Legislative Notes for the Week of March 22 - March 26, 2004

High Profile Issues Take Center Stage

Lawmakers conducted hearings and floor sessions on same sex marriage, gambling and stadiums this week. The drab and difficult job of budget balancing and passing legislation took second place. Legislators will have to "pick up the pace" to get the required bills to the floor in time for conference committees.

Bonding Bill Still Quiet

Both House and Senate members are working behind the scenes on a bonding bill that will garner enough votes to pass. We expect there will be more activity in the week ahead.

House Higher Education Committee Moves Bill

Rep. Doug Stang (R. - Cold Spring) moved the higher education omnibus bill this week from the House Higher Education Finance Division that he chairs to the House Ways and Means Committee. The bill reduces appropriations to the Higher Education Services Office for the 2004-2005 biennium by $7.28 million This reduction consists of $3.6 million each year from the tuition reciprocity program surplus, along with a 3 percent cut of $84,000 in fiscal year 2005.

The bill requires HESO to submit a tuition reciprocity annual report to the Legislature with information on student participation, tuition rates and interstate obligation, and payments for each state participating in the program. The bill also authorizes state universities to plan and develop applied doctoral programs and report to the Legislature by January 15, 2007. This provision supercedes current law, which requires the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities Board and campuses to receive the recommendations of the legislative committees on education and finance before planning or developing any doctoral programs. The House Ways and Means committee will hear the Omnibus Higher Education Finance bill on Monday of next week.

South Dakota Tuition Reciprocity

House Higher Education Finance committee members would like a new tuition reciprocity agreement with South Dakota including interstate payments effective December 2004. The State Colleges and Universities have proposed a change that would require the Higher Education Services Office to complete a financial analysis, assess the impact on students and the state's general fund prior to negotiating any changes.

Minnesota Needs 10,000 More College Graduates

Joel Kramer, executive director of Growth and Justice (a private research organization), reported to the Senate Higher Education Budget Division this week on "Workforce First, A vision for economic growth and economic justice in Minnesota." Among the recommendations that impact higher education are a $40 million increase in financial aid for low-income and part-time students, and an increased investment of at least $100 million in higher education. Kramer told senators the state would need a 30 percent increase in the number of college graduates to meet Minnesota's economic needs. That amounts to more than 10,000 new graduates per year with the majority coming from the state colleges and universities.

Midwestern Higher Education Compact Report

Midwestern Higher Education Compact President Larry Isaak and Vice Chair Chancellor James McCormick reported to the Senate Higher Education Budget Division this week on the history and activities of the MHEC organization. Chair of the Senate Higher Education Budget Division, Sen. Sandy Pappas (DFL - St. Paul) is also a state MHEC commissioner, along with a number of other Minnesotans. Isaak provided a list of the financial benefits member states have realized over the last 10 years through their membership in the compact. McCormick testified that MHEC has proven to be a great buy for Minnesota.

Teacher Licensure Still Making News

Senators on the Education Committee heard the proposal this week that would allow the Commissioner of Education to issue teacher licenses. The proposal is an alternative to postsecondary teacher preparation that requires applicants to have a bachelor's degree from an accredited four-year postsecondary institution and an undergraduate major or post baccalaureate degree in the subject to be taught and to pass a required basic skills exam in reading, writing and math. The alternative teacher training program includes 200 hours of classroom management, curriculum and instruction training. This is the same proposal that is moving in the House. Michael Miller, dean of the College of Education at Minnesota State University, Mankato, and Carmen Coballes-Vega, dean of the College of Professional Studies at Metropolitan State University testified in front of the Senate Education Committee on the current P-12 alternative pathway licensure programs available at Minnesota state universities.