HB 17-1164

House Bill 17-1164, which has been signed into law in Colorado, requires a review of the costs and outcomes for undergraduate and graduate degree programs at the University of Colorado and Colorado State University. The bill mandates that the Colorado Commission on Higher Education analyze factors like program costs to students and institutions, time to completion, and employment and earnings data for graduates. It also instructs the commission to identify high-cost and low-performing programs and assess their return on investment. Two years after the initial report, this review will be expanded to include other state institutions, with updates every two years thereafter. This law aims to provide transparency and accountability in higher education by informing students about the value of different degree programs.

Official Summary

The bill requires the Colorado commission on higher education (commission) to conduct a review of and report on an analysis of program costs and student outcomes for undergraduate and graduate degree programs offered by the university of Colorado and Colorado state university. The bill sets forth the components of the degree program review and analysis, including information concerning the cost of the degree program to the student and to the institution of higher education (institution), the average time to complete the degree program, and employment and earnings outcomes for graduates. As part of its review, the commission shall identify the highest-cost degree programs to students and to the institution and the lowest performing degree programs with respect to graduate employment and earnings, and shall analyze the return on investment for those degree programs to graduates and to the institution. Two years after the date of the first report, the commission shall complete the review and analysis required in the bill for all state institutions that were not included in the first report. Every 2 years thereafter, the commission shall update the review and analysis of undergraduate and graduate degree programs for all state institutions. The commission's report shall be submitted to certain committees of the general assembly. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)

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