MACRAO Legislative Update 2019-04-06

Here’s my highlights. There are other “educational” bills, but I’ve tried to focus on issues that directly impact our work as registrars, admissions officers or enrollment managers.

State Changes or bills not previously noted:

• HB 1093 - Allows dual credit students who are studying approved STEM courses to be reimbursed for 100% of the costs.  This bill has been heard in special committee.

• HB 744 - This bill would review evaluate and make recommendations regarding the condition of the state’s public higher education system. It has been heard in committee. 

• Fast Track Workforce Incentive Grant – HCS HB 225 Goal is to meet increase the number of adults with college degrees and/or workforce training.  The bill continues to move forward (it has passed out of the House and had one reading in the Senate), but the question of funding due to the recent discoveries about lower-than anticipated state revenue casts some doubt on the likelihood it can be fully funded. However, tweaks continue to be made. The current version states that to qualify individuals need to not have a degree, have an adjusted gross income of less than $80,000 if the taxpayer's filing status is married filing combined, or $40,000 if the taxpayer's filing status is single, head of household, or qualifying widow(er). In addition, such student must be at least 25 years of age. Grant funding may be renewed, but the student must continue to meet the eligibility requirements and must demonstrate a grade-point average of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale.  Senate Education Committee received public testimony. Committee members asked about claw back provisions and the three-year sunset, the culture of work, and programs that would be covered by the grant.

NO update on the following 

MACRAO Legislative Update 2019-03-05

 State:

• HB 1606 (From 2018) - Don’t forget that by Oct. 1, 2019, your institution must include in your catalog and on your website specific career and salary information for each credential offered by a public institution of higher education.  Your IR folks should be deep into preparing the information that is due to MDHE by next week.  See https://house.mo.gov/billtracking/bills181/hlrbillspdf/5095S.06T.pdf 

• Fast Track Workforce Incentive Grant – HCS HB 225 Goal is to meet increase the number of adults with college degrees and/or workforce training.  The bill continues to move forward (it has passed out of the House and had one reading in the Senate), but the question of funding due to the recent discoveries about lower-than anticipated state revenue casts some doubt on the likelihood it can be fully funded. However, tweaks continue to be made. The current version states that to qualify individuals need to not have a degree, have an adjusted gross income of less than $80,000 if the taxpayer's filing status is married filing combined, or $40,000 if the taxpayer's filing status is single, head of household, or qualifying widow(er). In addition, such student must be at least 25 years of age. Grant funding may be renewed, but the student must continue to meet the eligibility requirements and must demonstrate a grade-point average of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale.  

• STEM Certificates for high school students - HB 456 https://house.mo.gov/billtracking/bills191/hlrbillspdf/1145H.01I.pdf  This bill would allow high schools that want to do so to develop a STEM certification for their students.  This would not directly impact all of higher ed.  

• Returning Heroes – HB 400 (https://house.mo.gov/bill.aspx?bill=HB400&year=2019&code=R) There is an effort to modify the act to include benefits for graduate students (masters and doctorate) seeking degrees. The maximum that the students can be assessed is 30% of tuition and fees.  Students must have been in active duty combat and must claim the benefit within 20 years of being discharged. The veteran must have been a Missouri resident when first entering the military or entered military service in Missouri. Update – move to “Do Pass” in the House so it is ready for a hearing.  

• Budget Time –Highlights from last week include a reduction in funding for the Fast Track program related to a new fiscal estimate for the revised bill and the Senate Appropriations Committee took up capital improvements, maintenance and repair, and capital re-appropriations budgets that include some $13 million in re-appropriations for higher education institutions. 

• Required On-Campus Housing – HB 435 (https://house.mo.gov/bill.aspx?bill=HB435&year=2019&code=R)  Prohibits public institutions of higher education from requiring students to live on campus, except for first-year freshmen who may be required to live in campus housing for their first year.  A public hearing was completed.

