Amendment #1222 to H4200

College affordability study

Representatives O'Connell of Taunton, DeCoste of Norwell, Diehl of Whitman and Lombardo of Billerica move to amend the bill by adding the following section:-

"SECTION XXX. There shall be established a commission for the purpose of investigating and studying college affordability.  The commission shall examine and make recommendations on the contributing factors to rising college costs at private colleges and universities, University of Massachusetts, state colleges, and community colleges. The commission may hold public hearings.

The commission shall review and investigate the following areas:  employee expenditures; employee issued credit cards and expense accounts; vacation and sick time policies for management; salaries, bonuses, and stipends for management and professors; professor class load; the number of management positions at each university and college and their descriptions; the cost and benefit of construction projects on campuses; endowments and annual profits; mandatory fees charged to students beyond the price of tuition charges, including technology and laboratory fees; the affordability of college textbooks, including consideration of the costs and benefits of open source textbooks; and other areas the commission deems appropriate to review and study.

The commission shall consist of the following members:  five persons appointed by the governor, one of whom shall serve as the chair, one of whom shall have expertise in finance and investment, three of whom shall be parents or guardians of current college students; one member of the senate to be appointed by the senate president; one member of the senate to be appointed by the senate minority leader; one member of the house to be appointed by the speaker; one member of the house to be appointed by the minority leader; a representative of the University of Massachusetts office of the president; a representative of the University of Massachusetts director of libraries;  two members of the Student Advisory Council; a representative from the Massachusetts Office of Financial Assistance; a representative from the office of the Commissioner of Higher Education; a member of the Board of Higher Education; a representative of the Massachusetts State College Association; a representative of the Massachusetts Community Colleges Executive Office; a representative of Pioneer Institute; a member of the Massachusetts Society of Certified Public Accountants; and a member of the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities in Massachusetts.

The commission shall convene within four weeks after the date of enactment. The commission shall file a report of its findings and recommendations with the clerk of the house and senate by March 1, 2017."