ENGROSSED

Senate Bill No. 591

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(Originating in the Committee on Finance;


reported February 28, 1996.)

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A BILL to amend and reenact sections one-c and eight-a, article one, chapter eighteen-b of the code of West Virginia, one thousand nine hundred thirty-one, as amended; to further amend said article by adding thereto a new section, designated section eight-b; and to amend and reenact section one, article four of said chapter, all relating to higher education; strategic plans submitted by institutions of higher education; changing the submission dates for strategic plans and the requirements for approval of such plans; allocating funds appropriated to the higher education efficiency fund; establishing a coordinate affiliation between Marshall university and West Virginia graduate college; contents of statewide report cards; changing the submission dates for statewide report cards required to be submitted by institutions of higher education; promulgation of legislative rules; update language concerning the vice chancellor of health sciences and deleted obsolete language.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That sections one-c and eight-a, article one, chapter eighteen-b of the code of West Virginia, one thousand nine hundred thirty-one, as amended, be amended and reenacted; that said article be further amended by adding thereto a new section, designated section eight-b; and that section one, article four of said chapter be amended and reenacted to read as follows:.
ARTICLE 1. GOVERNANCE.
§18B-1-1c.
Strategically focusing resources to maximize opportunity; institution plans; resource allocation exceptions.

(a) Purpose of strategic plans. -- To achieve the goals for post-secondary education as set forth in section one-a of this article, each of the following state institutions of higher education shall prepare a strategic plan of change to refocus its mission and leadership, and restructure its existing resources and programs: Bluefield state college; Concord college; Glenville state college; Fairmont state college; Marshall university; West Virginia northern community college; Potomac state college of West Virginia university; Shepherd college; southern West Virginia community college; West Liberty state college; the West Virginia graduate college; West Virginia institute of technology; West Virginia university at Parkersburg; West Virginia school of osteopathic medicine; West Virginia state college; West Virginia university; and all branch campuses of these institutions of higher education. Such The plans shall specifically state how the institution will, over a five-year period, refocus its mission and leadership and restructure its existing resources and programs to achieve the goals for post-secondary education including, but not limited to, the following: (1) Increase average faculty salaries at the institution, not including health sciences, to a level at least equal to ninety-five percent of the average faculty salaries at peer institutions in the southern regional education board region: Provided, That West Virginia university, excluding West Virginia university at Parkersburg and Potomac state college of West Virginia university shall state specifically how it will increase average faculty salaries at that institution, not including health sciences, to a level at least equal to ninety percent of the average faculty salaries at peer institutions in the southern regional education board region; (2) achieve full funding of the uniform employee classification system and salary policy for classified employees adopted by the respective governing boards pursuant to section four, article nine of this chapter; (3) eliminate duplicative programs and services, acting alone or in conjunction with another institution, and eliminate under-utilized or unnecessary programs; (4) may combine administrative functions among other institutions; and (5) use admission and exit standards for students, incentives and staff development for assuring quality teaching and learning and the critical assessment of programs to meet the goals. The plan shall also state the manner in which any pay increases will be funded, the sources of any funds used for pay increases, and the savings and costs associated with achieving any other goals specified in the plan and how the funds are to be redirected. The faculty senate, classified staff council and the student government association shall be consulted prior to the submission of the plan and their recommendations included in the president's report to the board. Beginning the first day of July, one thousand nine hundred ninety-six, the budgets of state institutions of higher education shall reflect movement to the salary targets for faculty and classified staff as set forth in this section and any other goals specified in their strategic plan for change.
(b) Submission of strategic plans. -- The president or administrative head of each state institution of higher education shall submit the plan for the institution to its respective governing board on or before the first day of November, one thousand nine hundred ninety-five, and every year thereafter, through and including the fiscal year two thousand--two thousand one: Provided, That community and technical college education shall not be required to be segregated in such the plan until the first day of November, one thousand nine hundred ninety-six.
(c) Approval of strategic plans by the governing boards. -- The governing boards shall approve or disapprove such the plans within sixty days of receipt of the plans and notify the institution president or administrative head of its decision. Approval or disapproval of the plan of each institution shall be decided by a vote of the appropriate governing board and shall be made part of its minute record: Provided, That if the plan submitted by the institution includes retirement and separation incentives pursuant to section one-d of this article, such that portion of the plan shall be submitted by the governing board to the legislative joint standing committee on pensions and retirement, and the time required for review by such the committee shall not be included in the sixty days.
