Rhode Island § 16-106-4 - The Performance Incentive Funding Act of 2016

§ 16-106-4. Performance incentive funding — Rhode Island College.

(a) Beginning in FY 2018, funding for Rhode Island college (“RIC”) shall include a performance-based component utilizing all additional allocations of otherwise unrestricted, higher-education general revenue greater than the base amount received pursuant to the FY 2016 budget as enacted, of total unrestricted state higher-education funding.

(b) Data on which to base performance measures as described in subsection (c) shall be defined by the commissioner of postsecondary education, in consultation with the council on postsecondary education. Measures shall begin to be collected in FY 2017.

These measures may include and incorporate outcomes or goals from multiple, previous years. The lack of information from previous years, however, will not affect the use of performance-based measures.

(c) Rhode Island college shall have unique measures consistent with its purpose, role, scope, and mission. The performance-based measures shall include the following metrics:

(1) The number and percentage, including growth in relation to enrollment and prior years of bachelor’s degrees awarded to first-time, full-time students within four (4) years and six (6) years, including summer graduates;

(2) The number of degrees awarded that are tied to Rhode Island’s high demand, high-wage employment opportunities consistent with the institution’s mission;

(3) One measure that applies only to RIC, as agreed to by the commissioner of postsecondary education and the president of RIC, who shall consider faculty, staff, and student input; and

(4) Any other measures that are deemed appropriate by the council on postsecondary education.

(d) Weight may be assigned to any of the aforementioned metrics to reinforce the mission of RIC, the economic needs of the state, and the socio-economic status of the students. The commissioner may consider the institution’s improvements in said metrics when determining whether it has satisfied the annual measure despite not reaching the overall goal.

(e) The commissioner shall provide faculty and students an opportunity to provide input on the development of performance measures.