Section 20-2001-I - Public higher education funding commission.(a) Establishment.--The Public Higher Education Funding Commission is established.(b) Duties.--The commission shall review and make recommendations related to higher education funding, affordability and effectiveness and administration and operations as provided in this section.(c) Membership.-- (1) The commission shall consist of the following members:(i) The chair and minority chair of the Appropriations Committee of the Senate and the chair and minority chair of the Education Committee of the Senate.(ii) The chair and minority chair of the Appropriations Committee of the House of Representatives and the chair and minority chair of the Education Committee of the House of Representatives.(iii) Two legislators from each of the four legislative caucuses, to be appointed by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives in consultation with the Majority Leader and Minority Leader of the Senate and the Majority Leader and Minority Leader of the House of Representatives.(iv) The Secretary of Education.(V) The Deputy Secretary for Postsecondary and Higher Education.(VI) An individual from the administration appointed by the Governor.(2) The commission shall appoint a member to serve as chair of the commission.(d) Meetings.-- (1) The commission shall hold its first meeting within 45 days of the effective date of this section, regardless of whether all legislative caucuses have approved members to the commission.(2) The commission shall hold meetings at the call of the chair.(3) Notwithstanding paragraphs (1) and (2), the commission may not convene a meeting until January 23, 2023. (e) Payments to members.--The members may not receive compensation for their services, but shall be reimbursed for all necessary travel and other reasonable expenses incurred in connection with the performance of their duties as members of the commission.(f) Administrative support.--The General Assembly shall provide administrative support, meeting space and any other assistance required by the commission to carry out its duties under this section in cooperation with the department. The department shall provide the commission with data, research and other information upon request by the commission.(g)Cooperation from public institutions of higher education and agency.--The public institutions of higher education and the agency shall provide meeting space and any other assistance required by the commission to carry out its duties under this section. The public institutions of higher education and the agency shall provide the commission with data, research and other information upon request of the chairman.(h) Higher education funding formula.--The commission shall develop a higher education funding formula and identify factors that may be used to determine the distribution of funding among the public institutions of higher education. The factors identified under this subsection may include all of the following: (1) Goals for higher education.(2) Goals for higher education completion and attainment.(3) This Commonwealth's higher education needs.(4) The affordability of higher education for residents of this Commonwealth.(5) Resident and nonresident undergraduate and graduate enrollments.(8) Time to degree, including associate's degrees and bachelor's degrees.(9) Cost per degree, including tuition and fees.(10) Operational cost per full-time student.(11) Student debt, including debt of graduates and noncompleters.(12) Student financial aid, including programs administered by the agency on behalf of the Commonwealth.(13) Job placement after graduation.(15) Degrees granted in occupations that will align with the Commonwealth's long-term economic needs.(16) Utilization of existing educational programs and facilities.(17) Transfer and articulation of credits between public institutions of higher education.(18) Institutional mission, including metrics that reflect differences in the missions between institutions and the differences between two-year and four-year institutions.(19) The appropriate level of recurring state support to maintain operations.(20) The appropriate level of formula driven funding to incentivize success.(21) The access, enrollment and outcomes of underrepresented populations, including, but not limited to, low-income students, first-generation students, rural students, adult students, veterans and students of color.(22) Comparisons of the factors contained in this section with those factors for private institutions of higher education that are located inside and outside this Commonwealth, when available.(23) Other factors related to higher education and the distribution of higher education funding that the commission deems appropriate.(i)Additional powers and duties.--The commission shall have all of the following powers and duties: (1) Review and make findings and recommendations related to higher education funding in this Commonwealth.(2) Consult with and utilize experts to assist the commission in carrying out the duties under this subsection.(3) Receive input from interested parties, including, but not limited to, public institutions of higher education.(4) Hold public hearings in different regions of this Commonwealth.(5) Review and consider higher education funding formulas and factors utilized throughout the United States.(6) In identifying the higher education funding factors under subsection (h) and in completing the report required under this subsection, consider the impact these factors may have on the distribution of higher education funding among the public institutions of higher education.(7) Review the administration and operation of State and regional higher education programs and services, including the public institutions of higher education and the agency to determine if cost savings for the Commonwealth and its students may be achieved and make recommendations to implement savings and efficiencies.(8) Review the administration and operations of state and regional higher education programs and services, including the public institutions of higher education and the agency, and make recommendations regarding administration and operations.(9) Prior to recommending a higher education funding formula under this section, consider the potential consequences of a higher education funding formula that does not allocate to each public institution of higher education at least the same level or proportion of state funding as the institution received in the prior fiscal year.(10) Prior to recommending a higher education funding formula under this section, consider nationally accepted accounting and budgeting standards.(11) Develop a proposed higher education funding formula and factors pursuant to subsection (h).(12) Draft proposed legislation based on the commission's findings.(13) Issue a report of the commission's findings and recommendations to the Governor, the President pro tempore of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Majority Leader and Minority Leader of the Senate, the Majority Leader and Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, the Secretary of Education, the State Board of Education, the Appropriations Committee of the Senate, the Appropriations Committee of the House of Representatives, the Education Committee of the Senate and the Education Committee of the House of Representatives not later than October 31, 2024..(j) Effective date of higher education funding formula.--The higher education funding formula developed by the commission shall not go into effect unless the formula is approved by an act of the General Assembly enacted after the effective date of this section.(k) Continuation of commission.--Every five years the commission shall be reconstituted in accordance with subsection (c) and shall meet and hold public hearings to review the operation of the higher education funding provisions of this section and shall make a further report and issue the report to the recipients listed in subsection (i)(13).(l) Level of state funding through appropriations.--The General Assembly shall, through the annual appropriations process, determine the level of State funding for public institutions of higher education.(m) Definitions.--As used in this section, the following words and phrases shall have the meanings given to them in this subsection unless the context clearly indicates otherwise: "Agency." The Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency.
"Commission." The Public Higher Education Funding Commission established under this section.
"Department." The Department of Education of the Commonwealth.
"Public institution of higher education." Any of the following:
(1) A community college operating under Article XIX-A of the act of March 10, 1949 ( P.L. 30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949.(2) A rural regional college established under Article XIX-G of the Public School Code of 1949.(3) A university within the State System of Higher Education under Article XX-A of the Public School Code of 1949.(4) A state-related institution as defined in section 2001-c of the Public School Code of 1949.(5) The Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology.(6) The Pennsylvania College of Technology.Amended by P.L. TBD 2022 No. 55, § 49, eff. 7/8/2022.Amended by P.L. TBD 2021 No. 26, § 7, eff. 6/30/2021.Amended by P.L. TBD 2020 No. 30, § 16, eff. 6/5/2020.Amended by P.L. TBD 2019 No. 91, § 4, eff. 1/26/2020.Added by P.L. TBD 2019 No. 70, § 1, eff. 7/2/2019.