Bill Summaries: S536 (2015-2016 Session)

Tracking:
  • Summary date: Jun 30 2016 - View summary

    AN ACT TO PROVIDE ACCURATE AND COMPLETE DATA TO STUDENTS ON POSTSECONDARY STUDENT COMPLETION, GRADUATION, AND EARNINGS OUTCOMES AT NORTH CAROLINA POSTSECONDARY INSTITUTIONS AND TO PROVIDE FOR A COORDINATED AND CENTRALIZED RESIDENCY DETERMINATION PROCESS. Enacted June 30, 2016. Section 1 is effective April 1, 2017. Section 2 is effective September 1, 2016, and applies to all undergraduate enrollments for academic quarters, terms, or semesters that begin on or after January 1, 2017, and to all graduate enrollments for academic quarters, terms, or semesters that begin on or after January 1, 2018.


  • Summary date: Jun 15 2016 - View summary

    House amendment makes the following changes to the 3rd edition.

    Amends new GS 116-209.16A, information on career and major options, by adding that for the purposes of the statute, public institutions of higher education includes the constituent institutions of UNC and the community colleges under the State Board of Community Colleges' jurisdiction and that private institutions of higher education include post-secondary institutions that award post-secondary degrees.


  • Summary date: Jun 14 2016 - View summary

    House committee substitute makes the following changes to the 2nd edition.

    Changes the long and short titles.

    Section 1

    Amends proposed GS 116-209.16A, which requires the State Education Assistance Authority (Authority) to provide specified information on career and major options, as follows.

    Requires the Authority to provide information on a Web site (previously, on its Web site) under a section labeled "Know Before You Go" to students and parents to assist in selection of major and career options that are provided in the statute.

    Requires the Authority to provide information on projected employment needs in the labor economy and associated salary ranges for those areas of employment, college majors which can fulfill those needs, and institutions of higher education that may provide those major, only as data is available (previously, data availability was not provided for).

    Changes the data to be included in the outcome information of public and private institutions of higher education in the State that the Authority is required to provide to now include the percentage of graduates employed within six months of graduation, by major (previously, included the percentage of graduates employed full-time within six months of graduation, by major).

    Effective April 1, 2017 (previously, effective when the act becomes law).

    Section 2

    Amends GS 116-143.1, setting out the provisions for determining resident status for tuition purposes, by adding a new subdivision to subsection (a) that defines Authority, as used in the statute, to mean the State Education Assistance Authority created by and authorized to act under Article 23 of GS Chapter 116.

    Amends subsection (d) to establish that an individual cannot be classified as a resident for tuition purposes and be rendered eligible to receive the in-State tuition rate until the individual provides evidence related to legal residence and its duration as may be required by the coordinated and centralized residency determination process administered by the Authority in accordance with Article 14 of GS Chapter 116 (General Provisions as to Tuition and Fees in Certain State Institutions; specifically, GS 116-204(12) as enacted by the act) on behalf of officials of the institution of higher education from which the individual seeks the in-State tuition rate (previously, provided that officials of the institution of higher education from which the individual seeks the in-State tuition rate may require the evidence related to legal residence and its duration).

    Current subsection (e) establishes that, when an individual presents evidence that the individual has living parent(s) or a court-appointed guardian of the person, the legal residence of the parent(s) or guardian is prima facie evidence of the individual's legal residence, which may be reinforced or rebutted, as specified. Amends subsection (e) to establish that the legal residence of an individual whose parents are domiciled outside of the State cannot be prima facie evidence of the individual's legal residence if the individual has lived in the State for five consecutive years prior to enrolling or reregistering at an institution of higher education (previously, prior to enrolling or reregistering at the institution of higher education at which resident status for tuition purposes is sought).

    Makes clarifying changes to subsection (i).