(d)
Approval of strategic plans by the secretary of education and the arts. -- Once the appropriate governing board approves the plan, it shall submit the plan to the secretary of education and the arts, as established in section two, article one, chapter five- f of this code, and hereby known as the "secretary" for purposes of this section, for approval or disapproval. The secretary shall approve or disapprove the plan and notify the appropriate governing board of the decision within forty-five calendar days. Upon such approval the institution shall receive its share of the funds from the "higher education efficiency fund", pursuant to subsection (h) of this section. If a plan from any institution is disapproved by the secretary, the secretary shall notify the appropriate governing board and shall return the plan to the institution for revision and resubmission to the appropriate governing board.
(e) Disapproval of strategic plans by the governing boards. -- If disapproved, the governing board shall return the plan to the institution president or administrative head stating its reasons for disapproval. The institution president or administrative head may modify and resubmit a plan which was disapproved at any time and the governing board shall vote, in accordance with subsection (c) of this section, to approve or disapprove such the resubmitted plan within sixty thirty calendar days and notify the institution president or administrative head. as herein provided for the original plan. If such the plans have has not been approved by the appropriate governing board on or before the first day of March February following the November submission date, the board is authorized to develop a plan for such the institutions. The president or administrative head of every state institution of higher education with an approved plan shall update such the plan on an annual basis to reflect performance during the preceding year and make any necessary modifications. Such The updated plans shall be submitted on the first day of November in each of the subsequent years that the plan is in effect through and including the fiscal year two thousand--two thousand one, and the governing board shall follow the same procedures for approval or disapproval as herein provided in this section for the original plan. Upon the approval of a plan or plan update which includes the elimination of a program, the institution president or administrative head immediately shall immediately notify affected students, faculty and staff.
(f) Approval or disapproval by the secretary of education and the arts of resubmitted strategic plans. -- Once a plan has been resubmitted to and approved by the appropriate governing board, the governing board shall resubmit the plan to the secretary for approval or disapproval. The secretary shall notify the appropriate governing board within twenty calendar days of his or her action. Upon such approval, the institution shall receive its share of the funds from the higher education efficiency fund, pursuant to subsection (h) of this section: Provided, That approval was secured prior to the first day of July of the next ensuing fiscal year. If a resubmitted plan from any institution fails to secure approval of the secretary, the appropriate governing board shall be notified and the plan shall be returned to the institution for revision and resubmission to the appropriate governing board and no funds from the higher education efficiency fund shall be allocated pursuant to subsection (h) of this section. (c)(g) Exceptions under the resource allocation model and policies. -- Any state institution of higher education with an approved plan may apply to its governing board for an exception under the resource allocation model and policies to retain funding for student enrollments that decline due to planned program reductions or elimination under the strategic plan. The number of student enrollments subject to the exception shall be based on the average full-time equivalent enrollments over the five preceding years in such the program. The allocation exception shall become effective in the next ensuing allocation cycle following approval by the governing board and notification of affected faculty, students and staff of the program reduction or elimination, and shall remain effective for the number of years normally required for students to complete the full program from beginning enrollment to graduation, subject to annual review by the governing board of the actual decline in program enrollments. Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, any program suspended or discontinued by action of the governing board on or after the first day of September, one thousand nine hundred ninety-four, and prior to the effective date of this section eleventh day of March, one thousand nine hundred ninety-five, which program is being eliminated pursuant to said that action, is eligible for an exception under the resource allocation model and policies pursuant to this section for the fiscal year one thousand nine hundred ninety-six.
(d) Any state institution of higher education with an approved plan may apply to its governing board for an exception under the resource allocation model and policies to retain funding for student enrollments that decline due to the planned reductions for the purpose of enhancing the quality of a particular program. The number of student enrollments subject to the exception shall be based on the average full-time equivalent enrollments over the preceding five years in such the program. Money allocated to the institution as a result of this exception shall be used to enhance the quality of that particular program. The allocation exception shall become effective in the next ensuing allocation cycle following approval by the governing board and notification of affected faculty, students and staff of the program reduction and shall remain in effect subject to biennial review by the governing board of the actual decline in program enrollments and enhancements in quality of the program.
