Ala. Admin. Code r. 300-1-1-.01

Current through Register Vol. 43, No. 1, October 31, 2024

Section 300-1-1-.01 - Goals And Responsibilities

(1) The Alabama Commission on Higher Education was created by Alabama law, Act No. 14, Special Session, 1969, and reenacted by Act 461, Regular Session, 1979, to ensure that the state's system of higher education would provide the citizens of Alabama with the highest possible quality of collegiate and university education.

(2) As the statewide coordinating board for postsecondary education, the Commission works with all public institutions. The powers and duties of the Commission shall apply equally to all postsecondary institutions regardless of any authority that may be, or has been, conferred upon them by the Constitution or by statutes.

(3) The Commission is vested with the authority to carry out and enforce the provisions of Code of Ala 1975, §§ 16-5-1 through 16-5-15 and to promulgate policies and procedures consistent with carrying out the required statutory functions.

(4) Major functions of the Commission include:

(a) Planning. The Commission shall be responsible for statewide long-range planning for postsecondary education in Alabama. Such planning shall be the result of continuous study, analysis and evaluation. Plans will include the establishment of statewide objectives and priorities with methods and guidelines for achieving them (Refer to Chapter 300-2-2).

(b) Establishing and Maintaining a State University and College Information System. The Commission, after affording a full opportunity to the public institutions of higher education to be heard, shall design and establish a state university and college information system to provide comprehensive, meaningful and timely information pertinent to the formulation of decisions and recommendations by the Commission (Refer to Chapter 300-2-3).

(c) Reviewing Units or Programs of Instruction, Research or Public Service. The Commission on Higher Education is authorized to review periodically all new and existing programs and units of instruction, research and public service funded by state appropriations at the state universities and colleges and to share with the appropriate governing board, through the president of the institutions, and state legislature, its recommendations (Refer to Chapter 300-2-1).

(d) The Commission shall have the authority to authorize and regulate off-campus offerings, new or existing (Refer to Rule 300-2-1-.05).

(e) Reviewing Budget Proposals and Making Recommendations. The governing boards of the public institutions of higher education shall submit to the Commission through their appropriate administrative officers, not later than ninety days prior to each legislative session, its budget proposals for the operation and capital needs of the institutions under its governance or supervision (Refer to Chapter 300-2-3 ).

(f) Coordinating and Administering State and Federal Student Financial Aid Programs (Refer to Chapter 300-4-1, et seq.).

(g) Additional Powers and Duties of the Commission. The Commission shall also exercise the following powers and duties:

1. To cause to be made such surveys and evaluations of higher education as are believed necessary for the purpose of providing appropriate information to carry out its powers and duties.

2. To recommend to the Legislature of Alabama the enactment of such legislation as it deems necessary or desirable to ensure the highest quality of higher education in this state taking into consideration the orderly development and maintenance of the state system of public higher education to meet trends in population and the change in social and technical requirements of the economy.

3. To advise and counsel the governor, at his or her request, regarding any area of, or matter pertaining to, postsecondary education.

4. To establish definitions of a junior college, a community college, a technical college or institute, a senior college, a university and university system; provided that nothing herein shall be construed as authorizing the Commission to establish or create any university system, nor to alter any university system presently existing.

5. To develop and publish criteria which may be used by the legislature as a basis for:

(i) changing the classification of any public institution of higher education.

(ii) determining the need for new public junior colleges, public senior colleges, universities or university systems. Any proposed statute which would establish an additional institution of higher education may be submitted, either prior to introduction or by the standing Committee considering same to the Commission for its opinion as to the need for the state therefore, and the Commission shall report its findings to the governor and the legislature.

6. To cause studies to be made for the purpose of classifying and prescribing the role and scope for each public institution of higher education in Alabama and to recommend such changes in classification or role and scope for such institutions as it deems necessary and which may be agreed to by the governing board of the said institution.

7. To hear applications from the institutions for changes in classification or role and scope and to recommend to the legislature for clarification such classifications in role or scope which may not be agreed to by the governing board of any institution.

8. To make continuing studies, on its own initiative or upon the request of the governor or the legislature, of the financial needs of public higher education and issue such reports to the governor and the legislature as may result from its studies.

9. To submit to the governor and the legislature on or before the first day in January of each year a written report covering the activities of the Commission and the state of higher education in Alabama. The report shall include:

10. To make rules and regulations for its meetings, procedures, and execution of the powers and duties delegated to it by this Act.

11. To encourage the establishment and development of formal consortia for the advancement of higher education comprised of institutions of higher education in this state.

12. To conduct a program of public information in order to inform citizens of the matters of importance to higher education in Alabama.

13. To serve as the state agency for the administration of those Titles of the Higher Education Act of 1965 ( P.L. 89-329) as amended for those programs requiring a single state agency for which the Commission qualifies unless otherwise designated by executive order.

14. To authorize and regulate instructional programs or units offered by non-Alabama institutions of postsecondary education in the state of Alabama.

15. To serve as the state agency responsible for the administration of those functions under the Southern Regional Compact for Education (Act 227, HJR 42, 1949; Act 40 HJR 21, 1955) and those functions in Section 16-3-32 through 16-3-35, Code of Ala. 1975, heretofore, assigned to the State Board of Education with funds that may be appropriated to it by the legislature for that purpose (Refer to Chapter 300-2-4).

16. To analyze and evaluate on a continuing basis the present and future needs for instruction, research, and public service in postsecondary education in the state, including facilities, and assess the present and future capabilities. In order to facilitate such analysis and evaluation, the Commission will consult with the agencies and institutions concerned with higher education in this state and may use advisory groups and consultants, as deemed desirable.

Ala. Admin. Code r. 300-1-1-.01

Filed September 30, 1982. Amended: Filed December 12, 1989.

Amended by Alabama Administrative Monthly Volume XXXVI, Issue No. 12, September 28, 2018, eff. 11/3/2018.

Previous Rule No. 300-1-1-.07 entitled "Commission Evaluation" incorporated into this rule by this amendment.

Authors: William 0. Blow; Timothy W. Vick

Statutory Authority:Code of Ala. 1975, §§ 16-5-1, et seq.