§ 85-1413 — Comprehensive statewide plan; establish; requirements; unified statewide facilities plan; develop

Nebraska § 85-1413

• Jurisdiction: Nebraska
• Ch. 85: State University, State Colleges, and Postsecondary Education

Text

(1) Pursuant to the authority granted
in Article VII, section 14, of the Constitution of Nebraska and the Coordinating
Commission for Postsecondary Education Act, the commission shall establish
and revise as needed a comprehensive statewide plan for postsecondary education
which shall include (a) definitions of the role and mission of each public
postsecondary educational institution within any general assignments of role
and mission as prescribed in sections 85-917 to 85-966 and (b) a plan for
facilities which utilize tax funds designated by the Legislature.
(2) The planning process of the commission (a) shall be policy-based
and ongoing in order to achieve, within the coordination function of the commission
pursuant to section 85-1403 , the best possible use of available state resources
for high quality and accessible postsecondary educational services and (b)
shall take into consideration (i) the needs of the state as described in subsection
(3) of this section, (ii) general assignments of role and mission for each
public institution in sections 85-917 to 85-966 , and (iii) plans for facilities
which utilize tax funds designated by the Legislature.
(3) In establishing the plan, the commission shall assess
the postsecondary educational needs of the state in the following areas:
(a) The basic and continuing needs of various age groups;
(b) Business and industrial needs for a skilled work force;
(c) Demographic, social, and economic trends;
(d) The needs of the ethnic populations;
(e) College attendance, retention, and dropout rates;
(f) The needs of recent high school graduates and place-bound
adults;
(g) The needs of residents of all geographic regions; and
(h) Any other areas the commission may designate.
(4) The plan shall provide a structure or process which encourages
and facilitates harmonious and cooperative relationships between public and
private postsecondary educational institutions and shall recognize the role
and relationship of elementary and secondary education and private postsecondary
educational institutions in the state to postsecondary education.
(5) The commission shall incorporate into the plan provisions
and policies to guide decisionmaking by the commission pursuant to this section
and section 85-1414 . The provisions
and policies shall address issues which include, but are not limited to:
(a) The facilitation of statewide transfer-of-credit guidelines
to be considered by institutional governing boards. The statewide transfer-of-credit
guidelines shall be designed to facilitate the transfer of students among
public institutions. The statewide transfer-of-credit guidelines shall not
require nor encourage the standardization of course content and shall not
prescribe course content or credit value assigned by any public institution
to the courses;
(b) Recommended guidelines for admissions which recognize
selective and differentiated admission standards at public institutions and
which are consistent with the role and mission of each public institution.
It is the intent of the Legislature that changes in admission standards be
implemented in conjunction with the role and mission statements established
pursuant to this section and sections 85-917 to 85-966 and the adoption of
statewide transfer-of-credit and remedial program policies to assure that
access to postsecondary education is not limited;
(c) Recommended enrollment guidelines consistent with the
role and mission of each public institution and specific recommendations designed
to increase diversity through more effective enrollment and retention at public
institutions;
(d) Recommended guidelines for rational and equitable statewide
tuition rates and fees for public institutions. The commission shall identify
public policy issues relating to tuition and fees of the public postsecondary
educational institutions in the state. The recommended guidelines shall take
into account the role and mission of each public institution and the need
to maximize access to public postsecondary education regardless of a student's
financial circumstance;
(e) In conjunction with and consistent with its recommended
guidelines on admission standards, recommended guidelines which place the
primary emphasis at the community college level for postsecondary education
remedial programs and reduce the role of the University of Nebraska in offering
remedial programs. The commission shall collaborate with the Commissioner
of Education to develop recommendations for secondary schools designed to
reduce the need for remedial or developmental programs at the postsecondary
level;
(f) In consultation with the governing boards or their designated
representatives, designation of geographic and programmatic service areas
for each public institution consistent with role and mission assignments.
Except as permitted by the commission pursuant to section 85-1414 , no public
institution shall provide programs at any site outside its assigned geographic
and programmatic service area unless permitted under rules and regulations
adopted and promulgated by the commission;
(g) After consultation with the governing boards and experts
from outside the State of Nebraska, the establishment of a peer group or groups
for each public institution for purposes of budget review. In fulfilling this
charge, the commission may accept a peer group determined by a governing board
in consultation with out-of-state experts;
(h) Effective use of information technologies and telecommunications
to aid in the delivery of instruction at the postsecondary level. In cooperation
with the Nebraska Educational Telecommunications Commission, other state agencies,
and, when appropriate, representatives of elementary and secondary public
education, the commission may assist in the development of instructional delivery
systems employing information technologies and telecommunications. The commission,
with the involvement of faculties, public institutions and private postsecondary
educational institutions, and the information technology and telecommunications
community, shall establish policies to ensure that the objectives of quality
and efficiency are met in the delivery of information technology and telecommunications-aided
instruction;
(i) Workforce development. The commission shall explore methods
to improve the competitive quality of the work force and shall encourage enhanced
communications and partnerships between public institutions and business and
industry;
(j) Public service activities. The public institutions shall
develop and provide to the commission a comprehensive inventory of public
service programs and activities of public institutions; and
(k) Financial aid strategy. The commission shall develop a
state strategy for state-supported student financial aid programs with the
goal of assuring access to and choice in postsecondary education in Nebraska
for Nebraska residents within the limits of available state resources.
(6) The commission shall develop a unified statewide facilities
plan in consultation with the governing boards or their designated representatives
and update the plan periodically.
(7) Prior to March 15 of the year following a year in which
any revision is made to the comprehensive statewide plan, the Education Committee
of the Legislature shall review the comprehensive statewide plan and revisions
thereto at a public hearing and report its findings electronically to the
Legislature.

Legislative History

Source: Laws 1991, LB 663, § 16; Laws 1993, LB 239, § 20; Laws 1994, LB 683, § 19; Laws 1999, LB 816, § 15; Laws 2003, LB 7, § 6; Laws 2012, LB782, § 235; Laws 2014, LB546, § 4.