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2016 SESSION

16104102D
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 157
Offered January 13, 2016
Prefiled January 13, 2016
 Directing the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission to review the Virginia Community College System. Report.
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Patrons-- Jones and Byron
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Referred to Committee on Rules
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WHEREAS, the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission has not comprehensively reviewed Virginia’s Community College System since 1991; and

WHEREAS, Virginia’s Community College System works with local school systems, public four-year institutions, and employers to develop credit, non-credit, and dual enrollment courses for those seeking degrees, credentials, and course credits; and

WHEREAS, Virginia’s two-year higher education institutions offer a less costly alternative to four-year higher education institutions, but enrollment at two-year higher education institutions constitutes a smaller percentage of the state’s total undergraduate enrollment than a decade ago; and

WHEREAS, general fund appropriations to the Virginia Community College System rose $53 million between FY 2006 and FY 2015, the eighth largest increase of all state agencies; and

WHEREAS, the Virginia Community College System’s central office spending rose 128 percent and staffing rose 39 percent between FY 2006 and FY 2015; and

WHEREAS, Virginia’s system comprises 23 public two-year institutions with varying levels of student enrollment and spending, and ability to raise revenue from public and private sources; and

WHEREAS, Virginia’s system comprises 40 campuses across the Commonwealth with total capital assets valued at $1.34 billion; now, therefore be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, that the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission be directed to review the Virginia Community College System. In conducting its study, staff shall (i) evaluate the system’s success in providing Virginians with the education, training, and credentials needed to succeed in the workforce; (ii) determine whether the system’s mission is aligned with the state’s educational and workforce development priorities and complements the missions of the secondary and four-year higher education systems; (iii) assess the system’s success in making educational and training opportunities affordable; (iv) assess the spending and allocation of funds within the system; (v) assess how well the system’s central office supports each institution; (vi) assess the adequacy of centralized data and information systems to measure institutional effectiveness and to support sound funding decisions; (vii) compare Virginia’s system to the community college systems in other states; and (viii) review other issues and make recommendations as appropriate.

All agencies of the Commonwealth, including the Virginia Community College System, State Council on Higher Education for Virginia, Department of Education, Virginia Employment Commission, and local school divisions shall provide assistance to the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission for this study, upon request. 

The Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission shall complete its meetings by November 30, 2017, and the Chairman of the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission 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 2018 Regular Session of the General Assembly. The executive summary shall state whether the Commission intends to submit to the General Assembly and the Governor a report of its findings and recommendations for publication as a House or Senate 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.