5 system to ensure that postsecondary education is affordable
6 to the residents of this Commonwealth;
7 (2) make recommendations to the Senate, the House of
8 Representatives and the Governor regarding efficient use of
9 State appropriations for postsecondary education and other
10 necessary legislative changes; and
11 (3) provide recommendations to the State Board of
12 Education and the Department of Education regarding the
13 development of a State master plan and other necessary
14 regulatory changes;
15 and be it further
16 RESOLVED, That the commission, in its study of postsecondary
17 education:
18 (1) explore and define priorities for postsecondary
19 education with particular attention to the efficiency and
20 effectiveness of the current system to meet the goals of the
21 public interest to be served, including:
22 (i) the impact of emerging technology on the
23 delivery of postsecondary education services and
24 programs;
25 (ii) the identification of important cost drivers in
26 postsecondary education and any State resources which
27 control those cost drivers; and
28 (iii) the trend toward duplication of programs among
29 the various postsecondary institutions and the
30 established need for additional programs and advanced
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1 degrees;
2 (2) review and recommend the realignment of current
3 State policy to support these priorities;
4 (3) study financial alternatives designed to serve the
5 priorities and make recommendations on those alternatives;
6 (4) study the needs of the Commonwealth and its agencies
7 for data and data analysis and recommend how these needs can
8 be met; and
9 (5) provide input to all parties related to the
10 preparation, adoption and implementation of the State Master
11 Plan for Higher Education;
12 and be it further
13 RESOLVED, That the Commission consist of 11 members appointed
14 as follows:
15 (1) a member of the Senate, appointed by the President
16 pro tempore of the Senate;
17 (2) a member of the Senate, appointed by the Minority
18 Leader of the Senate;
19 (3) a member of the House of Representatives, appointed
20 by the Speaker of the House of Representatives;
21 (4) a member of the House of Representatives, appointed
22 by the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives;
23 (5) the Secretary of Education or a designee;
24 (6) a member of the Governor's policy staff or budget
25 office, designated by the Governor;
26 (7) the Chairman of the State Board of Education or a
27 designee;
28 (8) the Chairman of the Pennsylvania Higher Education
29 Assistance Agency or a designee; and
30 (9) three members of the public not employed by, or
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1 holding membership on the governing body of, a postsecondary
2 education institution, appointed by the Governor;
3 and be it further
4 RESOLVED, That the commission members may elect their own
5 chairman and vice chairman from among the legislative appointees
6 to the commission; and be it further
7 RESOLVED, That the commission may, with the approval of the
8 Majority Leader of the Senate and the Majority Leader of the
9 House of Representatives, contract with outside agencies for
10 research work and data base development related to the study,
11 with both the Senate and the House of Representatives providing
12 an equal share of the costs from the amounts appropriated to
13 them; and be it further
14 RESOLVED, That the commission prepare and publish an interim
15 report on its study by October 31, 1999; and be it further
16 RESOLVED, That the commission commence its work upon the call
17 of the chairman, but in no case later than May 1, 1999, and
18 conclude its task no later than November 30, 2000; and be it
19 further
20 RESOLVED, That the commission have the authority to adopt, by
21 majority vote of its membership, rules of operation and conduct
22 of its study; and be it further
23 RESOLVED, That the commission publish its findings and
24 recommendations and submit them to the various parties no later
25 than December 31, 2000.
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