Legislative Document No. 1878 H.P. 1344 House of Representatives, December 24, 2019
Resolve, To Establish the Commission To Study the Use of Adjunct Professors in Maine's Public University and College System
Approved for introduction by a majority of the Legislative Council pursuant to Joint Rule 203. Received by the Clerk of the House on December 20, 2019. Referred to the Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs pursuant to Joint Rule 308.2 and ordered printed pursuant to Joint Rule 401.
ROBERT B. HUNT Clerk
Presented by Representative DODGE of Belfast. Cosponsored by Representatives: McCREA of Fort Fairfield, WHITE of Waterville, Senator: MIRAMANT of Knox.
Printed on recycled paper 1 Sec. 1. Commission established. Resolved: That the Commission To Study 2 the Use of Adjunct Professors in Maine's Public University and College System, referred 3 to in this resolve as "the commission," is established.
4 Sec. 2. Commission membership. Resolved: That the commission consists of 5 11 members appointed as follows:
6 1. Two members of the Senate appointed by the President of the Senate, one of 7 whom is a member of the Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs 8 and one of whom is a member of the Joint Standing Committee on Labor and Housing;
9 2. Four members of the House of Representatives appointed by the Speaker of the 10 House, at least one of whom is a member of the Joint Standing Committee on Education 11 and Cultural Affairs and at least one of whom is a member of the Joint Standing 12 Committee on Labor and Housing;
13 3. One member representing the Office of the Governor, appointed by the Governor;
14 4. One member representing the University of Maine System, appointed by the 15 President of the Senate;
16 5. One member representing the Maine Community College System, appointed by 17 the Speaker of the House; and
18 6. Two members representing the employee representatives of adjunct professors and 19 professors, one appointed by the President of the Senate and one appointed by the 20 Speaker of the House.
21 Sec. 3. Chairs. Resolved: That the first-named Senate member is the Senate 22 chair and the first-named House of Representatives member is the House chair of the 23 commission.
24 Sec. 4. Appointments; convening of commission. Resolved: That all 25 appointments must be made no later than 30 days following the effective date of this 26 resolve. The appointing authorities shall notify the Executive Director of the Legislative 27 Council once all appointments have been completed. After appointment of all members, 28 the chairs shall call and convene the first meeting of the commission. If 30 days or more 29 after the effective date of this resolve a majority of but not all appointments have been 30 made, the chairs may request authority and the Legislative Council may grant authority 31 for the commission to meet and conduct its business.
32 Sec. 5. Duties. Resolved: That the commission shall examine and make 33 recommendations on the use of adjunct professors in the University of Maine System and 34 the Maine Community College System, including, but not limited to, an examination of:
35 1. Recruitment and retention issues;
36 2. Creation of a career path for adjunct professors;
Page 1 - 129LR2896(01)-1 1 3. Expansion of the role of adjunct professors in student retention and success;
2 4. Expansion of access to health care for adjunct professors; and
3 5. Identification of funding needs for the recommendations of the commission.
4 Sec. 6. Staff assistance. Resolved: That the Legislative Council shall provide 5 necessary staffing services to the commission, except that Legislative Council staff 6 support is not authorized when the Legislature is in regular or special session.
7 Sec. 7. Report. Resolved: That, no later than November 4, 2020, the 8 commission shall submit a report that includes its findings and recommendations, 9 including suggested legislation, to the Joint Standing Committee on Education and 10 Cultural Affairs and the Joint Standing Committee on Labor and Housing.
11 SUMMARY 12 This resolve establishes the Commission To Study the Use of Adjunct Professors in 13 Maine's Public University and College System. The commission is directed to examine 14 and make recommendations on the use of adjunct professors in the University of Maine 15 System and the Maine Community College System, including, but not limited to, an 16 examination of recruitment and retention issues, creation of a career path for adjunct 17 professors, expansion of the role of adjunct professors in student retention and success, 18 expansion of access to health care for adjunct professors and identification of funding 19 needs for the recommendations of the commission. The commission must report its 20 findings and recommendations to the Joint Standing Committee on Education and 21 Cultural Affairs and the Joint Standing Committee on Labor and Housing.
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