1. By the AFC Legislative Committee

2. 2012 LEGISLATIVE SESSION 60 Days January 10 – March 9, 2012 With one minute to spare, the Florida Legislature adjourned sine die at 11:59 PM

7. BILLS FILED/PASSED  A total of 2052 bills were introduced  292 passed both chambers.

8. BUDGET  The $70 billion dollar budget included a slight state fund increase for the FCS over previous year’s budget  FCS was basically level funded when CPI is factored.  Includes a 5% tuition increase that the Governor has the option to accept or reject  If vetoed, the law allows DBOT’s to increase tuition based on the CPI - about 3% currently  All colleges increased from 1.14% to 14.01% depending on enrollment and other special appropriations

9.  ALL STATE FUNDS  $1,039,274,647 (+ 15,823,015 or 1.55%)  ESTIMATED TUITION with 5% increase  $949,043,390  TOTAL  1,988,318,037 (+3.18)

10. SUMMARY OF POLICY CHANGES HB 7135  Gen Ed  changed the required number of general education hours from 36 to 30.  Foreign language requirements  now a required part of lower division work; could be problematic for older returning students and reduce completion rates, or chill re- enrollment.  Online services  Distance learning, student advising (FACTS), and on-line education libraries were consolidated into one state-wide entity (HB5201)  Completion  A pilot distance learning project, targeting students who have begun but did not complete a degree, was also created.  To be carried out by two universities and two colleges, and could have a significant impact on future distance learning activities.

11.  Governance  The Higher Education Coordinating Council (HECC) will make recommendations for Florida College System governance.  PECO  No projects were funded out of PECO dollars  Only $5.3M made available for all 28 colleges from other cash to fund certain colleges’ projects in renovation and remodeling  50% of the colleges received no funds for renovation or remodeling.

12.  Governor appointees  300 appointments needed to be confirmed by the Senate.  Only 7 were confirmed.  88 college trustees were not confirmed.  The must be reappointed within forty-five days after session, or the appointments expire.  Some DBOT’s may not have a quorum after April 23, 2012.

13. CONFORMING BILLS  There were 35 of them  Such bills change laws in context of the appropriations  Usually committee leadership filed  Hard to lobby because they are usually filed late (Day 49)  Often include the “kitchen sink”, anything and everything

14.  Name Change  South Florida Community College Name Change to South Florida State College pending SACS Baccalaureate approval  Cost Savings  Directs boards of trustees to use purchasing agreements, state contracts, or to enter into consortia and cooperative agreements to maximize purchasing power for goods and services.  Goal to achieve 5% savings on existing contracts through the use of new cooperative arrangements or new consortium contracts.

15. HIGHER ED CONFORMING BILL HB 5201  Creation of the Florida Virtual Campus  Primary responsibilities of the FVC:  provide access to online student services and library support services  serve as a statewide resource and clearinghouse for postsecondary education distance learning courses and degree programs  increase student access and completion of degrees.  Funding for the Florida Virtual Campus is evenly split between the Florida College System and the State University System.  Consolidates the Florida Distance Learning Consortium, FACTS.org, the Florida Center for Library Automation (FCLA), and the College Center for Library Automation (CCLA) and de-authorizes the current entities.  FACTS.ORG no longer to provide career planning to K-12 students.  Joint oversight by FCS and SUS

16. HIGHER ED CONFORMING BILL HB 5201  Degree Completion Pilot Project  Designed to recruit, recover, and retain adult learners who have “stopped out” of college in good standing to prior to earning a degree.  Returning students are to be assisted in obtaining degrees aligned with high-wage, high-skill workforce needs of the State.  Established within the Florida Virtual Campus with  University of West Florida as the lead institution  University of South Florida  Florida State College at Jacksonville  St. Petersburg College  Detailed project plan by August 1, 2012 to the Legislature  Implementation in the 2012-13 academic year.  $2,500,000 is appropriated

17. HIGHER ED CONFORMING BILL HB 5201  Florida College System Baccalaureate Degree Approval Process  Removes exemption from State Board of Education approval of new baccalaureate degree programs after three years.  All baccalaureate degree programs must be approved by the State Board of Education, which is the current practice.

18. HIGHER ED CONFORMING BILL HB 5201  Summer Bright Futures Pilot Program at the University of Florida  BF recipient attending the University of Florida may receive an award for two semesters or the equivalent per fiscal year including the summer semester.  Could include institutions in the Florida College System if the pilot project shows students will attend in the summer term.

19. HIGHER ED CONFORMING BILL HB 5201  Increase in the Student Fee for Capital Improvements Fees (CIF)  DBOT may increase the Capital Improvement Fee over time from up to 10% of tuition to as much as 20% of tuition per credit hour for resident students.  The maximum increase in any given year remains limited to $2 per credit hour over the prior year.  Provides for an exemption to CIF for Workforce Education Program Students in workforce education programs but not postsecondary career programs.

20. HIGHER ED CONFORMING BILL HB 5201  Bright Futures Scholarship Eligibility Requirements  Graduates starting in the 2012-13 academic year will have 2 years instead of 3 years to accept an initial award.  Students will have 5 years after high school graduation to receive renewal awards.  Exceptions made for verifiable illness or other documented emergency.  Students will be required to submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid for renewal. Currently, only initial award applicants are required to submit the form.

21. HIGHER ED CONFORMING BILL HB 5201  Bright Futures Gold Seal – Renewal Awards and Gold Seal Awards  For students initially eligible in 2012-13 limits use to 100 percent of the number of credit hours to complete an associate or baccalaureate degree program, or a postsecondary career certificate program.  Bright Futures Award Amounts  Shall be set annually in the General Appropriations Act.  Removes existing language tying the award amounts to tuition and fees.  Florida Gold Seal Vocational Scholars awards  limited to 100-percent of the hours required to complete one of the following:  applied technology diploma programs (up to 60 credit hours or the equivalent),  technical degree or career certificate programs (not to exceed 72 credit hours or the equivalent).  Home-schooled students are required to complete a program of community service work the same as are public high school students to receive the Florida Medallion Scholars Award or the Florida Gold Seal Vocational Award

22. HIGHER ED CONFORMING BILL HB 5201  Contract Language for Administrative and Instructional Staff  Requires that each contract or employment agreement, or renewal or renegotiation of an existing contract or employment agreement which contains a severance pay provision must include the following provisions:  A requirement that severance pay provided may not exceed an amount greater than 20 weeks of compensation.  A prohibition of provision of severance pay when the officer, agent, employee, or contractor has been fired for misconduct.

23.  QUESTIONS?