Outside Section 30

Community College Reform

SECTION 30.   (a) Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, for the purpose of ensuring that the commonwealth's community colleges are aligned to execute a coherent mission that best serves students and are responsive to the needs of the workforce and employers in the region where each college operates, the board of higher education, in consultation with the commissioner of higher education, shall determine allocations of appropriations to the individual community colleges, with a specific focus on the colleges' role as regional work training and skill development centers. The board shall develop a system for making allocations, which shall be based on: (1) accurate enrollment data for each college and the board's assessment of the operational goals and needs for each college; (2) institutional performance with respect to clearly defined goals and metrics established by the board, including but not limited to provision for transferable and stackable credits; and (3) discretion to incentivize innovation and institutional action with respect to labor market and board priorities, including but not limited to additional funds for partnerships with vocational-technical schools. The board shall consult with the chairs of the joint committee on higher education and the chairs of the house and senate committees on ways and means in developing the funding system. The board shall establish parameters for the setting of fees by boards of trustees of the community colleges, as well as the appropriate uses of income derived from such fees. The board's system of allocation and related fee parameters shall be implemented during fiscal year 2013.

(b) Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, by March 1, 2013, each community college board of trustees shall update its mission statement to reflect the system-wide priorities articulated by the board of higher education under subsection (a). The mission statement shall be forwarded to the secretary of education and the board of higher education for approval. The local board of trustees shall, after its approval, make the mission statement available to the public.

(c) Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the board of higher education shall appoint the chief executive officers of the community colleges. If a vacancy occurs in any such position at a community college, the board shall convene a search committee, appoint a chairperson, and select individuals to serve on the committee, at least 1 of which shall be an employer or a representative of the regional workforce and which may include campus representatives, including members of the board of trustees of the community college The board shall set criteria for reviewing candidates' skills and qualifications and shall establish timelines for reviewing candidates, as well as work in concert with the department of higher education to manage other responsibilities related to the search committee. The designated search committee shall choose at least 3 candidates to recommend to the board. The board, in consultation with the commissioner of higher education, shall review and interview those candidates. The board may approve a new chief executive officer from among those recommended candidates. The board may also reject all recommended candidates and request additional candidates from the search committee or propose re-opening the search process. The board shall, by a majority vote of all its voting members, appoint a new chief executive officer of a community college.

(d) Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the board of higher education may, in its discretion, remove a community college chief executive officer by a majority vote of all its members. The board shall establish specific criteria and procedures for such an action. The board of trustees of a community college may recommend removal of its chief executive officer to the board of higher education, but the board of higher education may act on its own initiative.

(e) Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the board of higher education shall establish the terms of appointment of a community college chief executive officer, including, but not limited to, salary and benefits, in consultation with the board of trustees of the community college. The board shall establish a procedure for the annual review and evaluation of chief executive officers of the community colleges. The board, in consultation with the boards of trustees of the community colleges, shall determine all salary adjustments and other contractual terms for community college chief executive officers.

(f) Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the governor shall appoint the chairperson of each community college board of trustees. Within 45 days after the effective date of this act, the governor shall appoint the chairperson of each community college board of trustees either from among the current members of each board or from outside the current members if a vacancy exists on that board. The existing term of a trustee who is newly designated to be chairperson shall not be affected by this appointment.

(g) There shall be a special commission to study higher education financing in Massachusetts. The commission shall consist of 15 members: the secretary of education, or his designee, who shall serve as chair of the commission; the chair of the board of higher education; the chair of the university of Massachusetts board of trustees; the house and senate chairs of the joint committee on higher education, or their designees; the speaker of the house of representatives, or his designee; the president of the senate, or her designee; a member of the house of representatives appointed by the minority leader; a member of the senate appointed by the minority leader; 4 persons to be appointed by the secretary of education; 1 person to be appointed by the secretary of housing and economic development; and 1 person to be appointed by the secretary of labor and workforce development. The commission shall examine, report on, and make recommendations on the full range of issues impacting higher education financing in the commonwealth, including but not limited to determining spending levels, raising resources, and allocating state funding. In particular, the commission shall recommend revisions to the current funding formulas for the community colleges, the state universities, and the university of Massachusetts. Subject to appropriation, the commission shall hire temporary staff and support services. The first meeting of the commission shall take place within 45 days after the effective date of this act. The commission shall file a report containing its recommendations, including legislation necessary to carry out its recommendations, with the clerks of the house and senate not later than 12 months following the first meeting of the commission.
 
 

Summary:
In order to ensure that the community colleges are aligned to execute a coherent mission that best serves students and responds to the needs of the workforce and regional employers, this section authorizes the Board of Higher Education to allocate funds among the community colleges and to appoint and remove their presidents. It also provides that the Governor will appoint the chair of each community college board of trustees. This section also establishes a study commission on higher education financing, chaired by the Secretary of Education.