85-1413. Comprehensive statewide plan; establish; requirements; unified statewide facilities plan; develop.

(1) Pursuant to the authority granted in Article VII, section 14, of the Constitution of Nebraska and the Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education Act, the commission shall establish and revise as needed a comprehensive statewide plan for postsecondary education which shall include (a) definitions of the role and mission of each public postsecondary educational institution within any general assignments of role and mission as prescribed in sections 85-917 to 85-966 and (b) a plan for facilities which utilize tax funds designated by the Legislature.

(2) The planning process of the commission (a) shall be policy-based and ongoing in order to achieve, within the coordination function of the commission pursuant to section 85-1403, the best possible use of available state resources for high quality and accessible postsecondary educational services and (b) shall take into consideration (i) the needs of the state as described in subsection (3) of this section, (ii) general assignments of role and mission for each public institution in sections 85-917 to 85-966, and (iii) plans for facilities which utilize tax funds designated by the Legislature.

(3) In establishing the plan, the commission shall assess the postsecondary educational needs of the state in the following areas:

(a) The basic and continuing needs of various age groups;

(b) Business and industrial needs for a skilled work force;

(c) Demographic, social, and economic trends;

(d) The needs of the ethnic populations;

(e) College attendance, retention, and dropout rates;

(f) The needs of recent high school graduates and place-bound adults;

(g) The needs of residents of all geographic regions; and

(h) Any other areas the commission may designate.

(4) The plan shall provide a structure or process which encourages and facilitates harmonious and cooperative relationships between public and private postsecondary educational institutions and shall recognize the role and relationship of elementary and secondary education and private postsecondary educational institutions in the state to postsecondary education.

(5) The commission shall incorporate into the plan provisions and policies to guide decisionmaking by the commission pursuant to this section and section 85-1414. The provisions and policies shall address issues which include, but are not limited to:

(a) The facilitation of statewide transfer-of-credit guidelines to be considered by institutional governing boards. The statewide transfer-of-credit guidelines shall be designed to facilitate the transfer of students among public institutions. The statewide transfer-of-credit guidelines shall not require nor encourage the standardization of course content and shall not prescribe course content or credit value assigned by any public institution to the courses;

(b) Recommended guidelines for admissions which recognize selective and differentiated admission standards at public institutions and which are consistent with the role and mission of each public institution. It is the intent of the Legislature that changes in admission standards be implemented in conjunction with the role and mission statements established pursuant to this section and sections 85-917 to 85-966 and the adoption of statewide transfer-of-credit and remedial program policies to assure that access to postsecondary education is not limited;

(c) Recommended enrollment guidelines consistent with the role and mission of each public institution and specific recommendations designed to increase diversity through more effective enrollment and retention at public institutions;

(d) Recommended guidelines for rational and equitable statewide tuition rates and fees for public institutions. The commission shall identify public policy issues relating to tuition and fees of the public postsecondary educational institutions in the state. The recommended guidelines shall take into account the role and mission of each public institution and the need to maximize access to public postsecondary education regardless of a student's financial circumstance;

(e) In conjunction with and consistent with its recommended guidelines on admission standards, recommended guidelines which place the primary emphasis at the community college level for postsecondary education remedial programs and reduce the role of the University of Nebraska in offering remedial programs. The commission shall collaborate with the Commissioner of Education to develop recommendations for secondary schools designed to reduce the need for remedial or developmental programs at the postsecondary level;

(f) In consultation with the governing boards or their designated representatives, designation of geographic and programmatic service areas for each public institution consistent with role and mission assignments. Except as permitted by the commission pursuant to section 85-1414, no public institution shall provide programs at any site outside its assigned geographic and programmatic service area unless permitted under rules and regulations adopted and promulgated by the commission;

(g) After consultation with the governing boards and experts from outside the State of Nebraska, the establishment of a peer group or groups for each public institution for purposes of budget review. In fulfilling this charge, the commission may accept a peer group determined by a governing board in consultation with out-of-state experts;

(h) Effective use of information technologies and telecommunications to aid in the delivery of instruction at the postsecondary level. In cooperation with the Nebraska Educational Telecommunications Commission, other state agencies, and, when appropriate, representatives of elementary and secondary public education, the commission may assist in the development of instructional delivery systems employing information technologies and telecommunications. The commission, with the involvement of faculties, public institutions and private postsecondary educational institutions, and the information technology and telecommunications community, shall establish policies to ensure that the objectives of quality and efficiency are met in the delivery of information technology and telecommunications-aided instruction;

(i) Workforce development. The commission shall explore methods to improve the competitive quality of the work force and shall encourage enhanced communications and partnerships between public institutions and business and industry;

(j) Public service activities. The public institutions shall develop and provide to the commission a comprehensive inventory of public service programs and activities of public institutions; and

(k) Financial aid strategy. The commission shall develop a state strategy for state-supported student financial aid programs with the goal of assuring access to and choice in postsecondary education in Nebraska for Nebraska residents within the limits of available state resources.

(6) The commission shall develop a unified statewide facilities plan in consultation with the governing boards or their designated representatives and update the plan periodically.

(7) Prior to March 15 of the year following a year in which any revision is made to the comprehensive statewide plan, the Education Committee of the Legislature shall review the comprehensive statewide plan and revisions thereto at a public hearing and report its findings electronically to the Legislature.

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