House Concurrent Resolution 115 PAG LIN 1 1 HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 1 2 BY TYMESON 1 3 A Concurrent Resolution requesting the Legislative 1 4 Council to establish an interim study committee to 1 5 examine the costs and benefits of Iowa joining 1 6 the Midwestern Higher Education Compact. 1 7 WHEREAS, the citizens of Iowa take pride in having 1 8 a well=educated workforce and citizenry; and 1 9 WHEREAS, Iowa's skyrocketing postsecondary 1 10 education costs, while keeping pace with the rising 1 11 tuition costs at public postsecondary institutions in 1 12 many other states, are reducing the accessibility and 1 13 affordability that Iowans have come to expect from 1 14 Iowa's public postsecondary institutions; and 1 15 WHEREAS, the mission of the Midwestern Higher 1 16 Education Compact is to promote interstate cooperation 1 17 and resource sharing in higher education among 1 18 Midwestern states; and 1 19 WHEREAS, states that are members of the compact 1 20 have increased educational access for their citizens 1 21 while attracting students from other states; NOW 1 22 THEREFORE, 1 23 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, THE 1 24 SENATE CONCURRING, That the Legislative Council is 1 25 requested to create an interim study committee to 1 26 examine the costs and benefits of joining the 1 27 Midwestern Higher Education Compact; and 1 28 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the interim study 1 29 committee membership shall be comprised of ten voting 1 30 members, who shall be members of the General Assembly, 2 1 and shall include additional members as nonvoting, ex 2 2 officio members, including but not limited to 2 3 representatives from the area education agencies, 2 4 accredited public and nonpublic schools, accredited 2 5 private postsecondary institutions, community 2 6 colleges, institutions of higher education under the 2 7 control of the state board of regents, cities, and 2 8 counties; and 2 9 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the charge of the 2 10 committee shall be to estimate the savings and 2 11 revenues the state could realize from joining the 2 12 compact; identify the costs of joining the compact, 2 13 both in membership dues and as Iowa students cross 2 14 Iowa's borders to attend institutions in other states; 2 15 review the resources the compact offers, programs 2 16 sponsored by the compact, and the program agreements 2 17 reached; and examine examples of regional cooperation 2 18 and innovation in the delivery of educational 2 19 services; and 2 20 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the interim study 2 21 committee shall submit its findings and 2 22 recommendations in a report to the General Assembly by 2 23 December 15, 2004. 2 24 LSB 6663HH 80 2 25 kh/sh/8