§16-5-10. Additional powers and duties of commission.

The commission shall exercise the following powers and duties in addition to those otherwise specified in this article:

(1) To cause to be made such surveys and evaluations of higher education as are believed necessary for the purpose of providing appropriate information to carry out its powers and duties.

(2) To recommend to the Legislature of Alabama the enactment of such legislation as it deems necessary or desirable to insure the highest quality of higher education in this state taking into consideration the orderly development and maintenance of the state system of public higher education to meet trends in population and the change in social and technical requirements of the economy.

(3) To advise and counsel the Governor, at his request, regarding any area of, or matter pertaining to, postsecondary education.

(4) To establish definitions of a junior college, a community college, a technical college or institute, a senior college, a university and university system; provided, that nothing herein shall be construed as authorizing the commission to establish or create any university system, nor to alter any university system presently existing.

(5) To develop and publish criteria which may be used by the Legislature as a basis:

a. For changing the classification of any public institution of higher education; and

b. For determining the need for new public junior colleges, public senior colleges, universities or university systems.

Any proposed statute which would establish an additional institution of higher education may be submitted, either prior to introduction or by the standing committee considering same to the commission for its opinion as to the need for the state therefore, and the commission shall report its findings to the Governor and the Legislature.

(6) To cause studies to be made for the purpose of classifying and prescribing the role and scope for each public institution of higher education in Alabama and to recommend such changes in classification or role and scope for such institutions as it deems necessary and which may be agreed to by the governing board of the institution. In making studies and recommendations for the purpose of classifying and prescribing the role and scope of institutions, the commission shall do so without regard for race and traditional role of the institution, provided, however, that in the absence of compelling reasons to the contrary the commission shall give priority to institutions having seniority in years of operation in the service area. When making recommendations for the elimination of duplication of educationally unnecessary programs, absent justifiable reasons to the contrary, the commission shall recommend the replacement of such programs and/or services with programs and/or services that will strengthen and enhance the role of the institution affected.

(7) To hear applications from the institutions for changes in classification or role and scope and to recommend to the Legislature for clarification such classifications in role or scope which may not be agreed to by the governing board of any institution.

(8) To make continuing studies, on its own initiative or upon the request of the Governor or the Legislature, of the financial needs of public higher education and issue such reports to the Governor and the Legislature as may result from its studies.

(9) To submit to the Governor and the Legislature on or before the first day in January of each year a written report covering the activities of the commission and the state of higher education in Alabama. The report shall include:

a. Statements of the nature, progress or result of any studies undertaken or completed during the past fiscal year;

b. Comments upon major developments, trends, new policies, budgets and financial considerations which, in the judgment of the commission will be useful in planning a sound program of higher education; and

c. Recommendations respecting postsecondary education in this state as may be appropriate.

(10) To make rules and regulations for its meetings, procedures and execution of the powers and duties delegated to it by this article.

(11) To encourage the establishment and development of formal consortia for the advancement of higher education comprised of institutions of higher education in the state.

(12) To conduct a program of public information in order to inform citizens of the state of matters of importance to higher education in Alabama.

(13) To serve as the state agency for the administration of those titles of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (Public Law 89-329) as amended for those programs requiring a single state agency for which the commission qualifies, unless otherwise designated by executive order.

(14) To authorize and regulate instructional programs or units offered by non-Alabama institutions of postsecondary education in the State of Alabama. No institution of postsecondary education located outside of Alabama may offer units or programs of instruction within Alabama without prior approval of the commission, except for those units or programs approved by regional accrediting authorities located in states participating in reciprocity agreements entered into by the Governor or the commission. The commission under its rule-making authority shall establish criteria for the approval of such institutions and programs. The commission shall promulgate a schedule of programmatic review fees, commensurate with the cost of commission activities related to programmatic review, not exceeding fifteen thousand dollars ($15,000) per institution. Any programmatic review fee collected from a non-Alabama institution of postsecondary education shall be deposited in the State Treasury to the credit of the commission and funds collected are hereby appropriated to the commission.

(15) The powers and duties of the commission shall apply equally to all postsecondary institutions regardless of any authority that may be, or has been, conferred upon them by the constitution or by statutes.

(Acts 1969, Ex. Sess., No. 14, p. 28, §8; Acts 1979, No. 79-461, p. 816, §10; Act 2013-368, p. 1323, §1.)