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2004 SESSION


SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 90
Establishing a joint subcommittee to study the administrative and financial relationships between the Commonwealth and its institutions of higher education. Report.

Agreed to by the Senate, February 17, 2004
Agreed to by the House of Delegates, March 9, 2004

WHEREAS, the Commonwealth is fortunate to have outstanding public institutions of higher education; and

WHEREAS, through education, training, and research, Virginia's colleges and universities provide a public good to the people of the Commonwealth that improves their lives and productivity; and

WHEREAS, Virginia is a leader in innovation with respect to higher education policy; and

WHEREAS, across the United States, the structure and policy of higher education is evolving to meet the changing needs of students and society; and

WHEREAS, the Commonwealth's best interests are served by facilitating the ability of its public higher education institutions to compete successfully with colleges and universities nationally; and

WHEREAS, Virginia's public colleges and universities have already demonstrated their ability to manage their operations more effectively when accorded flexibility through selected delegation of authority and decentralized pilot programs; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the Senate, the House of Delegates concurring, That a joint subcommittee be established to study the administrative and financial relationships between the Commonwealth and its institutions of higher education. The joint subcommittee shall consist of 12 members that include eight legislative members, two nonlegislative citizen members, and two ex officio members. Members shall be appointed as follows: three members of the Senate to be appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules; five members of the House of Delegates to be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Delegates in accordance with the principles of proportional representation contained in the Rules of the House of Delegates; one nonlegislative citizen member who shall be a member of the State Council of Higher Education to be appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules; one nonlegislative citizen member who shall represent a board of visitors of a Virginia public institution of higher education to be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Delegates; and the Secretary of Finance or his designee and the Secretary of Education or her designee to serve ex officio with voting privileges. Nonlegislative citizen members of the joint subcommittee shall be citizens of the Commonwealth of Virginia. Unless otherwise approved in writing by the chairman of the joint subcommittee and the respective Clerk, nonlegislative citizen members shall only be reimbursed for travel originating and ending within the Commonwealth of Virginia for the purpose of attending meetings. If a companion joint resolution of the other chamber is agreed to, written authorization of both Clerks shall be required. The joint subcommittee shall elect a chairman and vice chairman from among its membership, who shall be members of the General Assembly.

In conducting its study, the joint subcommittee shall examine the issues and law relating to the feasibility and practicability of restructuring the administrative and financial relationships between the Commonwealth and its public institutions of higher education.

Administrative staff support shall be provided by the Office of the Clerk of the Senate. Research, fiscal and policy analysis, and other services as requested by the joint subcommittee shall be provided by the staffs of the Senate Committee on Finance and the House Committee on Appropriations. Technical assistance shall be provided by the Department of Human Resource Management, the Virginia Retirement System, the Department of Administration, the Department of Planning and Budget, the State Treasurer, the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia, and the Department of General Services. All other agencies of the Commonwealth shall provide assistance to the joint subcommittee for this study, upon request.

The joint subcommittee shall be limited to four meetings for the 2004 interim and the direct costs of this study shall not exceed $11,200, without approval as set out in this resolution. Approval for unbudgeted nonmember-related expenses shall require the written authorization of the chairman of the joint subcommittee and the respective Clerk. If a companion joint resolution of the other chamber is agreed to, written authorization of both Clerks shall be required.

No recommendation of the joint subcommittee shall be adopted if a majority of the Senate members or a majority of the House members appointed to the joint subcommittee (i) vote against the recommendation and (ii) vote for the recommendation to fail notwithstanding the majority vote of the joint subcommittee.

The joint subcommittee shall complete its meetings by November 30, 2004, and the chairman shall submit to the Division of Legislative Automated Systems an executive summary of its findings and recommendations no later than the first day of the 2005 Regular Session of the General Assembly. The executive summary shall state whether the joint subcommittee intends to submit to the General Assembly and the Governor a report of its findings and recommendations for publication as a document. The executive summary and report shall be submitted as provided in the procedures of the Division of Legislative Automated Systems for the processing of legislative documents and reports and shall be posted on the General Assembly's website.

Implementation of this resolution is subject to subsequent approval and certification by the Joint Rules Committee. The Committee may approve or disapprove expenditures for this study, extend or delay the period for the conduct of the study, or authorize additional meetings during the 2004 interim.