Senator Wayne A. Harper proposes the following substitute bill:


1     
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REGARDING WESTERN

2     
GOVERNORS UNIVERSITY

3     
2015 GENERAL SESSION

4     
STATE OF UTAH

5     
Chief Sponsor: Wayne A. Harper

6     
House Sponsor: Eric K. Hutchings

7     

8     LONG TITLE
9     General Description:
10          This concurrent resolution of the Legislature and the Governor supports partnering with
11     Western Governors University to meet the needs of Utah's adults.
12     Highlighted Provisions:
13          This resolution:
14          ▸     expresses support for partnering with Western Governors University to meet the
15     needs of Utah's adults;
16          ▸     strongly urges the Utah State Board of Regents to:
17               •     further recognize and endorse online, competency-based education as an
18     important component of Utah's higher education system;
19               •     continue to promote Western Governors University along with all other current
20     Utah institutions of higher education;
21               •     work to eliminate unnecessary barriers to the delivery of education programs
22     provided by Western Governors University; and
23               •     integrate Western Governors University Utah's academic programs and services
24     into the state's higher education policy and strategy; and
25          ▸     urges the Utah Department of Workforce Services, the Utah State Office of

26     Education, the Utah Department of Veterans' and Military Affairs, and Utah employers to:
27               •     explore methods for promoting online competency-based educational
28     opportunities like Western Governors University for dislocated workers,
29     veterans, members of the Utah National Guard, and other Utahns in need of
30     higher education achievement and bachelor's degrees;
31               •     endorse and support Western Governors University as an important component
32     of the state higher education system; and
33               •     increase their efforts to promote and support Western Governors University as a
34     cost-effective option for working adults to increase their educational attainment.
35     Special Clauses:
36          None
37     

38     Be it resolved by the Legislature of the state of Utah, the Governor concurring therein:
39          WHEREAS, Utah's adults are in need of greater access to opportunities to obtain higher
40     education degrees;
41          WHEREAS, currently, 43% of Utah's adults hold a post-secondary degree or certificate;
42          WHEREAS, it is projected that 66% of Utah's jobs will require a post-secondary degree
43     or certificate by 2020;
44          WHEREAS, for Utah's citizens to be competitive in the global economy, more citizens
45     need the skills and knowledge that come with degree completion and college credentials;
46          WHEREAS, Western Governors University was created to provide access to affordable
47     education and training opportunities through online, competency-based programs;
48          WHEREAS, Western Governors University is a nationally recognized nonprofit and
49     independent university that is regionally and nationally accredited;
50          WHEREAS, Western Governors University offers online degrees based on
51     demonstrating competency as opposed to degrees based on credit hours, clock hours, or grades;
52          WHEREAS, Western Governors University is fully independent and requires no direct
53     financial participation from the state to offer its curriculum to its students;
54          WHEREAS, Western Governors University provides a viable and self-sustaining
55     complement to traditional learning methods through online, competency-based distance
56     learning methods;

57          WHEREAS, Western Governors University was ranked first in the nation in secondary
58     education and 16th in the nation in elementary education by the National Council on Teacher
59     Quality;
60          WHEREAS, Western Governors University confers 15% of all master's degrees and 5%
61     of all bachelor's degrees in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education in the
62     nation;
63          WHEREAS, among minorities, Western Governors University is one of the top five
64     institutions conferring bachelor's degrees in nursing and one of the top 10 institutions
65     conferring master's degrees in nursing in the nation;
66          WHEREAS, the average time to complete a bachelor's degree at Western Governors
67     University is three years, at a cost of only $6,000 per 12 month year;
68          WHEREAS, Western Governors University students are judged by employers to be
69     very well prepared for their jobs;
70          WHEREAS, Western Governors University has demonstrated success in providing
71     online, competency-based education to Utahns and shares the state's goals for increasing the
72     number of citizens who have obtained high-quality bachelor's degrees through cost-effective,
73     flexible, and quickly initiated means; and
74          WHEREAS, the state of Utah should take additional steps to enable Western Governors
75     University to expand services in the state for the benefit of Utah's citizens:
76          NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of the state of Utah, the
77     Governor concurring therein, supports partnering with Western Governors University to meet
78     the needs of Utah's adults.
79          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature and the Governor strongly urge the
80     Utah State Board of Regents to:
81               •     further recognize and endorse online, competency-based education as an
82     important component of Utah's higher education system;
83               •     continue to promote Western Governors University along with all other
84     current Utah institutions of higher education;
85               •     work to eliminate unnecessary barriers to the delivery of such education
86     programs provided by Western Governors University; and
87               •     integrate Western Governors University Utah's academic programs and

88     services into the state's higher education policy and strategy.
89          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature and the Governor urge the Utah
90     Department of Workforce Services, the Utah State Office of Education, the Utah Department
91     of Veterans' and Military Affairs, and Utah employers to:
92               •     explore methods for promoting online competency-based educational
93     opportunities like Western Governors University for dislocated workers,
94     veterans, members of the Utah National Guard, and other Utahns in need
95     of higher education achievement and bachelor's degrees;
96               •     endorse and support Western Governors University as an important
97     component of the state higher education system; and
98               •     increase their efforts to promote and support Western Governors
99     University as a cost-effective option for working adults to increase their
100     educational attainment.
101          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be sent to the Utah State
102     Board of Regents, the Utah Department of Workforce Services, the Utah State Office of
103     Education, the Utah Department of Veterans' and Military Affairs, the Utah Chamber of
104     Commerce, Western Governors University, and the members of Utah's congressional
105     delegation.