Georgia General Assembly · Full text

SR 978: Senate Study Committee on Higher Education Funding; create

Enrolled version, the latest LegiScan holds · Last action March 31, 2026 · Passed

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Senate Resolution 978

By: Senators Burns of the 23rd, Hickman of the 4th, Hufstetler of the 52nd, Orrock of the 36th, Howard of the 35th and others

ADOPTED SENATE

A RESOLUTION

Creating the Senate Study Committee on Higher Education Funding; and for other purposes.

WHEREAS, state funding for the University System of Georgia and the Technical College System of Georgia is appropriated in lump sums to be allocated among institutions of the university system and units of the technical college system by the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia and the State Board of the Technical College System of Georgia, respectively; and

WHEREAS, the amount of such funding is determined based on funding formulas that are decades old and rely heavily on student enrollment; and

WHEREAS, the funding formulas' reliance on student enrollment rather than student outcomes, such as graduation, could incentivize practices that are not in the best interests of students; and

WHEREAS, since the implementation of the funding formulas for the University System of Georgia and the Technical College System of Georgia, higher education has changed in significant ways, in particular with the advent and proliferation of education technology and virtual instruction, and more changes in higher education are expected in the coming years; and

WHEREAS, such changes may not be adequately accounted for in the current funding formulas and projected declining enrollment could result in insufficient funding in the future; and

WHEREAS, for the reasons mentioned above, it is in the best interests of the citizens of this state for the General Assembly to review and evaluate the efficacy and sufficiency of these funding formulas and to explore alternative funding formulas and how to best transition to a new funding formula.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE:

(1) Creation of Senate study committee. There is created the Senate Study Committee on Higher Education Funding.

(2) Members and officers. The committee shall comprise six members of the Senate to be appointed by the President of the Senate. The President of the Senate shall designate one of such members as chairperson of the committee.

(3) Powers and duties. The committee shall undertake a study of the conditions, needs, issues, and problems mentioned above or related thereto and recommend any action or legislation which the committee deems necessary or appropriate.

(4) Meetings. The chairperson shall call all meetings of the committee. The committee may conduct meetings at such places and at such times as it may deem necessary or convenient to enable it to exercise fully and effectively its powers, perform its duties, and accomplish the objectives and purposes of this resolution. The committee may call upon persons with expertise in education funding as deemed necessary by the committee to fully explore the purposes of this resolution.

(5) Allowances and funding.

(A) The legislative members of the committee shall receive the allowances provided for in Code Section 28-1-8 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated.

(B) The allowances authorized by this resolution shall not be received by any member of the committee for more than five days unless additional days are authorized. Funds necessary to carry out the provisions of this resolution shall come from funds appropriated to the Senate.

(6) Report.

(A) In the event the committee adopts any specific findings or recommendations that include suggestions for proposed legislation, the chairperson shall file a report of the same prior to the date of abolishment specified in this resolution, subject to subparagraph (C) of this paragraph.

(B) In the event the committee adopts a report that does not include suggestions for proposed legislation, the chairperson shall file the report, subject to subparagraph (C) of this paragraph.

(C) No report shall be filed unless the same has been approved prior to the date of abolishment specified in this resolution by majority vote of a quorum of the committee. A report so approved shall be signed by the chairperson of the committee and filed with the Secretary of the Senate. Any member of the committee may file a minority report that shall accompany the majority report.

(D) In the absence of an approved report, the chairperson may file with the Secretary of the Senate copies of the minutes of the meetings of the committee in lieu thereof.

(7) Abolishment. The committee shall stand abolished on December 1, 2026.