GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 1991

H	1 

HOUSE BILL 1179

Short Title:  Funds to Gain Competitive Edge.	(Public)
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Sponsors: Representatives Wicker; and Bowman.
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Referred to:  Appropriations.
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May 8, 1991

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO APPROPRIATE FUNDS TO IMPLEMENT THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE EDUCATION BLUEPRINT.
Whereas, the General Assembly of North Carolina in 1963 created an educational system, different from any other in the country, to fulfill industry's demand for trained employees and to make education beyond high school accessible to every adult in North Carolina; and
Whereas, North Carolina business and industry face intense pressure to modernize and become more efficient, an immediate need which can only be met through building and maintaining a skilled adult work force; and
Whereas, the Community College System is ideally positioned to respond to these present and future needs of business and industry; and
Whereas, it is the intent of the General Assembly to continue to support that system in a manner that will enable it to raise and keep the skills of North Carolina's adults equal to the best in the world and provide a gateway to opportunity for high school graduates and school dropouts alike; and
Whereas, it is the intent of the General Assembly to:
(1)	Provide every community college student access to quality teaching and academic support services,
(2)	Establish effective mechanisms to promote accountability and increased flexibility in funding,
(3)	Provide opportunities for all adult North Carolinians to master the basic knowledge and skills demanded in a complex and competitive economy,
(4)	Help business and industry adapt to technological change and promote small business development throughout the State,
(5)	Build strong partnerships with public schools, community colleges, and the State universities to establish a comprehensive educational system in North Carolina,
(6)	Develop strong leadership for the North Carolina System of Community Colleges at both the State and local levels; and
Whereas, the General Assembly believes it is time to begin a program of reform and investment in the Community College System to prepare it to meet the economic challenges for the year 2000 and beyond; and 
Whereas, it is further the belief of the General Assembly that these colleges must function both as a bridge to occupational opportunity for North Carolina's adults and as a conscious catalyst for economic growth; and
Whereas, it is the intent of the General Assembly that the community colleges be retooled to allow the State to gain the competitive edge; Now, therefore,
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
Section 1.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Community Colleges the sum of $33,500,000 for the 1991-92 fiscal year and the sum of $67,000,000 for the 1992-93 fiscal year to implement the Community College Education Blueprint, which was adopted by the State Board of Community Colleges pursuant to G.S. 115D-8.  The Community College Education Blueprint is based on the Commission on the Future Report on the North Carolina Community College System, "Gaining the Competitive Edge" and it is designed to allow the State to compete successfully in the national and global economy of today and the next century.
It is the intent of the General Assembly to appropriate an additional thirty-three million five hundred thousand dollars ($33,500,000) for the 1993-94 fiscal year and an additional sixty-eight million dollars ($68,000,000) for the 1994-95 fiscal year to complete the implementation of the Community College Education Blueprint.
Sec. 2.  This act becomes effective July 1, 1991.