Going too far

THE ISSUE

A bill that moved out of a House committee this week would give legislators the authority to review and approve policy changes by Alabama's two-year college system.

The Legislature may be trying to exert new influence on Alabama's troubled two-year college system with a bill approved in a House committee this week that would give lawmakers the authority to review and change policy set by the chancellor and his staff. The state board of education, which oversees the post-secondary education system, opposes the bill.

The two-year college system has been racked by corruption and nepotism and is under investigation by state and federal officials. The former chancellor, Roy Johnson, resigned more than a year ago and is now under federal indictment for corruption. He is expected to cooperate with federal investigators.

The House Education Policy Committee approved the new oversight bill on Thursday on a voice vote, though members tried to get the chairman, an employee of the two-year system, to hold a recorded vote. The bill was sponsored by Rep. Tammy Irons, D-Florence, who said too much of the post-secondary system's business has been kept from public view.

We agree with Irons' assessment of the way business has been conducted, but we don't think her bill will lead to improvements. It holds too much potential for abuse by legislators still stinging from the new chancellor's decision to force system employees who also serve in the Legislature to resign from one of the jobs by 2010. Chancellor Bradley Byrne, a former state senator appointed by Gov. Bob Riley to restore order to the two-year college system, adopted new regulations last year that forbid system employees from holding two state jobs, known as double-dipping.

Byrne, in fact, appears to be the right man to make reforms in the post-secondary system. He has the governor's ear, he understands the legislative process and he has the respect of most in state government. While legislators certainly have a legitmate interest in the system's future, they don't need direct influence in policy decisions. The two-year college system has suffered enough from the undue influence of legislators.

The state board of education has direct authority over policy decisions made by the post-secondary chancellor. Board members say meddling by legislators could also have an adverse effect of accreditation. Besides, lawmakers have much more important business to attend to in Montgomery with the looming budget cuts state agencies are facing due to the economic downturn.