HLS 19RS-490 ORIGINAL 2019 Regular Session HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOL UTION NO. 102 BY REPRESENTATIVE GLOVER HIGHER ED/BD REGENTS: Requests that the Bd. of Regents provide for an updated study and report relative to the issues addressed in the 2012 report by Eva Klein and Associates pertaining to postsecondary education in the Shreveport-Bossier region 1 A CONCURRENT RESOL UTION 2To urge and request the Board of Regents to provide for an updated study and report relative 3 to the issues addressed in the 2012 report by Eva Klein and Associates, Achieving 4 a Comprehensive Public University in Shreveport-Bossier: Analysis of Alternative 5 Strategies, and issue a status report to the House Committee on Education and the 6 Senate Committee on Education not later than 90 days prior to the beginning of the 7 2020 Regular Session of the Legislature. 8 WHEREAS, Article VIII, Section 5(D)(2) of the Constitution of Louisiana provides, 9relative to public institutions of postsecondary education, that it is a power, duty, and 10responsibility of the Board of Regents to approve a proposed degree program, department 11of instruction, division, or similar subdivision; Article VIII, Section 5(D)(3)(a) of the 12constitution further provides that it is a power, duty, and responsibility of the Board of 13Regents to study the need for and feasibility of creating a new institution of postsecondary 14education, which includes establishing a branch of such an institution; and 15 WHEREAS, the Board of Regents, along with several community organizations, co- 16sponsored a study conducted in 2011-2012 by Eva Klein and Associates, the objective of 17which, in part, was to identify options for a more comprehensive public university in 18Shreveport-Bossier, including a possible consolidation of institutions; and 19 WHEREAS, the report issued in February of 2012 as the result of the study made 20several recommendations relative to postsecondary education in the region, one of which Page 1 of 2 HLS 19RS-490 ORIGINAL HCR NO. 102 1was the consolidation of Louisiana Tech University and Louisiana State University at 2Shreveport into a single institution operating as Louisiana Tech University with two 3campuses, one in Ruston and one in Shreveport; and 4 WHEREAS, this recommended merger was formally endorsed by the Board of 5Regents in the spring of 2012, and related legislation was filed in the 2012 Regular Session 6of the Legislature in the form of House Bill No. 964, which ultimately did not pass; and 7 WHEREAS, it has been more than seven years since the issuance of the report, and 8there is ongoing debate as to the possible consolidation of these institutions; therefore, it is 9appropriate that the Board of Regents take the necessary measures to provide for an updated 10study of this matter and other issues related to postsecondary education in the Shreveport- 11Bossier region. 12 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby 13urge and request the Board of Regents to provide for an updated study and accompanying 14report relative to the issues addressed in the 2012 report by Eva Klein and Associates, 15Achieving a Comprehensive Public University in Shreveport-Bossier: Analysis of Alternative 16Strategies, and issue a status report to the House Committee on Education and the Senate 17Committee on Education not later than 90 days prior to the beginning of the 2020 Regular 18Session of the Legislature. 19 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a suitable copy of this Resolution be transmitted 20to the chairman of the Board of Regents and the commissioner of higher education. DIGEST The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)] HCR 102 Original 2019 Regular Session Glover Requests that the Bd. of Regents provide for an updated study and report on the issues addressed in the 2012 report by Eva Klein and Associates, Achieving a Comprehensive Public University in Shreveport-Bossier: Analysis of Alternative Strategies, and issue a status report to the House and Senate education committees by 90 days prior to the beginning of the 2020 RS. Page 2 of 2