 

Federal/ national issues:

•  Negotiators Convene to Rewrite Wide Range of Higher Ed Rules – The department held it’s second meeting, part of which was cancelled due to snow.  At this point there is a lot of discussion and not much decision making.  Topics include what is “regular and substantive interaction” for distance courses, allowing institutions to “outsource” to a non-Title IV entity more than the current 40% limit and could go up to a full 100%! This was not positively received by the non-federal negotiators. There will be a fourth round of negotiations due to the volume and number of proposed changes.  There were also vocal opposition to some proposed changes to accreditation that included alternative standards and ensuring that transfer credits could never be denied.  Stay tuned!

 

MACRAO Legislative Update 2019-02-09

State:

•    Budget Time – The budget process, which will impact all state institutions as well as state scholarship and financial aid for all Missouri students.  MDHE is set to present the higher education budget this coming Tuesday, Feb. 12.

•    Fast Track Workforce Incentive Grant - The House Workforce Development Committee, amended on Feb. 4. The house committee substitute clarified the eligibility criteria for receiving the grant by limiting it to those who have not already received a bachelor’s degree and to those who are at least twenty-five years of age and have not been enrolled in an educational program for the prior two academic years.

•    STEM Certificates for high school students - HB 456 | This bill would allow high schools that want to do so to develop a STEM certification for their students.  This would not directly impact all of higher ed.

•    Returning Heroes – There is an effort to modify the act to include benefits for graduate students (masters and doctorate) seeking degrees. The maximum that the students can be assessed is 30% of tuition and fees.  Students must have been in active duty combat and must claim the benefit within 20 years of being discharged. The veteran must have been a Missouri resident when first entering the military or entered military service in Missouri. This is HB 400.

Federal/ national issues:

•    Title IX Update - Title IX comments were also due this month, with the Department of Education receiving over 77,000 comments. It’s going to take a while to go through all of these.

•    Negotiators Convene to Rewrite Wide Range of Higher Ed Rules – The department kicked off the first session of its negotiated rulemaking panel to overhaul regulations governing higher education accreditation and innovation in mid-January.

 

AACRAO Call for Public Policy Advisory Group Members

In an effort to more actively engage members with public policy issues affecting their professions, the students they serve, and higher education as a whole, AACRAO is seeking new members for the Public Policy Advisory Group. Apply today to provide your practitioner perspective on emerging legislation and public policy matters. Applications are being accepted through Friday, March 1, 2019. Members who are interested in being part of the Advisory Group should complete the form on the AACRAO website.

The Advisory Group consists of 8-12 AACRAO members selected based on their areas of expertise and type of institution and will be representative of the regional, gender, and ethnic diversity of the association. Members will be appointed for a three-year term. We are seeking up to four new members for this group.

Governor Parson signs Executive Order reorganizing the Department of Higher Education

Gov. Parson signed Executive Order 19-03 on Jan. 17, which moves the Division of Workforce Development and the Missouri Economic Research and Information Center from the Department of Economic Development to the Department of Higher Education. This transformational change will align Missouri’s workforce with higher education, giving Missourians one resource for a full range of post-secondary options – from apprenticeships to certificates to doctoral programs.

The Executive Order will be deemed accepted unless the House or Senate rejects it within 60 days via a simple majority vote by either chamber. If the Executive Order is not rejected, it will take legal effect on Aug. 28, 2019. Since we will receive the Division of Workforce Development’s budget beginning  July 1, 2019, we will share some functions through an MOU.

Governor Parson delivers State of the State address

Gov. Parson delivered the State of the State address on Jan. 16. His address focused on two major themes – workforce development and infrastructure. The Governor highlighted his commitment to higher education through the funding of Fast Track and MoExcels, at $22.2 million and $16.3 million respectively. Fast Track is a new financial aid program that addresses workforce needs by encouraging adults to pursue an industry-recognized credential in an area designated as “high need.” MoExcels funding will facilitate development and expansion of employer-driven education and training programs and initiatives to substantially increase educational attainment.

Gov. Parson also released his Missouri budget priorities for Fiscal Year 2020. Overall, the Governor recommended a total of $1.3 billion for higher education, which includes his proposal to move the Division of Workforce Development under the department.

Highlights for Higher Education: