057-6 Wyo. Code R. §§ 6-6 - Approving the Formation of Community College Districts

(a) Application for a New Community College District

(i) The Commission shall provide an application for the formation of a new community college district containing the following minimum elements:

(A) A request for a statement of purpose detailing the goals for forming a new community college district, how the new college will have greater benefit to the community than educational services currently provided, and how the new college will compliment and not detract from the current educational opportunities available across Wyoming.

(B) Application questions pertaining to the location of the proposed district, proposed name, submitting agency or entity, contact information for the proposing entity and the primary representative.

(C) A questionnaire focused on the demographic composition and educational needs of the proposed district including but not limited to:

(I) Detailed information regarding district boundaries.

(II) Projected date of district establishment.

(III) Current and expected future district area populations.

(IV) Current and expected future student populations.

(V) Current and future workforce, technical education, academic programs.

(D) A questionnaire focused on the educational programing and student support to be provided in the proposed district including but not limited to:

(I) Certificate and degrees to be offered through the proposed district and their appropriateness for an institution of higher education.

(II) Identity of and justification for academic transfer programs.

(III) Identity of and justification for career-technical education (CTE) programs.

(IV) Identity of and justification for non-credit workforce training and or continuing education programs.

(V) Identity of and justification for community service programs.

(VI) Identification of distance education programs and the proposed institution's capacity to meet student learning and support needs.

(VII) Identify student support services to be established on the campus, their implementation, and continued support for sustaining.

(VIII) Identify academic programs currently offered in the proposed district by other institutions.

(E) A summary or detail identifying the steps to establish institutional accreditation, including but not limited to:

(I) For existing campuses discuss steps and legal operating agreements with existing accredited with an existing Wyoming community college district to provide educational services, including but not limited to curriculum, student support, transfer credits and credential awarding;

(II) Detail the plan and timeline to develop a catalog and institutional information including, but not limited to personnel and provided academic programs;

(III) Detail the plan and timeline to develop clearly articulated learning goals for all programs;

(IV) Provide a timeline for development of the district's general education minimum requirements;

(V) Provide an assurance that meets federal requirements for credit described in the institutional accreditation compliance program.

(F) A questionnaire that explores current and future, facilities and physical resources, including but not limited to:

(I) Identification of existing facilities capable of hosting instructional programs, student support services and administration;

(II) Identification of facilities needed to house future instructional programs, student support services and administration;

(III) For existing campus or facilities, identification of property ownership;

(IV) For existing campuses or facilities that operate under an existing college district, identify the process for transfer of ownership or planned lease agreements for continued campus operation;

(V) Detail a plan and timeline for implementing and administrative computing system including but not limited to administrative and student records system.

(G) A questionnaire that includes a request for a plan and detail for the proposed district to have a financial base to support its operations and sustain operations in the future including, but not limited to, financial operations, administrative capacity, fiscal management, budgeting, and debt management:

(I) Assessed and expected property valuation in five-year increments for ten years from the date of application;

(II) Projected revenue in five-year increments for ten years from Motor Vehicle Tax, Investments, and Other Funds;

(III) Projected tuition and fee revenue;

(IV) Projected state Supplemental Funds.

(V) A plan and detailed timeline for employing faculty and other personnel appropriately;

(VI) Detail a plan and timeline for securing access to learning resources and support services (research labs, supplies, libraries/librarians, online resources, and other).

(H) An application for formation of a new community college district shall be accompanied by a subscription of not less than five hundred (500) or twenty-five percent (25%), whichever is smaller, of qualified electors residing within each county sought to be organized into a community college district.

(ii) The proposed district shall, within sixty days of filing of the application, submit a Statement of Assurances signed by the county commissioners stating that the proposed district will:

(A) Cooperate with other educational institutions and agencies and with all levels and agencies of government in the interest of effective utilization of all resources, programs, and services.

(B) Submit academic and vocational programs to the Commission for approval or termination based upon student demand, cost effectiveness, duplication, and accreditation by an academic accreditor, industry, or professional groups.

(C) If a district is approved by the Commission with no projected requirement for state funds, submit its local budget to the Commission annually as other colleges receiving state funds and in the same format, with detailed revenue, expenditure and program information as required for all colleges.

(D) Cooperate in establishing and maintaining composite data about the community college to promote the collection and analysis of accurate, cost-effective information about the community colleges system including an analysis of space utilization at each college.

(E) File the community college budget with the Commission for public review as described in W.S. 16-4-111(d).

(F) Operate within a Commission approved and standardized tuition structure for resident, nonresident, Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE), and Nebraska students.

(b) Commission responsibilities upon receipt of a completed application:

(i) The Commission shall conduct a survey that includes, but is not limited to, consideration of the need for a community college in the proposed district, the need for the community college in the state, the financial ability of the proposed district to support a college, the education soundness of the proposed community college plan, and any other matters which might assist the commission in the disposition of the application.

(ii) The Commission shall, within 30 days of receipt of an application, gather the following data;

(A) Research from the Economic Analysis Division detailing population by age and economic statistics forecasted for ten years from the date of application.

(B) Research from the Department of Workforce Services detailing job demand by occupation for the state and proposed district projected for ten years from the date of application.

(C) A forecast from the Economic Analysis Division of economic conditions including per capita and state government income which reflects state, individual, and proposed district income projected ten years from the date of application.

(D) A projection from existing community colleges and the University of Wyoming describing the effects on student demand, program demand, potential cost, and income reductions on existing institutions if a new district is established. The projection shall include the number of students from the proposed district presently enrolled in the existing institutions and their courses of study.

(E) A verification from the State Board of Equalization that the assessed property valuation in the proposed district is not less than one hundred million dollars ($100,000,000) as of the date of the application.

(F) Verification from the Department of Education that not fewer than fifteen hundred students are enrolled in grades nine (9) through twelve (12) in the proposed district as of the date of the application.

(G) Written and oral testimony from public hearings, conducted within sixty (60) days of the date of application. Hold at least one public hearing in the proposed district and hold at least one public hearing in a non-petitioning county.

(I) All hearings shall be advertised in a major state newspaper by paid display advertising fourteen (14) days prior to the hearings.

(II) The Commission Chair, or a Commission member so designated by the Chair, shall preside over the hearings.

(III) The oral testimony presented at the hearing shall be recorded.

(IV) All Legislators shall receive written notification of the hearings.

(iii) Following the public hearings and the accumulation of all data required in this process, the attorney for the Commission shall submit to the Commission proposed Findings of Fact, Conclusions of Law, Decision and Order.

(c) Decision on the Application. The Commission shall render its decision within 90 days from the date of receipt of the complete application.

(d) The Commission shall hold a meeting at least seven days prior to the termination of the 90 day review period for the purpose of;

(i) Considering the petition for a new community college district.

(ii) The Commission shall issue its final decision with Findings of Fact, Conclusions of Law, Decision and Order. The document shall be sent to the party or parties representing the petitioners and to the Legislative Service Office. This decision is the final agency action.

Notes

057-6 Wyo. Code R. §§ 6-6

Adopted, Eff. 8/7/2020. Amended, Eff. 4/15/2021. Amended, Eff. 12/2/2021.