HIGHER ED. MODERNIZATION &AMP AFFORDABILITY ACT.

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View NCGA Bill Details2023-2024 Session
House Bill 715 (Public) Filed Tuesday, April 18, 2023
AN ACT TO MODERNIZE, RESTRUCTURE, AND EVALUATE THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA SYSTEM AND THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE SYSTEM.
Intro. by Willis, D. Hall, Pickett, Johnson.

Status: Re-ref to the Com on Education - Community Colleges, if favorable, Education - Universities, if favorable, Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House (House action) (Apr 25 2023)
H 715

Bill Summaries:

  • Summary date: Apr 19 2023 - View Summary

    Part I.

    Amends GS 116-33, making technical and clarifying changes to the powers and duties granted to boards of trustees of constituent institutions, and adds the duty to ensure use of institutional resources, including evaluating and eliminating unnecessary or redundant expenses, personnel, and areas of study. Similarly, amends GS 115D-20, adding to the powers and duties of boards of trustees of community colleges the duty to ensure use of institutional resources, including evaluating and eliminating unnecessary or redundant expenses, personnel, and areas of study. Directs each constituent institution and community college to report to the UNC Board of Governors (BOG) or the State Board of Community Colleges (SBCC) on steps taken to comply with the new requirements. Requires the BOG and SBCC to jointly report this information to the specified NCGA committee by March 15, 2024, and include recommendations to further reduce expenses and streamline services. 

    Part II.

    Amends GS 116-11 and GS 115D-5 to require the BOG and SBCC, respectively, to adopt a policy setting minimum enrollment requirements for all undergraduate classes, allowing variance for the particular institution or college's enrollment, the percentage of students enrolled in a particular subject area, and any other relevant factors. Bars offering a course that does not meet the minimum established enrollment requirements prior to the first day of class. 

    Part III.

    Enacts substantively identical provisions in new GS 116-11.4 and GS 115D-82, requiring faculty at constituent institutions and community colleges to be employed at will or pursuant to a term contract of one, two, three, or four years. Requires timely notice of a constituent institution or community college's decision not to renew the contract. Limits discharge, suspension without pay, or demotion of faculty during the term of a contract except for one of six listed grounds, including incompetence, serious misconduct, or major curtailment or elimination of a teaching, research, or public-service program, and in any case, requires timely notice and an opportunity for a hearing before the appropriate chancellor or president, who must make a determination on discharge, suspension, demotion, or other appropriate action. Provides for faculty to appeal the chancellor or president's decision to the respective board of trustees, with the full board of trustees' decision being final. Amends GS 116-11 and GS 115D-5 to direct the BOG and SBCC to adopt a policy on faculty contracts consistent with new GS 116-11.4 and GS 115D-82, respectively. Applies beginning with persons hired on or after July 1, 2024. Bars faculty members hired by a constituent institution or community college on or after that date from receiving academic tenure. 

    Part IV.

    Further amends GS 116-11 and GS 115D-5 to require the BOG and SBCC to adopt a policy prohibiting the use of State and non-State funds held by constituent institutions and community colleges for listed extracurricular activities, including social fraternities and sororities, and all activities related to political, social, or religious issues as specified. Excludes varsity, club, or intramural athletics; band; student government; academic clubs; and nonsocial fraternities and sororities. 

    Part V.

    Further amends GS 116-11 and GS 115D-5 to require the BOG and SBCC to adopt a unified undergraduate admissions application for all postsecondary constituent institutions and community colleges, respectively, and a policy prohibiting constituent institutions and community colleges from adding to or modifying the adopted unified admissions application. 

    Part VI.

    Further amends GS 116-11 and GS 115D-5 to require the BOG and SBCC to take three described actions to improve the Career and College Promise Transfer Pathway Program: (1) encourage all constituent institutions and community colleges to admit students who were enrolled in the Program, (2) coordinate between the BOG and SBCC and the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) to maximize course credits that students can transfer from the Program, and (3) provide each constituent institution and community college with information and administrative support to achieve the described directives. Bars constituent institutions and community colleges from limiting the total credit hours earned under the Program that can be transferred. 

    Part VII.

    Further amends GS 116-11 and GS 115D-5 to require the BOG and SBCC to encourage all constituent institutions and community colleges to take maximum advantage of federal scholarship funds, including Pell Grants and scholarships related to the ROTC, and provide each institution and college information and administrative support to further this purpose.

    Part VIII.

    Directs the UNC System Office and the Community Colleges System Office to study and jointly report to the specified NCGA committee by March 15, 2024, on the administrative services, defined to include human resources, accounting, finance, purchasing, healthcare, and information technology, provided by each educational institution. Describes required content, including a proposed plan to consolidate or manage services or positions identified that could be used more efficiently or inexpensively in one or the other Office, within one academic year. Includes defined terms.

    Part IX.

    Directs each constituent institution and community college to study all noninstructional research performed by higher education personnel (defined to include students, staff, or faculty, whether full-time or part-time) and report to the BOG or SBCC, as appropriate. Directs the BOG and SBCC to jointly report to the specified NCGA committee by March 15, 2024, with specified information disaggregated by institution, category of personnel, and subject area, to the extent possible. Includes defined terms.

    Part X.

    Directs each constituent institution and community college to study the daily usage and capacity of all buildings operated by the institution and report to the BOG or SBCC, as appropriate. Directs the BOG and SBCC to jointly report to the specified NCGA committee by March 15, 2024, with specified information disaggregated by institution.