Executive training institute/graduate school of business.

WORKING DRAFT

ORIGINAL HOUSE

BILL

NO.
0329

ENROLLED ACT NO. 118, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

FIFTY-EIGHTH LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WYOMING
2005 GENERAL SESSION

AN ACT relating to education; providing for a feasibility study, planning and siting of an executive training, conference and institutes center; providing for the potential development of a graduate school; establishing a joint legislative/executive oversight committee and a steering committee; providing an appropriation; providing for reports; specifying legislative intent; and providing for an effective date.

Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Wyoming:

Section 1.

(a)

There is established a joint legislative/executive oversight committee consisting of the members of the state building commission or their designees, the president of the senate, speaker of the house of representatives, the chairmen of the house and senate education committees or their designees, a member of the senate appointed by the president of the senate and a member of the house appointed by the speaker of the house. The president of the senate and speaker of the house shall be co-chairmen of the joint legislative/executive oversight committee. The president of the board of trustees of the University of Wyoming and the president of the University of Wyoming shall serve as ex officio members of the joint legislative/executive committee, but shall not vote. There is created a steering committee. The steering committee shall consist of the following members:

(i)

The dean of the college of business at the University of Wyoming, who shall serve as chair;

(ii)

The dean of the outreach school at the University of Wyoming;

(iii)

A member of the advisory board to the University of Wyoming’s college of business appointed by the chairman of the board;

(iv)

The chairman of the board of the University of Wyoming foundation or his designee;

(v)

The cochairman of the Wyoming business council selected by the council, or his designee;

(vi)

Five (5) members appointed by the joint legislative/executive oversight committee with distinguished credentials and experience in business or academics.

(b)

The steering committee is authorized to expend funds appropriated under subsection 3(a) of this act for all expenses, including travel and consultants, reasonable and necessary for the steering committee to provide its report to the joint legislative/executive oversight committee required under subsection (c) of this section. The steering committee shall:

(i)

Develop a plan for the content of the executive training program, which shall include the mission, academic program, financial plan and executive campus design with state of the art technology;

(ii)

Identify and pursue opportunities to establish relationships with other nationally recognized business schools for the operation of the executive training, conference and institutes center;

(iii)

Develop a business plan for determining the appropriate executive training tuition levels, with the ability to offer reduced tuition to Wyoming business professionals;

(iv)

Develop criteria, costs and options, including evaluation of existing facilities, for an appropriate site of the executive training center and the premier graduate school of business. Site options shall be developed with consultation with the board of county commissioners of Teton County, the council of the city of Jackson and public input from Teton County;

(v)

Determine the need for building and other facilities, including faculty and student housing, to implement the plans for the center and graduate school. In consultation with the construction management section of the department of administration and information, the University of Wyoming’s facilities planning office and offices of conferences shall assist the steering committee in developing the building and facility needs under this paragraph;

(vi)

Develop a preliminary plan for the content of the graduate school educational program, which may include areas of concentration in environment and natural resources and entrepreneurship as components of business development and management strategies;

(vii)

Develop a preliminary graduate school tuition plan for determining appropriate tuition levels, with the ability to provide slots for University of Wyoming graduates at a reduced tuition rate;

(viii)

Develop a proposed budget for implementing its recommendations and identify funding sources;

(ix)

After developing the plans and budget specified under paragraphs (i) through (viii) of this subsection, hold not less than five (5) public hearings at regionally dispersed locations throughout the state, to receive public comments and recommendations with respect to those plans and the proposed budget.

(c)

The steering committee shall report its plan for the executive training, conference and institutes center and its plans for the graduate school of business to the joint committee no later than October 1, 2005.
If recommended by the steering committee, the oversight and steering committees shall evaluate and recommend an appropriate site in Teton County, Wyoming, suitable to construct and operate an executive training, conference and institutes center in preparation for the establishment of a premier graduate school of business.

(d)

The joint committee shall submit the plan together with any recommendations for additional legislation necessary to implement the plan, including building, facilities and staffing needs, to the legislature not later than December 1, 2005.

Section 2.

The natural beauty, cultural and lifestyle amenities of Teton County and its resident business leaders make it the ideal location for a premier, internationally recognized graduate school of business and executive training center. Wyoming’s mineral resources

have provided the financial resources to invest in the development of business leadership for Wyoming’s future. The University of Wyoming has nationally recognized strengths in natural resources and strong undergraduate, graduate and distance learning programs in business. It is the intent of the legislature to take advantage of the opportunity provided by the unique features of a Teton County location, the strength of the University of Wyoming’s existing programs and the availability of the state financial resources to make a significant new investment in higher education. This investment will provide an extraordinary opportunity for Wyoming students and business executives, and students and business executives around the world, to pursue executive training and graduate education through the University of Wyoming.

Section 3.

(a)

There is appropriated from the general fund nine hundred forty-five thousand dollars ($945,000.00) to the steering committee for the purpose of this act. This appropriation may be expended for:

(i)

Procuring the services of one (1) or more consultants with extensive knowledge and experience in the academic and business fields;

(ii)

The expenses incurred by the University of Wyoming, subject to the approval of the steering committee, and the travel expenses of the members of the joint committee, steering committee and designated academic team necessary for the preparation of the report to the joint committee.

(b)

Any unencumbered, unexpended and unobligated amounts appropriated under this section shall revert on June 30, 2006, to the general fund.

Section 4
.

This act is effective immediately upon co
m
pletion of all acts necessary for a bill to become law as provided by Article 4, Section 8 of the Wyoming Constit
u
tion.

(END)

Speaker of the House

President of the Senate

Governor

TIME APPROVED: _________

DATE APPROVED: _________

I hereby certify that this act originated in the House.

Chief Clerk

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