(e) The application for an exception in subsections (c) and (d) of under this subsection shall be submitted to the appropriate governing board by the institution president or administrative head and state how the funds will be redirected to achieve the purposes of the institution's approved plan including, but not limited to, salary increases to attract and retain quality faculty and staff, expand and improve the quality of existing programs, and make additional investments in technology and increased access. and, in the exemption provided in subsection (c) of this section, begin new programs. The governing board shall approve or disapprove the application within sixty days of receipt and if disapproved, shall return the application to the institution president or administrative head stating the reasons for disapproval. The institution president or administrative head may modify and resubmit an application which was disapproved at any time and the governing board shall approve or disapprove such the resubmitted application within sixty days and notify the institution president or administrative head as herein provided in this subsection for the original plan.
(f) An exception to the resource allocation model and policies granted under this section and any differential approved for an institution by its governing board to reflect the high costs of a program within the institution's mission shall be removed from the institutions base budget and, to the extent included therein, from the indicated level of state support for the purposes of subsection (d), section two, article five of this chapter, and any governing board rule to the contrary is hereby specifically modified.
(g)(h) Higher education efficiency fund. -- It is the expressed intent of the Legislature, subject to the availability of funds and appropriations therefor, to increase state appropriated funds for state institutions of higher education in each of the five fiscal years, one thousand nine hundred ninety-seven, through and including, fiscal year two thousand--two thousand one, at a rate of at least three and twenty-five one-hundredths percent per year to assist the institutions in achieving their strategic plan of change, subject to demonstrated effort by the institutions as determined by the Legislature to refocus and restructure their missions, leadership, resources and programs to meet said the plans in accordance with this section. In any fiscal year in which the state appropriated funds are less than such the expressed intent, the governing boards may adjust the targets set forth in the strategic plans for change by a like proportion: Provided, That the target shall not be adjusted for those institutions which have lost funds as a result of failure to secure approval, pursuant to this section, or failure to comply with their approved strategic plans. Beginning with legislative appropriations under this subsection for the fiscal year one thousand nine hundred ninety- seven--ninety-eight ninety-six--ninety-seven, the Legislature shall appropriate such the funds, if any, to a separate account known as the "higher education efficiency fund" in the state budget. Funds from the higher education efficiency fund shall be allocated in the following manner:
(1) For the fiscal year one thousand nine hundred ninety-six-- ninety-seven,
appropriations to the fund shall be allocated only to the institutions with approved plans, pursuant to this section; and
(2) For the fiscal year one thousand nine hundred ninety- seven--ninety-eight, and every year through and including, the fiscal year two thousand--two thousand one, appropriations to the fund shall be allocated only to institutions with approved plans, pursuant to this section,
that which are in compliance with their strategic plan for change as certified approved by the appropriate governing board and the secretary of education and the arts, pursuant to section one, article ten of this chapter. Such The allocations shall be made in accordance with the resource allocation model and policies in the following manner:
(i) Any institution with a plan approved by the appropriate governing board and the secretary by the first day of July of each fiscal year is entitled to its full annual share of the moneys appropriated to the higher education efficiency fund;
(ii) Any institution which fails to secure approval by both, the appropriate governing board and the secretary by the first day of July, but secure the approval before the first day of October, is entitled to the remaining three quarters of its annual share of the moneys appropriated to the higher education efficiency fund;

(iii) Any institution which fails to secure approval by both, the appropriate governing board and the secretary by the first day of July, but secures approval before the first day of January, is entitled to the remaining one half of its annual share of the moneys appropriated to the higher education efficiency fund; and
(iv) Any institution which fails to secure approval by both, the appropriate governing board and the secretary by the first day of July, but secures approval before the first day of April, is entitled to the remaining one quarter of its annual share of the moneys appropriated to the higher education efficiency fund.
Any portion of the fund The quarterly share of the higher education efficiency fund of an institution which is not so allocated, by the beginning of each quarter, shall be appropriated allocated immediately to the higher education grant program, pursuant to article five, chapter eighteen-c of this code, or if such program is fully funded, for expenditure among all institutions for scholarships and student grant programs.
§18B-1-8a.
Higher education accountability; institutional and statewide report cards.

(a) The governing boards are directed to make information available to parents, students, faculty, staff, state policymakers and the general public on the quality and performance of public higher education. This information shall be consistent and comparable between and among the state institutions of higher education and, if applicable, comparable with information from peer institutions in the region and the nation.
