Senate Concurrent Resolution 111 PAG LIN 1 1 SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. ___ 1 2 BY COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION 1 3 (SUCCESSOR TO SSB 3150) 1 4 A Concurrent Resolution requesting the Legislative 1 5 Council to establish an interim study committee to 1 6 examine the costs and benefits of Iowa joining 1 7 the Midwestern Higher Education Compact. 1 8 WHEREAS, the citizens of Iowa take pride in having 1 9 a well=educated workforce and citizenry; and 1 10 WHEREAS, Iowa's skyrocketing postsecondary 1 11 education costs, while keeping pace with the rising 1 12 tuition costs at public postsecondary institutions in 1 13 many other states, are reducing the accessibility and 1 14 affordability that Iowans have come to expect from 1 15 Iowa's public postsecondary institutions; and 1 16 WHEREAS, the mission of the Midwestern Higher 1 17 Education Compact is to promote interstate cooperation 1 18 and resource sharing in higher education among 1 19 Midwestern states; and 1 20 WHEREAS, states that are members of the compact 1 21 have increased educational access for their citizens 1 22 while attracting students from other states; NOW 1 23 THEREFORE, 1 24 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE, THE HOUSE OF 1 25 REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING, That the Legislative 1 26 Council is requested to create an interim study 1 27 committee to examine the costs and benefits of joining 1 28 the Midwestern Higher Education Compact; and 1 29 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the interim study 1 30 committee membership shall be comprised of ten voting 2 1 members, who shall be members of the General Assembly, 2 2 and shall include additional members as nonvoting, ex 2 3 officio members, including but not limited to 2 4 representatives from the area education agencies, 2 5 accredited public and nonpublic schools, accredited 2 6 private postsecondary institutions, community 2 7 colleges, institutions of higher education under the 2 8 control of the state board of regents, cities, and 2 9 counties. 2 10 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the charge of the 2 11 committee shall be to estimate the savings and 2 12 revenues the state could realize from joining the 2 13 compact; identify the costs of joining the compact, 2 14 both in membership dues and as Iowa students cross 2 15 Iowa's borders to attend institutions in other states; 2 16 review the resources the compact offers, programs 2 17 sponsored by the compact, and the program agreements 2 18 reached; and examine examples of regional cooperation 2 19 and innovation in the delivery of educational 2 20 services. 2 21 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the interim study 2 22 committee shall submit its findings and 2 23 recommendations in a report to the General Assembly by 2 24 December 15, 2004. 2 25 SCR 111 2 26 kh/cc/26