Section 4A. (a) Within the board of higher education there shall be the Robert H. Goddard council on science, technology, engineering and mathematics education. The council shall consist of: the commissioner of the department of education or his designee; the commissioner of the department of early education or his designee; the director of the office of workforce development or his designee; the president of the Massachusetts Teachers Association or his designee; the chairperson of the board of higher education or his designee; the president of the Technology Education Association of Massachusetts or his designee; the executive director of the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative or his designee; the executive director of the Massachusetts Development Finance Agency or his designee; the president of Associated Industries of Massachusetts or his designee; the president of the Massachusetts Federation of Teachers or his designee; 2 members of the senate appointed by the president of the senate, 1 of whom shall be co-chairperson of the council; 1 member of the senate to be appointed by the minority leader of the senate; 2 members of the house of representatives appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives, 1 of whom shall be co-chairperson of the council; 1 member of the house of representatives to be appointed by the minority leader of the house of representatives; and 11 members to be appointed by the governor, 1 of whom shall be the chief executive officer of a life-science firm, 1 of whom shall be a chief executive officer of a technology firm, 1 of whom shall be a chief executive officer of a health care corporation, 1 of whom shall be a chief executive officer of a consulting engineering firm, 1 of whom shall be a representative of a minority led firm, 1 of whom shall be a representative of a female led firm, 1 of whom shall be a chancellor of a campus of the University of Massachusetts or a designee, 1 of whom shall be a president of a state university or a designee, 1 of whom shall be a president of a community college or his designee, 1 of whom shall be a superintendent of a public school system or his designee, and 1 of whom shall be the president or executive director of the Massachusetts Technology Leadership Council or his designee.
(b) The council shall: (1) annually evaluate and make recommendations to the chancellor of higher education regarding programs supported by the pipeline fund, so-called, as established by section 2MMM of chapter 29; (2) investigate, study and make recommendations to the general court on maintaining a specialized workforce to support and expand the science, technology, engineering and mathematics sectors in the commonwealth and prepare students for the demands of a knowledge-based economy of the future and attract and retain students entering the science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields of study; (3) investigate and make recommendations to the chancellor of higher education regarding similar programs throughout the state so as to eliminate duplication and provide for one coordinated, consolidated statewide network of science, technology, engineering and mathematics programs for in-state students; and (4) investigate and pursue alternative funding services for the advancement of these disciplines. The council shall also investigate the public college and university system, including community colleges, to determine the feasibility of establishing job training programs specifically geared toward creating science, technology, engineering and mathematics employment opportunities and to identify and establish career ladders within science, technology, engineering and mathematics employment opportunities. The council shall also investigate the impact of changing demographics on the commonwealth and make recommendations on ways to incorporate the changes in order to enhance the state’s capacity to build a strong and competitive workforce. The council shall submit quarterly reports on the fund’s progress and shall, not later than December 31, submit a cumulative annual report, together with any recommendations, to the clerk of the senate, the clerk of the house of representatives, the chair of the house and senate committees on ways and means, the chairpersons of the joint committee on economic development and emerging technologies, the chairpersons of the joint committee on labor and workforce development, the chairpersons of the joint committee on higher education, and the chairpersons of the joint committee on education. The reports shall include: (1) a list of grant recipients from the pipeline fund; (2) the amount of each grant; (3) the amounts of non-state funding credited to the pipeline fund; (4) the purposes of grants from the pipeline fund; (5) an annual statement of cash inflows and outflows detailing the sources and uses of the funds; (6) a forecast of future payments based on current binding obligations; and (7) a detailed breakdown of the purposes and amounts of administrative costs charged to the fund.
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