(b) On or before the first day of November, one thousand nine hundred ninety-five, the governing boards are directed to adopt a rule pursuant to the provisions of article three-a, chapter twenty-nine-a of this code, providing for the collection, analysis and dissemination of data and information on the performance of the state institutions of higher education, including health sciences education, in relation to the findings, directives, goals and objectives set forth in sections one-a and one-b of this article and in comparison to their peers in the region and the nation. In developing the rule, the governing boards shall consult with the governor, the legislative oversight commission on education accountability and the state department of education regarding the relevant areas of data and information deemed considered necessary for inclusion in a higher education report card. Upon approval of the rule by the legislative oversight commission on education accountability, and the effective date of the rule, the provisions of subsection (c) of this section shall be are null and void: Provided, That the statewide report card due on the first day of December, one thousand nine hundred ninety-five, pursuant to said section, shall be compiled and disseminated pursuant to said subsection. Such The legislative rules shall provide the legislative oversight commission on education accountability with full and accurate information while minimizing the institutional burden of recordkeeping and reporting. Such The legislative rules shall include uniform definitions for the various indicators of student and institutional performance and guidelines for the collection and reporting of data and the preparation, printing and distribution of report cards under this section. The report card forms shall provide for brief, concise reporting in nontechnical language of required information. Any technical or explanatory material which an institution or governing board wishes to include shall be contained in a separate appendix available to the general public upon request.
(c) The president or chief executive officer of each public college, university or community college shall prepare and submit annually all requested data to the appropriate governing board at such the time as the governing board may establish. The governing boards shall prepare institutional report cards for institutions under their jurisdiction and systemwide report cards which shall include the information required in the following subdivisions:
(1) For all undergraduate students and for all institutions having undergraduate programs, the institution shall report the following as available and applicable: Average scores of incoming freshmen and transfer students on the American college test (ACT) or scholastic aptitude test (SAT); percentage of incoming freshmen enrolled in developmental classes; student performance as measured by grade point average and/or appropriate testing measures; the graduation or completion rate as may be defined by federal law or regulation for the student body as a whole and separately for students at the institution who received athletically-related student aid categorized by sex and athletic program; the rate at which individuals who complete or graduate from the program of an institution pass applicable licensure or certification examinations required for employment in a particular vocation, trade or professional field; student mobility (transfers in, transfers out and withdrawals); number and percentage of student body receiving tuition fee waivers; and number, percentage and dollar value of tuition fee waivers categorized by whether such the waiver is for athletic participation or is an academic waiver and by whether the recipient is a resident or nonresident of this state.
(2) For professional schools, defined for the purposes of this section as academic programs leading to professions in which licensing is normally required and for which an undergraduate degree is a general prerequisite, the institution shall report the following as available and applicable: Average scores of beginning students and transfer students on standardized entrance examinations; number and percentage of student body receiving tuition fee waivers; number, percentage and dollar value of tuition fee waivers categorized by whether the recipient is a resident or nonresident of this state; the number of degrees granted; the graduation or completion rate as may be defined by federal law or regulation for the student body as a whole; the rate at which individuals who complete or graduate from the program of an institution pass applicable licensure or certification examinations required for employment in the particular professional field; the total number of students in each program, including the percentage of those students who are state residents, the percentage of students who are nonresidents of the state, the percentage of students who are women and the percentage of students who are minorities as the term is defined by federal law; and the ratio of expenditures per pupil directly attributable to students enrolled in the professional school as compared to expenditures per pupil calculated as to students enrolled in the institution as a whole.
(3) For graduate schools, defined for the purposes of this section as academic programs leading to advanced degrees (masters or doctorates of philosophy in fields for which bachelor's degree programs are available) and for which an undergraduate degree is a general prerequisite, the institution shall report the following as available and applicable: Average scores of beginning students and transfer students on standardized entrance examinations; number and percentage of student body receiving tuition fee waivers; number, percentage and dollar value of tuition fee waivers categorized by whether the recipient is a resident or nonresident of this state; the number of degrees granted; the graduation or completion rate as may be defined by federal law or regulation for the student body as a whole; the rate at which individuals who complete or graduate from the program of an institution pass applicable licensure or certification examinations required for employment; and the total number of students in each program, including the percentage of those students who are state residents, the percentage of students who are nonresidents of the state, the percentage of students who are women and the percentage of students who are minorities as the term is defined by federal law.