    Amends GS 116-201(b) to define student, as used in Article 23 of GS Chapter 116 (State Education Assistance Authority), to mean, with respect to scholarships, grants, and work-study programs, a resident of the State for tuition purposes under the criteria set forth in GS 116-143.1 and in accordance with any definitions of residency that may be prescribed by the Board of Governors of the University of North Carolina (previously, a resident of the State, in accordance with definitions of residency prescribed by the Board of Governors of the University of North Carolina and published in the residency manual of the Board), who, under regulations adopted by the Authority, has enrolled or will enroll in an eligible institution for the purpose of pursuing his or her education beyond the high school level, who is making suitable progress in his education in accordance with standards acceptable to the Authority and, for the purposes of GS 116-209.19, who has not received a bachelor's degree or qualified for it and who is otherwise classified as an undergraduate under those regulations that the Authority may promulgate.

    Amends GS 116-204, which sets out the powers of the Authority, by adding a new subsection (12) to authorize the Authority to administer the coordinated and centralized process for determining residency for tuition and State-funded financial aid purposes that is jointly developed and implemented by The University of North Carolina, the North Carolina Community College System, and the Authority, in consultation with the North Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities. 

    Amends GS 116-281, which sets out the eligibility requirements to receive a scholarship for a student seeking a degree, diploma, or certificate at an eligible private postsecondary institution, by amending the third requirement to provide that a student must qualify as a legal resident of the State and as a resident for tuition purposes under criteria set forth in GS 116-143.1 (previously, does not specify criteria set forth under GS 116-143.1, as amended) and in accordance with definitions of residency that may be adopted by the Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina (previously, that may be adopted by the Board of Governors and published in the residency manual of the Board).

    Amends GS 115C-499.2, which sets out the eligibility requirements to receive a scholarship for a student seeking a degree, diploma, or certificate at an eligible postsecondary institution, by amending the third requirement to make the identical changes as those made to the third requirement of GS 116-281, as amended by the act.

    Amends GS 105-259(b), which prohibits the disclosure of tax information by an officer, an employee, or an agent of the State who has access to that information in the course of service to or employment by the State, by adding a new subdivision (52) to allow disclosure if the disclosure is made to furnish tax information to the State Education Assistance Authority as necessary for administering the coordinated and centralized residency determination process in accordance with Article 14 of GS Chapter 116, provided that standards used or to be used for the selection of returns for examination and data used or to be used for determining the standards may not be disclosed for any purpose.

    Directs the State Board of Community Colleges to adopt a policy that requires the community colleges within the North Carolina Community College System to accept only the residency classification jointly developed by The University of North Carolina, the North Carolina Community College System, and the Authority in consultation with the North Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities as required by the act under the coordinated and centralized process for determining residency for tuition purposes.

    Directs the Authority to establish a council consisting of representatives of The University of North Carolina, the North Carolina Community College System, and the North Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities to guide and assist the Authority in formulating, developing, and implementing any policies necessary for the proper administration and maintenance of the coordinated and centralized process for determining residency for tuition and State-funded financial aid as required by the act. 

    Effective September 1, 2016, and applies to all undergraduate enrollments for academic quarters, terms, or semesters that begin on or after January 1, 2017, and to all graduate enrollments for academic quarters, terms, or semesters that begin on or after January 1, 2018.


  • Summary date: Apr 22 2015 - View summary

    Senate committee substitute makes the following changes to the 1st edition.

    Amends proposed GS 116-209.16A, making organizational and clarifying changes. Provides that the information required to be published pursuant to this act must be updated annually. Makes clarifying changes to outcome information requirements, providing that such information must include the average and median amount of student loan debt and salary, by major, and information on full-time employment (was, employment) within six months of graduation. Adds new required outcome information that must be included on the website--specifically, the percentage of graduates enrolled in graduate school within six months of graduation, by major. 


  • Summary date: Mar 27 2015 - View summary

    Enacts new GS 116-209.16A, Information on career and major options, providing that the State Education Assistance Authority (Authority) must provide information on its website so that students and parents can receive information regarding projected employment needs in the labor economy as well as associated salary ranges for that area of employment and related college majors. 

    Also requires the Authority to provide on its website information on outcomes of public and private institutions of higher education in North Carolina. Provides that outcome information on the website must include, but is not limited to, completion rates within the expected numbers of semesters for degree sought, transfer rates of students, percentage of students receiving financial aid by type, average amount of student debt after graduation, average salary by type of major, and percentage of graduates employed within six months of graduation.