CO Code § 23-1-138 (2021)
2021 Colorado Code|Title 23 - Postsecondary Education|Article 1 - Colorado Commission on Higher Education|§ 23-1-138. Commission Directive - Institutional Role and Mission - Service Areas - Workforce Development - Study - Report - Legislative Declaration - Repeal

  The general assembly finds that, due in part to the challenges and pressures caused by the global COVID-19 pandemic, institutions of higher education are facing new operational and economic realities driven by declining enrollment, increasing demand for remote learning options, and the increasing costs of providing in-person education and maintaining physical campuses. These new realities create opportunities to systemically re-examine and reconsider the operations and interactions of the state institutions of higher education and how each institution, individually and in cooperation with the other institutions, may most effectively meet the educational needs of Colorado's citizens and Colorado's workforce needs. The general assembly finds, therefore, that it is appropriate to re-examine the role and mission and service areas of the state institutions of higher education, local district colleges, and area technical colleges and the role of the state institutions of higher education, local district colleges, and area technical colleges in providing effective and efficient workforce development.      No later than August 1, 2021, the commission shall convene a task force to review the role and mission and service area of each state institution of higher education, as defined in section 23-18-102 (10)(a), the local district colleges created pursuant to article 71 of this title 23, and the area technical colleges, and the interaction between the institutions of higher education, the local district colleges, the area technical colleges, and the state work force development council in supporting and improving workforce development. The task force, at a minimum, must include a representative from the governing board for each state institution of higher education, including the state board for community colleges and occupational education; a representative from the board of trustees for each local district college; a representative of the area technical colleges; a representative from the state work force development council created in section 24-46.3-101; postsecondary student representatives appointed by the commission from a variety of higher education institutions around the state; a representative of a private, nonprofit institution of higher education; a person employed by a school district or a public elementary or secondary school; a representative of the business community; two representatives from higher education advocacy groups; and at least one representative from the commission. In addition, the task force shall work with the advisory committee to the commission, created in section 23-1-103, and with the education leadership council convened by executive order B 2017-001. A representative of the commission shall serve as the chair of the task force. The department shall provide staff support to the task force.    At a minimum, the task force shall:   Review the role and mission and service area of each state institution of higher education, each local district college, and each area technical college, including all instruction offered by whatever means outside the geographic boundaries of a campus as described in section 23-1-109 (4), to determine whether the availability of and access to postsecondary credential programs is sufficient throughout the state without undue overlap and to ensure the most efficient use of resources;    Review the history, purpose, effect, and continuing benefit of service areas and the commission's policy concerning service areas and, based on the degree to which service areas improve and add value to the delivery of postsecondary education within the state and support the state's postsecondary access and attainment goals, recommend whether the service areas should continue and whether the service areas should be redrawn;    Examine ways in which to leverage best practices through data and technology to make informed decisions about interventions that drive student success; create multiple and linked pathways to postsecondary credentials, including the development of incremental credentials that a student may attain while working toward a baccalaureate degree; and ensure equitable access and benefit to students, including minimizing costs and time spent in attaining a credential or degree;    Examine strategies for increasing student retention and completion and to address the consequences students experience when they incur debt in attending an institution of higher education or local district college without completing a degree or other credential;    Develop effective strategies for leveraging federal higher education reforms, including the possibility of funding for two years of postsecondary enrollment for each student, to raise the completion rate for two-year and four-year degree programs;    Review the role of the state institutions of higher education, the local district colleges, the area technical colleges, and the state work force development council in designing and promoting career pathways and other workforce development initiatives. The goal of the review is to determine how the roles of higher education and the state work force development council may be thoughtfully integrated to reduce overlap and facilitate greater efficiencies and economies in providing workforce development and skills training for traditional and nontraditional students and to support and meet the needs of the workforce and the professional, industrial, and business sectors in Colorado.    Review possible uses of money transferred to the workers, employers, and workforce centers cash fund pursuant to section 24-75-231 (2)(b)(I)(A) for programs, services, or other assistance for populations disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 public health emergency that address or mitigate the impacts of the public health emergency on educational disparities.          The task force shall prepare a report of findings and recommendations developed pursuant to this section, including recommendations concerning the role and mission and service area for each state institution of higher education, the local district colleges, and the area technical colleges and recommendations for the use of money transferred to the workers, employers, and workforce centers cash fund pursuant to section 24-75-231 (2)(b)(I)(A), as described in subsection (2)(b)(VII) of this section. No later than December 15, 2021, the task force shall submit the report to the commission and to the education committees of the senate and the house of representatives, or any successor committees, and shall post the report on the department's website.    This section is repealed, effective July 1, 2022.      History. Source: L. 2021: Entire section added,(HB 21-1330), ch. 377, p. 2508, § 13, effective June 29.    Editor's note:   Section 17 of chapter 377 (HB 21-1330), Session Laws of Colorado 2021, provides that subsections (2)(b)(VI) and (3) of this section take effect only if HB 21-1264 (chapter 308) becomes law and takes effect either on the effective date of HB 21-1330 or one day after the passage of HB 21-1264, whichever is later. HB 21-1264 became law and took effect June 23, 2021, and HB 21-1330 took effect June 29, 2021.   Cross references:   For the legislative declaration in HB 21-1330, see section 1 of chapter 377, Session Laws of Colorado 2021.