(4) In addition to any and all information required by subdivision (2) of this subsection, each health sciences school shall assist the vice chancellor for health sciences in providing information for the institutional and statewide report cards, which shall include reports on the following:
(A) Information on graduates, including, but not limited to, placement of interns and residents, retention rates in the state, retention rates in unreserved areas as determined by the division of health, the percentage practicing in primary care in this state to be defined as family medicine, internal medicine, pediatrics and obstetrics/gynecology, and other information pertinent to health sciences education as it relates to health care delivery in this state such as recruitment programs to attract health care providers to West Virginia; reasons obtained from graduate surveys as to why health care graduates are leaving West Virginia; programs developed to direct graduates into primary care practices and specialty shortage areas in this state; and ways in which the health sciences schools intend to assist in meeting the projected health care needs of this state, including specialty and subspecialty health care professional needs and where such those needs are expected to arise, as those needs are defined by the division of health or such other state agency as the division of health may deem consider appropriate;
(B) Contractual and financial arrangements between the health sciences schools and such nonprofit and for-profit entities receiving moneys from the health sciences schools that the board of trustees determines have a significant impact on the provision of health sciences education in this state. , such The report to shall state the entity, the amount of funds paid to such the entity and what the payment is for;
(C) The roles and missions of the health sciences schools and evaluation of each school's performance in accordance with outcome measures developed to evaluate the attainment of the roles, missions and programs developed for each school;
(D) The annual audit of the expenditures of each health sciences school and any audit received by the board from such the nonprofit and for-profit entities determined by the board of trustees to have a significant affiliation to any health sciences school;
(E) Findings regarding management and operation of the health sciences schools, such the findings to be based on the annual audits and to include proposals for and barriers to improving efficiency and generating cost savings in health sciences education;
(F) The quality of health sciences education, including, but not limited to, a review of any accrediting agency's report on health sciences education at any state-funded health sciences school;
(G) The clinical health care services and programs offered or delivered by the health sciences schools, including, but not limited to, programs which use existing state facilities for the purposes of clinical rotations;
(H) Matters relating to the funding and budgeting of health sciences education in this state, including, but not limited to, ways in which such the budget effectuates the roles and missions of the health sciences schools;
(I) The financing of health sciences education subsequent to an annual, comprehensive review thereof., which The report shall include anticipated capital costs, projected operating expenses and future growth and recommendations on the allocation of any state or other tax dedicated to the funding of health sciences education; and
(J) Such other administrative, budgetary, financial, educational and other concerns as the board of trustees may deem consider necessary or helpful in providing information about the health sciences schools pursuant to this subsection.
(5) For all public institutions of higher education in the state, the following indicators of institutional performance in comparison with the aggregate of all other institutions in the state, region and nation as applicable and to the extent comparison data are available: Student-faculty ratio by school; student-administrator ratio; faculty turnover by school; educational and general expenditure per full-time equivalent (FTE) student; expenditure by fund in graphic display; the academic rank and years of experience of the faculty and administrators at the institution; percentage minorities comprise of faculty and major administrative staff; percentage women comprise of faculty and major administrative staff; percentage of classes taught by adjunct or part-time faculty; statistics concerning the occurrence on campus during the most recent school year and during the preceding school years for which data are available of criminal offenses reported to campus security authorities or local police; and statistics concerning the number of arrests for crimes occurring on campus during the most recent school year and during the preceding school years for which data are available.
The statewide report card shall include the data for each institution for each separately listed applicable indicator and the aggregate of the data for all institutions under the jurisdiction of the board of trustees of the university of West Virginia and for all institutions under the jurisdiction of the board of directors of the state college system for each indicator.
The statewide report cards shall be prepared using actual institutional, state, regional and national data as applicable and available indicating the present performance of the individual institutions and the state systems of higher education and shall also include goals and trends for the institutions and the higher education systems. Each governing board as part of its assessment of the individual institutions under its jurisdiction shall include the number and gross dollar amount of grants received for academic research for each institution and a succinct review of research projects including a brief description of each project and the numbers of faculty, graduate and undergraduate students involved in each project. In assessing progress toward meeting goals and in developing trend information, the governing boards shall review report card data in relation to previously adopted board goals, five-year plans, regional and national higher education trends and the resource allocation model.
(d) The higher education central office staff under the direction of the senior administrator shall provide technical assistance to each institution and governing board in data collection and reporting and shall be is responsible for assembling the statewide report card from information submitted by each governing board.
Each governing board shall prepare report card information in accordance with the guidelines set forth in this section and rules promulgated under this section. The statewide report card shall be presented at a regular board meeting of the appropriate governing board subject to applicable notice requirements.
