HSB 50 (LSB 1432YC (2) 91)

HOUSE FILE _____ 

BY  (PROPOSED COMMITTEE ON HIGHER EDUCATION BILL BY CHAIRPERSON COLLINS)

A BILL FOR

An Act providing for a review by the state board of regents of academic programs offered at regents institutions.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  SHORT TITLE.  This Act shall be known and may be cited as the “Workforce First Act”.
    Sec. 2.  INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION GOVERNED BY THE STATE BOARD OF REGENTS —— REVIEW OF ACADEMIC PROGRAMS.
   1.  No later than the first meeting of the state board of regents occurring on or after November 1, 2025, the board shall complete a review of all undergraduate and graduate academic programs offered at institutions of higher education governed by the board. The purpose of the review shall be to determine whether and to what extent each academic program aligns with current and future workforce needs in this state. The board shall conduct the review in consultation with the department of education and the department of workforce development.
   2.  The board shall submit a report on the results of the review to the governor and the general assembly no later than November 30, 2025. For each academic program reviewed, the report shall recommend that the program remain unchanged, recommend that the program be eliminated, or recommend that the program be changed and describe recommended changes.
EXPLANATION
The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
   This bill requires the state board of regents to complete a review of all undergraduate and graduate academic programs offered at institutions of higher education governed by the board. The purpose of the review shall be to determine whether and to what extent each academic program aligns with current and future workforce needs in Iowa. The board shall conduct the review in consultation with the department of education and the department of workforce development. The review shall be completed no later than the first meeting of the board occurring on or after November 1, 2025.
   The bill requires the board to submit a report on the results of the review to the governor and the general assembly no later than November 30, 2025. For each academic program reviewed, the report shall recommend that the program remain unchanged, recommend that the program be eliminated, or recommend that the program be changed and describe recommended changes.