February 11, 2015, Introduced by Senator SHIRKEY and referred to the Committee on Commerce.
A bill to amend 1966 PA 331, entitled
"Community college act of 1966,"
by amending sections 105 and 121 (MCL 389.105 and 389.121), as
amended by 2012 PA 495.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:
Sec. 105. As used in this act:
(a) "Area", in the term "area vocational-technical education
program", means the geographical territory of the district, and any
territory outside of the district that is designated as the service
area of the district by the superintendent of public instruction. A
community college is eligible to receive state aid and assistance
appropriated by the legislature for the aid and support of junior
colleges or community colleges.
(b) "Area vocational-education program" means a program of
organized systematic instruction designed to prepare the following
individuals for useful employment in recognized occupations:
(i) An individual who has completed or left high school and who
is available for full-time study in preparation for entering the
labor market.
(ii) An individual who has already entered the labor market and
who needs training to achieve stability or advancement in
employment.
(iii) An individual enrolled in high school. If a program or
course is provided for an individual enrolled in high school, the
superintendent of the school district in which the individual is
enrolled or his or her designated representative shall request that
the program or course be provided to the individual.
(c) "Community college" means an educational institution
providing collegiate and noncollegiate level education primarily to
individuals above the twelfth grade age level within commuting
distance. The term includes an area vocational-technical education
program that may result in the granting of an associate degree or
other diploma or certificate. The term does not include an
educational institution or program that grants baccalaureate or
higher degrees other than a bachelor of science in nursing degree
or any baccalaureate degree in cement technology, maritime
technology,
energy production technology, or culinary arts, ski
area management, wastewater treatment technology, allied health,
information technology, or manufacturing technology.
(d) "General election" or "general state election" means the
term general election as defined in section 2 of the Michigan
election law, MCL 168.2.
(e) "Michigan election law" means the Michigan election law,
1954 PA 116, MCL 168.1 to 168.992.
(f) "Regular election" means that term as defined in section 3
of the Michigan election law, MCL 168.3.
(g) "School district" means a school district, a local act
school district, or an intermediate school district, as those terms
are defined in the revised school code, 1976 PA 451, MCL 380.1 to
380.1852, or a community college district under this act.
(h) "School district filing official" means the school
district election coordinator as defined in section 4 of the
Michigan election law, MCL 168.4, or an authorized agent of the
school district election coordinator.
(i) "Special election" means that term as defined in section 4
of the Michigan election law, MCL 168.4.
Sec. 121. The board of trustees of the community college
district
has the power to may make plans for, to promote, or to
acquire, construct, own, develop, maintain, and operate a community
college and an area vocational-technical education program. The
board of trustees may do all of the following:
(a) Locate, acquire, purchase, or lease in the name of the
community college district a site or sites within or without the
territory of the community college district for college buildings,
libraries, agricultural farms, athletic fields, playgrounds,
stadiums, gymnasiums, auditoriums, parking areas, residence halls,
and supporting facilities as may be necessary; purchase, lease,
acquire, erect or build and equip buildings, structures, and other
improvements for college or area vocational-technical education
buildings, libraries, agricultural farms, athletic fields,
playgrounds, stadiums, gymnasiums, auditoriums, parking areas,
residence halls, and supporting facilities as may be necessary;
enter into installment purchase contracts for real or personal
property; pay for real or personal property out of the funds of the
community college district provided for that purpose; sell or
exchange any real or personal property of the community college
district that is no longer required for school purposes, and give
proper deeds, bills of sale, or other instruments passing title to
the real or personal property.
(b) Establish and carry on schools and departments or courses
of study and other educational programs as may be consistent with
the purposes of this act, and take over and succeed to the
operation of a community college or vocational-technical department
or departments previously operated by school districts within the
community college district.
(c) Establish, equip, and maintain agricultural, trade, and
other vocational-technical departments and have general control
over them for community college or area vocational-technical
program purposes.
(d)
Establish education programs and grant a baccalaureate
degree
degrees in cement technology, maritime technology, energy
production
technology, or culinary arts,
ski area management,
wastewater treatment technology, allied health, information
technology, or manufacturing technology. However, the board of
trustees may not eliminate any associate degree programs it
operates at the time it establishes a baccalaureate degree program
under this subdivision unless the board demonstrates that there is
a lack of student demand for that associate degree.
(e) Establish a nursing education program that grants bachelor
of science in nursing degrees. All of the following apply to the
establishment and operation of a bachelor of science in nursing
degree program under this subdivision:
(i) The board of trustees shall not eliminate any associate
degree programs the community college offers at the time it
establishes a bachelor degree program under this subdivision unless
the board demonstrates that there is a lack of student demand for
that associate degree.
(ii) The community college shall not operate an educational
program that grants bachelor of science in nursing degrees unless
the program is approved by the Michigan board of nursing under
section 17241 of the public health code, 1978 PA 368, MCL
333.17241.
(iii) Before the community college begins offering bachelor of
science in nursing degrees, and while it offers those degrees, the
community college shall hold a national professional nursing
accreditation, hold candidacy status for that accreditation, or
have applied for that accreditation, from the commission on
collegiate nursing education or the accreditation commission for
education in nursing.
(iv) The board of trustees shall not expand a bachelor of
science degree program established under this subdivision unless
the job placement rate and rate of acceptance into graduate degree
programs for nursing for graduates of the program equals or exceeds
the average of the rates for job placement and acceptance into
graduate degree programs of all of the public universities in this
state that operate bachelor of science in nursing degree programs.