The statewide report cards shall be completed and disseminated with copies to the legislative oversight commission on education accountability prior to the first day of December January, one thousand nine hundred ninety-two ninety-seven, and each year thereafter. Statewide report cards shall be based upon information for the current school year or for the most recent school year for which such the information is available, in which case such year shall be clearly footnoted.
The governing boards shall make copies of both the institutional and statewide report cards available to any individual requesting them.
§18B-1-8b. Coordinate affiliation between Marshall university and West Virginia graduate college.
There is hereby established a coordinate affiliation between Marshall university and the West Virginia graduate college to insure a jointly planned and operated program of graduate education in the Charleston-Huntington region of West Virginia. The two institutions, while maintaining their individual identities, missions, faculty, curricula and budgets, shall share facilities as appropriate, develop integrated information technology systems, operate joint programs where efficient and practicable, develop joint electronic administrative and library systems, and engage in joint appointment of faculty and administrators as feasible and where cost effective.
ARTICLE 4. GENERAL ADMINISTRATION.
§18B-4-1. Officers of governing boards; employment of chancellors and senior administrator; offices.

(a) At its annual meeting in June of each year, each governing board shall elect from its members appointed by the governor a president and such other officers as it may deem consider necessary or desirable: Provided, That the initial annual meeting shall be held during July, one thousand nine hundred eighty-nine. The president and such other officers shall be elected for a one-year term commencing on the first day of July following the annual meeting and ending on the thirtieth day of June of the following year. The president of the board shall serve no more than two consecutive terms.
(b) Each governing board shall employ a chancellor who shall serve at the will and pleasure of the employing board and shall assist the governing board in the performance of its duties and responsibilities. No chancellor may hold or retain any other administrative position within the system of higher education while employed as chancellor. Each chancellor is responsible for carrying out the directives of the governing board by which he or she is employed and shall work with such the board in developing policy options. For the purpose of developing or evaluating policy options, the chancellors may request the assistance of the presidents and other administrative heads of the institutions under their jurisdiction and their staffs. The respective chancellors shall jointly agree to and shall hire one senior administrator who shall serve at their will and pleasure in accordance with section two of this article.
(c) The director of health shall serve as the vice chancellor for health affairs sciences, who shall coordinate the West Virginia university school of medicine, the Marshall university school of medicine and the West Virginia school of osteopathic medicine. The vice chancellor for health affairs shall conduct a special study of the West Virginia university school of medicine, the Marshall university school of medicine and the West Virginia school of osteopathic medicine to determine the role and mission of said institutions in the reorganized system of higher education in the state. The special study shall include, but is not limited to, coordinating medical education, training and delivery of health services in the state; preparing nurse-midwives, nurse practitioners, medical technologists and other members of the allied health professions; and providing for rural health care. The vice chancellor shall submit a report on said study to the governor and to the Legislature by the first day of December, one thousand nine hundred eighty-nine.
(d) Suitable offices for the senior administrator and other staff shall be provided in Charleston.
(e) The governing boards shall jointly employ a vice chancellor for instructional technology to establish a plan and funding recommendations for development and implementation of a multifaceted instructional technology strategy that includes, but is not limited to, a goal that every full-time freshman student beginning in the fall semester, one thousand nine hundred ninety- six, and thereafter, and as many other students and faculty as possible will own or lease a computer, and alternatively that computers be available for part-time students through on-site labs; integrating the integration of computer usage into all course work; involving the involvement of faculty in the development and use of technology-based instruction and instructional courseware for community and technical colleges, colleges and universities; and expanding the expansion distance learning and technology networks throughout the higher education systems to enhance teaching and learning, promote access to quality educational offerings with minimum duplication of effort, increase the delivery of instruction to nontraditional students, provide services to business and industry, and increase the management capabilities of the higher education system. The vice chancellor shall submit the plan shall be submitted to the Legislature on or before the first day of January, one thousand nine hundred ninety-six.
The vice chancellor for instructional technology shall supervise the administration, oversight, coordination and implementation of such the plan, or portions thereof of the plan, subject to the availability of funds and the direction of the governing boards. In addition, the vice chancellor shall review all technology related matters within the department of education and the arts and suggest appropriate integration and compatibility of the technology systems within the department and the institutions governed by the board.
(f) The governing boards shall jointly employ a vice chancellor for community and technical education pursuant to the terms provisions of section three-a, article three of this chapter.