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1
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION 52



2 WHEREAS, The Illinois Public Agenda for College and Career 
3Success has documented the critical role higher education plays 
4in economic recovery and growth, particularly in ensuring the 
5State has an educated workforce to meet the needs of business 
6and industry; and


7 WHEREAS, The Illinois Public Agenda for College and Career 
8Success recommends that the Board of Higher Education, in 
9consultation with other State agencies for education, 
10employment, and economic development, "increase the number of 
11high-quality postsecondary credentials to meet the demands of 
12the economy and an increasingly global society"; and


13 WHEREAS, Illinois has committed to the goal that 60% of its 
14workforce will hold a high-quality college credential by 2025 
15to ensure its economic future; and


16 WHEREAS, Most recent projections from the Georgetown 
17University Center on Education and the Workforce are that 70% 
18of Illinois jobs will require postsecondary education by 2020; 
19and


20 WHEREAS, Currently, only 42.5% of the State's nearly 7 
21million working-age adults between the ages of 25 and 64 years 
 
 
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1hold at least a 2-year college degree; and


2 WHEREAS, There is a critical need for Illinois institutions 
3of higher education to increase the number of postsecondary 
4degrees in fields of critical skills shortages, such as 
5healthcare, construction, computer technology, public safety, 
6and mechanical fields; and


7 WHEREAS, Illinois' economic success requires providing 
8college credentials aligned with current and future workforce 
9needs at the State and regional levels; and


10 WHEREAS, Achieving workforce needs depends upon additional 
11strategic State investment in higher education, along with 
12improvements in the efficiency and effectiveness of the higher 
13education system; and


14 WHEREAS, Working age adults attempting to return to school 
15to complete certificates and degrees in high-demand fields face 
16many barriers to success; and

17 WHEREAS, The Illinois Council of Community College 
18Presidents has recommended that the community college system be 
19allowed to grant 4-year baccalaureate degrees for nursing and 
20other applied career areas; and

 
 
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1 WHEREAS, The development of postsecondary degree programs 
2should be predicated on evidence of the needs of Illinois 
3residents rather than institutional interests; and

4 WHEREAS, The Board of Higher Education has the statutory 
5authority and responsibility to review all applications for new 
6academic degree programs for public community colleges and 
7universities; therefore, be it


8 RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 
9NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE 
10SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that the Board of Higher Education 
11establish a Higher Education Commission on the Future of the 
12Workforce; and be it further


13 RESOLVED, That the Commission shall be comprised of 11 
14members, including one senator appointed by the President of 
15the Senate, one senator appointed by the Minority Leader of the 
16Senate, one representative appointed by the Speaker of the 
17House of Representatives, one representative appointed by the 
18Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, and the 
19remaining 7 members appointed by the Board of Higher Education 
20to represent a cross-section of the education, employment, and 
21economic development communities, as well as experts in quality 
22postsecondary degree creation; and be it further


 
 
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1 RESOLVED, That the Board of Higher Education shall provide 
2administrative support to the Commission; and be it further

3 RESOLVED, That the Commission's study shall include, but 
4not be limited to the following:
5  (1) examining and analyzing current and projected 
6 workforce needs for each economic region of the State and 
7 postsecondary degree and credential production capacity 
8 and goals;
9  (2) identifying State, regional, and national partners 
10 available to support efficient and effective delivery of 
11 postsecondary credential and degree programs aligned with 
12 regional workforce needs;
13  (3) determining current policies and practices in 
14 Illinois being utilized among Illinois' public and private 
15 colleges and universities for partnerships for degree 
16 completion;
17  (4) examining opportunities for expanding 
18 postsecondary certificates and associate and baccalaureate 
19 completions using effective and efficient strategies and 
20 partnerships among high schools, technical schools, 
21 community colleges, and 4-year colleges and universities;
22  (5) developing distance and online learning, as well as 
23 competency-based credits to serve place-bound and adult 
24 learners, including military personnel and veterans;
25  (6) examining incentives for students to enter and 
 
 
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1 complete degree programs in critical-needs areas, 
2 particularly aimed at underemployed and displaced workers;
3  (7) examining improvements in student advising, 
4 including articulation, transfer, and acceptance of 
5 credits to streamline the education pipeline to the 
6 workforce;
7  (8) providing incentives, including financial 
8 assistance, for working adults and individuals with 
9 substantial college credit, but no degree, to complete 
10 college degrees;
11  (9) analyzing best practices implemented in other 
12 states for incentivizing certificate and degree 
13 completion, including incentives for students and for 
14 colleges and universities; and be it further


15 RESOLVED, That the Commission shall report to the General 
16Assembly and the Governor 6 months from the formation of the 
17Commission; and be it further

18 RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be 
19delivered to the Governor, the chairperson of the Board of 
20Higher Education, the chairperson of the Illinois Community 
21College Board, the chairperson of the State Board of Education, 
22the chairperson of the Illinois Student Assistance Commission, 
23the chairperson of the Employment Security Advisory Board, and 
24the president of each public and private college and university 
 
 
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1in the State.