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1
SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 20
2
(As Amended by Senate Amendment No. 1)

 
3    WHEREAS, The Illinois Public Agenda for College and Career
4Success has documented the critical role that higher education
5plays in economic recovery and growth, particularly in ensuring
6that this State has an educated workforce to meet the needs of
7business and industry; and
 
8    WHEREAS, The Illinois Public Agenda for College and Career
9Success recommends that the Board of Higher Education, in
10consultation with other State agencies for education,
11employment, and economic development, "increase the number of
12high-quality post-secondary credentials to meet the demands of
13the economy and an increasingly global society"; and
 
14    WHEREAS, Illinois has committed to the goal that 60% of its
15workforce will hold a high-quality college credential by 2025
16to ensure its economic future; and
 
17    WHEREAS, Most recent projections from the Georgetown
18University Center on Education and the Workforce are that 70%
19of Illinois jobs will require post-secondary education by 2020;
20and
 
21    WHEREAS, Currently, only 42.5% of the State's nearly 7

 

 

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1million working-age adults (25-64 years old) hold at least a
22-year college degree; and
 
3    WHEREAS, There is a critical need for Illinois institutions
4of higher education to increase the number of post-secondary
5degrees in fields of critical skills shortages, such as
6healthcare, construction, computer technology, public safety,
7and mechanical fields; and
 
8    WHEREAS, Illinois' economic success requires providing
9college credentials aligned with current and future workforce
10needs at the State and regional levels; and
 
11    WHEREAS, Achieving workforce needs depends upon additional
12strategic State investment in higher education along with
13improvements in the efficiency and effectiveness of the higher
14education system; and
 
15    WHEREAS, Working-age adults attempting to return to school
16to complete certificates and degrees in high-demand fields face
17many barriers to success; and
 
18    WHEREAS, The Illinois Council of Community College
19Presidents has recommended that the community college system be
20allowed to grant 4-year baccalaureate degrees for nursing and
21other applied career areas; and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, The development of post-secondary degree programs
2should be predicated on evidence of the needs of Illinois
3residents rather than institutional interests; and
 
4    WHEREAS, The Illinois Board of Higher Education has the
5statutory authority and responsibility to review all
6applications for new academic degree programs for public
7community colleges and universities; therefore, be it
 
8    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-NINTH GENERAL
9ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
10CONCURRING HEREIN, that there is created the Higher Education
11Commission on the Future of the Workforce within the Board of
12Higher Education; and be it further
 
13    RESOLVED, That the Commission shall be comprised of 11
14members, including one senator appointed by the President of
15the Senate; one senator appointed by the Minority Leader of the
16Senate; one representative appointed by the Speaker of the
17House; one representative appointed by the Minority Leader of
18the House; and 7 members appointed by the Board of Higher
19Education to represent a cross-section from education,
20including at least one member from a community college, one
21member from a public university, and one member from a private
22institution of higher education, as well as members of the

 

 

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1employment and economic development communities and experts in
2quality post-secondary degree creation; and be it further
 
3    RESOLVED, That the Commission's study shall include, but
4not be limited to, the following:
5        (1) examining and analyzing current and projected
6    workforce needs for each economic region of the State and
7    post-secondary degree and credential production capacity
8    and goals;
9        (2) identifying State, regional, and national partners
10    available to support efficient and effective delivery of
11    post-secondary credential and degree programs aligned with
12    regional workforce needs;
13        (3) determining current policies and practices in
14    Illinois being utilized among Illinois' public and private
15    colleges and universities for partnerships for degree
16    completion;
17        (4) examining opportunities for expanding
18    post-secondary certificates and associate's and
19    baccalaureate completions using effective and efficient
20    strategies and partnerships between high schools,
21    technical schools, community colleges, and 4-year colleges
22    and universities;
23        (5) developing distance and online learning as well as
24    competency-based credits to serve place-bound and adult
25    learners, including military personnel and veterans;

 

 

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1        (6) examining incentives for students to enter and
2    complete degree programs in critical needs areas,
3    particularly aimed at underemployed and displaced workers;
4        (7) examining improvements in student advising,
5    including articulation, transfer, and acceptance of
6    credits to streamline education pipeline to the workforce;
7        (8) providing incentives, including financial
8    assistance, for working adults and individuals with
9    substantial college credit but no degree to complete their
10    college degrees; and
11        (9) analyzing best practices implemented in other
12    states for incentivizing certificate and degree
13    completion, including incentives for students and for
14    colleges and universities; and be it further
 
15    RESOLVED, That the Commission shall submit a report to the
16General Assembly and the Governor 6 months from the formation
17of the Commission; and be it further
 
18    RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be
19delivered to the Governor, the Chairperson of the Board of
20Higher Education, the Chairperson of the Illinois Community
21College Board, the Chairperson of the State Board of Education,
22the Chairperson of the Illinois Student Assistance Commission,
23the Chairperson of the Employment Security Advisory Board, and
24the President of each public and private college and university

 

 

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1in this State.