SR978: SR978 Senate Study Committee on Higher Education Funding; create

26 LC 61 0482 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.1 WHEREAS, state funding for the University System of Georgia and the Technical College2 System of Georgia is appropriated in lump sums to be allocated among institutions of the3 university system and units of the technical college system by the Board of Regents of the4 University System of Georgia and the State Board of the Technic al College System of5 Georgia, respectively; and6 WHEREAS, the amount of such funding is determined based on funding formulas that are7 decades old and rely heavily on student enrollment; and8 WHEREAS, the funding formulas' reliance on student enrollment r ather than student9 outcomes, such as graduation, could incentivize practices that are not in the best interests of10 students; and11 WHEREAS, since the implementation of the funding formulas for the University System of12 Georgia and the Technical College System of Georgia, higher edu cation has changed in13 significant ways, in particular with the advent and proliferation of education technology and14 S. R. 978 - 1 - 26 LC 61 0482 virtual instruction, and more changes in higher education are expected in the coming years;15 and16 WHEREAS, such changes may not be adequately accounted for in th e current funding17 formulas and projected declining enrollment could result in insufficient funding in the future;18 and19 WHEREAS, for the reasons mentioned above, it is in the best interests of the citizens of this20 state for the General Assembly to review and evaluate the efficacy and sufficiency of these21 funding formulas and to explore alternative funding formulas and how to best transition to22 a new funding formula.23 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE:24 (1) Creation of Senate study committee. There is created the Senate Study Committee25 on Higher Education Funding.26 (2) Members and officers. The committee shall comprise six members of the Senate27 to be appointed by the President of the Senate. The President of the Senate shall28 designate one of such members as chairperson of the committee.29 (3) Powers and duties. The committee shall undertake a study of the conditions, needs,30 issues, and problems mentioned above or related thereto and recommend any action or31 legislation which the committee deems necessary or appropriate.32 (4) Meetings. The chairperson shall call all meetings of the committee. The committee33 may conduct meetings at such places and at such times as it may deem necessary or34 convenient to enable it to exercise fully and effectively its powers, perform its duties, and35 accomplish the objectives and purposes of this resolution. The committee may call upon36 persons with expertise in education funding as deemed necessary by the committee to37 fully explore the purposes of this resolution.38 S. R. 978 - 2 - 26 LC 61 0482 (5) Allowances and funding.39 (A) The legislative members of the committee shall receive the allowances provided40 for in Code Section 28-1-8 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated.41 (B) The allowances authorized by this resolution shall not be received by any member42 of the committee for more than five days unless additional days are authorized. Funds43 necessary to carry out the provisions of this resolution shall come from funds44 appropriated to the Senate.45 (6) Report.46 (A) In the event the committee adopts any specific findings or recommendations that47 include suggestions for proposed legislation, the chairperson shall file a report of the48 same prior to the date of abolishment specified in this resolut ion, subject to49 subparagraph (C) of this paragraph.50 (B) In the event the committee adopts a report that does not i nclude suggestions for51 proposed legislation, the chairperson shall file the report, subject to subparagraph (C)52 of this paragraph.53 (C) No report shall be filed unless the same has been approved prior to the date of54 abolishment specified in this resolution by majority vote of a quorum of the committee.55 A report so approved shall be signed by the chairperson of the committee and filed with56 the Secretary of the Senate. Any member of the committee may file a minority report57 that shall accompany the majority report.58 (D) In the absence of an approved report, the chairperson may file with the Secretary59 of the Senate copies of the minutes of the meetings of the committee in lieu thereof.60 (7) Abolishment. The committee shall stand abolished on December 1, 2026.61 S. R. 978 - 3 -