Summary of
Postsecondary Education Reform

Kentucky 1997 Special Session Legislation  

  House Bill 1 - Effective May 30, 1997 Kentucky Postsecondary Education Improvement Act of 1997
Click on the names of House Bill 1 sections you wish to read.

[ Goals ] [ Council on Postsecondary Education ]
[ Kentucky Community and Technical College System Board ]
[ Investment and Incentive Funds ] [ Virtual University ]
[ Strategic Committee on Postsecondary Education ] 

Goals - Establishes general academic and research goals for postsecondary education to include: 

Strengthening the research programs at the University of Kentucky and the University of Louisville to be competitive nationally;

Providing programs of national distinction and access to baccalaureate programs at each of the eight regional universities;

Providing reasonable access to two-year liberal arts and technical degrees, remedial instruction, workforce training, and continuing education courses through a comprehensive community and technical college system; and

Providing an efficient, responsive and coordinated system that delivers educational services competitive with the national average.

Council on Postsecondary Education

Creates a new Council on Postsecondary Education to set long-range goals and a statewide postsecondary education strategic agenda. The council is to advise the executive and legislative branches, make and lead the budget process, and make recommendations on the incentive funds to advance the strategic plan. The council is to facilitate student transfer of credit, guard against unnecessary duplication, and coordinate program offerings at the institutions. The composition includes 13 members appointed by the Governor, a faculty member, a student member, and the Commissioner of Education who is a non-voting member. 
 

Kentucky Community and Technical College System Board

Creates a new Kentucky Community and Technical College Board to oversee two branches: 13 of the 14 community colleges currently administered under the University of Kentucky Board of Trustees and the 25 postsecondary technical institutions currently operated by the Workforce Development Cabinet. 

Establishes the composition: eight regents selected by the Governor (four nominated by the University of Kentucky Board of Trustees and four by the Governor's Postsecondary Education Nominating Commission), and student, faculty and staff representatives from both the community colleges and the technical schools. 

Authorizes the University of Kentucky to monitor program quality and to continue providing library, financial aid and other services for a fee. Certain degrees will carry the University of Kentucky name. 

Strengthens the local Board of Directors of each Community College, previously an advisory board, by providing a role in hiring the president and submitting the budget request. 
 

Investment and Incentive Funds

Creates six trust funds administered by the Council on Postsecondary Education to drive improvements toward accomplishment of the strategic plan: 

 

1. A research challenge trust fund, 
2. A regional university excellence trust fund, 
3. A technology initiative trust fund, 
4. A physical facilities trust fund, 
5. A postsecondary workforce development trust fund, and 
6. A student financial aid and advancement trust fund. 

Creates an adult education and literacy initiative fund administered by the Workforce Development Cabinet. 
 

Virtual University

Creates a Commonwealth Virtual University under the Council on Postsecondary Education to make academic programs available through television, the Internet, and other technologies. The regional institutions will be the primary developers and deliverers of baccalaureate and master's degree programs. 
 

Strategic Committee on Postsecondary Education (SCOPE) 

Creates the Strategic Committee on Postsecondary Education (SCOPE)--a committee composed of appointees of the Governor, the General Assembly, and the Council on Postsecondary Education which will serve as a forum to discuss the future of postsecondary education in Kentucky; advise the council on the goals, budget, and planning; and receive reports and recommendations from the council. 
 

House Bill 4 - Effective May 30, 1997

Allocates funding increases of $40 million in FY 1997-98 for the revised postsecondary education system, including adult literacy, as follows: 

 

The Base/Equity funding component is intended to fund all universities and community colleges at least 95% of the current formula benchmark levels, to ensure institutional increases of at least 3% for FY 1997-98 and to equalize state support for doctoral research programs including elementary and secondary education research. Funding support for the Base/Equity component, including new funds for the Council, is appropriated at $23 million in FY 1997-98, including $11,768,700 for the Community Colleges and establishment of KCTCS.

The strategic investment and incentive funding component includes initial support to finance expanded doctoral research activities ($6 million for the Research Challenge Trust Fund), progress toward development of nationally recognized programs of distinction and applied research at regional universities ($6 million for the Regional University Excellence Trust Fund), and KY Tech equipment ($3 million for the Postsecondary Workforce Development Trust Fund). In addition, $2 million is appropriated for the Adult Education and Literacy Initiative Fund established by House Bill 1; the fund is administered by the Workforce Development Cabinet. The remaining trust funds (Technology Initiative Trust Fund, Physical Facilities Trust Fund and the Student Financial Aid and Advancement Fund) will receive appropriations in future years.