Public Act 0535 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SB1883 Enrolled LRB096 10808 NHT 21024 b

Public Act 096-0535

AN ACT concerning education.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The Board of Higher Education Act is amended by adding Section 9.33 as follows:

(110 ILCS 205/9.33 new)

Sec. 9.33. Collaborative Baccalaureate Degree Development Grant Program.

(a) The Board shall implement and administer a grant program, to be referred to as the Collaborative Baccalaureate Degree Development Grant Program, to help deliver upper division courses and bachelor's degree programs offered by bachelor's degree-granting colleges and universities at a location geographically convenient to student populations currently being served by existing public community colleges. The Board shall adopt rules regarding eligibility criteria and a process for the annual application and awarding of grants. The grant application and award process shall be as efficient as possible to encourage collaborative applications and shall include consideration of existing programs and facilities.

(b) A grant application must be jointly submitted by one public community college and one or more public or private, not-for-profit, 4-year colleges or universities.

(c) Grants may be used for any combination of the following:

(1) Instructional space on or near a community college.

(2) Required training and advanced education of faculty for the new programs.

(3) Instructional technology tools.

(4) Marketing and promotion for joint efforts.

(5) Other purposes related to the collaboration efforts, as allowed by the Board's program rules.

(d) In order to better ensure the commitment of the partnering institutions, the Board shall require that each partnering institution (both the community college and the 4-year institution or institutions) must also invest in the partnership. Each grant application must include how the State's grant will be matched by dollars from the partner institutions. The combined investment of the partner institutions must equal no less than 50% of the amount of the grant.

(e) The Board shall adopt any rules that are necessary for the implementation of this Section.

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law.