CRC - 2017 P 25 By Commissioner Plymale plymales-00030B-17 201725__ 1 A proposal to create 2 Section 8 of Article IX of the State Constitution to 3 establish a governance structure for the State College 4 System. 5 6 Be It Proposed by the Constitution Revision Commission of 7 Florida: 8 9 Section 8 of Article IX of the State Constitution is 10 created to read: 11 ARTICLE IX 12 EDUCATION 13 SECTION 8. State College System.— 14 (a) PURPOSES. In order to achieve excellence and to provide 15 open access to undergraduate education to the students of this 16 state; to originate the 2+2 pathway to a baccalaureate degree; 17 to ensure superior commitment to teaching and learning; and to 18 respond quickly and efficiently to meet the demand of 19 communities by aligning certificate and degree programs with 20 local and regional workforce needs, the people hereby establish 21 a system of governance for the state college system of Florida. 22 (b) STATE COLLEGE SYSTEM. There shall be a single college 23 system comprised of all public community and state colleges. A 24 board of trustees shall administer each individually governed 25 public college and the board of directors of the college system 26 shall oversee, coordinate, and provide statewide leadership for 27 the state college system. 28 (c) LOCAL BOARDS OF TRUSTEES. Each local constituent 29 college shall be administered by a local board of trustees, as 30 prescribed by law, dedicated to the purposes of the state 31 college system. A member of a board of trustees must be a 32 resident of the service delivery area of the college. The board 33 of directors shall determine the powers and duties of the boards 34 of trustees as prescribed by law. Each citizen member shall be 35 appointed by the governor and confirmed by the senate. 36 (d) STATEWIDE BOARD OF DIRECTORS. The board of directors 37 shall be a body corporate consisting of seventeen members. The 38 board shall operate, regulate, control, and be fully responsible 39 for the management of the whole college system. These 40 responsibilities shall include, but not be limited to, affirming 41 the distinctive mission of each constituent college, ensuring 42 the well-planned coordination and operation of the system, 43 reinforcing articulation and pathways with public schools and 44 the state university system, and avoiding unneccessary 45 duplication of facilities or programs while assuring open and 46 geographic access. The board’s management shall be subject to 47 the powers of the legislature to appropriate for the expenditure 48 of funds, and the board shall account for such expenditures as 49 provided by law. The governor shall appoint to the board sixteen 50 citizens dedicated to the purposes of the state college system, 51 including a state college faculty member and a student of the 52 state college system. The appointed members shall be confirmed 53 by the senate and serve staggered terms of five years, except 54 the faculty member shall serve a two-year term and a student 55 member shall serve a one-year term, as provided by law. The 56 commissioner of education shall also be a member of the board.