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Show Daily Utah Chromcle Published Since 1890 Wednesday, January 10, 1990 Hog tie ir Vol. 99, No. 64 ed. officials tracking six legislative bills As a result of the large numbers of By Jennifer University of Utah Gully Chronicle Administration Reporter In addition to following the status of their budget requests from the outset of the 1990 session of the Utah Legislature, the representatives for the state's higher education system are following six pieces of legislation. Although other legislation may indirectly affect the state's higher education system, five bills from the House of Representatives and one bill from the Senate are targeted for higher education. Additional legislation may be filed by senators and representatives as the session proceeds. Filed higher education bills are currently under the jurisdiction of the Committee on Rules. While the rules committee is only responsible for ordering the printing of the bills and referring the bills to the appropriate standing committee, bills can either move through the rules stage quickly or remain there the entire session. Given the large number of bills registered during a typical legislative session, the quality and demand for the bill determines whether or not it actually comes to the floor. Last year's session is an illustration of how many bills vie for legislative attention and floor time. Both the House and Senate registered a total of 678 bills. This year, within the first two days of the session, more than 200 bills have been filed. : J bills, not to mention resolutions, competing for session time, there is the possibility that not all higher education bills will be considered. One of the most strongly supported pieces of legislation by the higher education community is House Bill 132 which solidifies the Utah Board of Regents' right to grant and monitor postsecondary proprietary schools' registration. the regents' limitations of authority by granting them the authority to request corrective action from schools, modify registration we've done," he added, "but it clarifies and supports what we're doing." He said the regents response to problems at City College forced them requirements and provide standards for refusal of. registration or a claimed exemption. 33 Utah's postsecondary proprietary to take sition on their involvement in the quality of institutions. schools are either the City College case, the regents noticed a decline in the quality of programs at the school and alerted both the accrediting agency and the In registered by the regents or by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. 1990 General Session Bills Pertaining to Higher Education HB HB HB HB HB SB 24- that clear," said Harden Eyring, executive assistant to the regents' commissioner. "While it doesn't change, at all how we operate," he said, "it cleans up ambiguous language in Ihe law." Amending the act, the bill modifies regents' accrediting process. The current law is somewhat controversy surrounded the action, ambiguous as to the regents' degree of responsibility for the quality of the institutions' programs, but the bill's Eyring said. He said the bill grants the regents the power they need to control the amendments make the regents' registration of schools in Utah without giving them the responsibility of accrediting and position on the issue "crystal clear," said Eyring.- . .. . "The bill doesn't change what quality. Developed to strengthen the relationships between students and their institutions, H.B. 178 requests $1 million from the state's general fund for library acquisitions, equipment and automation. Because many institutions are college of their concerns, he said. Although the regents' were acting in compliance with the existing law when they alerted the organizations, Institutions accredited by agencies student bodies to develop matching funds programs to improve library one-tim- Purchasing Practices in Public and Higher Ed (Leavitt, D.) are granted an exemption from the education institutions and their donations and fund raisers. Possible money obtained through the bill is in addition to the regents' $10 million library request from the e fund. Gov. Bangerter earmarked $1 million for the student matching plan in his budget recommendation last month. Postsecondary Propriety School Amendments (Protzman, G. D.) Entrance Requirements for Higher Ed Institutions (Holmes, D. J.) Membership on Higher Ed Institutional Councils (Protzman, G. D.) Funding for libraries in Higher Ed Institutions (Stephens, M. R.) Testing and Remedial Course Work in Higher Ed (Wasden, J. W.) Although the Utah Postsecondary Proprietary School Act is three years old, the regents have had experiences where they have felt the "law wasn't The regents also support House Bill 178 which allows higher appropriate the money, the bill also stipulates two state dollars will be distributed to institutions for every one dollar raised through student Senate - themselves. Granting regents the power to House of Representatives 132 155 156 178 180 registering all of the schools already practicing this suggestion, the regents remain neutral toward Senate Bill 24 which relates to the purchasing practices of institutions, Eyring said. He said the bill would require institutions to collectively search for the lowest price for needed equipment and supplies before buying anything. Eyring said the regents are also rather ambivalent toward House Bill 155 which would establish a study of see "legislation" on page three Executive committee dinner violated ASUU policy, member says ByLizzHart Chronicle ASUU Reporter ASUU executive The committee violated ASUU Policies and Procedures Redbook guidelines when it used student funds to pay for dinner last quarter, a Public Affairs Board member claims. Paul Kafer, vice chairman of the Public Affairs Board, said he an' executive committee meeting at a local restaurant to discuss ASUU business but instead found a party taking place, Kafer attended attended the meeting in place of Public Affairs Board chairman Jay Helton who was unable to attend. ' "My impression was I was executive an committee meeting . . . to discuss with the committee what we were working on," attending Kafer said. "I was surprised to see everyone sitting at a dinner table." Kafer added he expected to report to the committee on the meeting he and Helton had with the commissioner of higher education the night before about a tuition policy. "When I attempted to discuss the meeting with Commissioner Kerr, the answer I received was 'we don't want to,'" Kafer said. rc "Even when I tried to discuss the issue later, I was told 'we are not going to discuss ASUU business tonight, we are here to have dinner and to party.'" ASUU president Molonai Hola said he did use the meeting to discuss ASUU, in that he thanked the cabinet for the past 1' ' life . and tried to motivate Quarter the upcoming quarter. Elliot Lawrence, chairman of the Student Services Board, agreed that while the meeting had no formal organization, it was used to "set the tone for the rest of the year." Lawrence also confirmed the money spent on the dinner came out of his account. He added, however, Hola used that account because the Student Services Board's account owed money to the presidential ; contingency account. In fact, ASUU accounts do indicate $278.40 were taken out of Lawrence's board's special projects fund to pay for the dinner at The Shed restaurant. Hola agreed the money for the dinner did come out of the contingency Board. He added he had the presidential Chronicle I'hoto manner. "It's just like when President Peterson hosts a formal dinner." However, according to Kafer, see "ASUU" on page four Andrew llollowny Chi Phi, a national fraternity at the U., has lost its national recognition because members were unable to maintain minimum membership numbers and because of a lack of dedication on the part of some members, said Steve Furlong, chapter leadership consultant for Chi Phi. Two U. fraternities lose national support due to low membership By Rebecca Walsh Chronicle Staff Writer account via the Student Services right to use the funds in such a ly Two University of Utah fraternities have lost their national support because of low membership and financial problems, forcing them to leave Greek Row. Chi Phi has lost its national recognition due to low membership and lack of dedication on the part of some brothers, said Steve Furlong, chapter leadership consultant for the national fraternity. The fraternity will be leaving its house Thursday. Lambda Chi fraternity was given notice on Dec. 15 that its charter would be revoked for 1990, also because of low membership which could partially be contributed to the spreading of false reputations about the house, said Steve Barber, president of Lambda Chi. Steve Barber, president of Lambda Chi, said numbers in the fraternity have dropped from as high as 60 when he joined four years ago to three at this year's start. The fraternity will vacate its house in February. Barber said the main reason see "fraternities" on page four Non-prof- it Org. U.S. Postage Paid Permit No. 1529 Salt Lake City, UT |