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General Assembly Committee Bill No. 749
January Session, 2019
LCO No. 4044
Referred to Committee on HIGHER EDUCATION AND
EMPLOYMENT ADVANCEMENT
Introduced by:
(HED)
AN ACT REQUIRING LEG ISLATIVE APPROVAL FO R THE MERGER
OR CLOSING OF INSTITUTIONS WITHIN THE CONNECTICUT STATE
COLLEGES AND UNIVERS ITIES.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:
Section 1. Subsection (a) of section 10a-6 of the general statutes is 1
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 2
1, 2019): 3
(a) The Board of Regents for Higher Education shall: (1) Establish 4
policies and guidelines for the Connecticut State University System, 5
the regional community-technical college system and Charter Oak 6
State College; (2) develop a master plan for higher education and 7
postsecondary education at the Connecticut State University System, 8
the regional community-technical college system and Charter Oak 9
State College consistent with the goals identified in section 10a-11c; (3) 10
establish tuition and student fee policies for the Connecticut State 11
University System, the regional community-technical college system 12
and Charter Oak State College; (4) monitor and evaluate the 13
effectiveness and viability of the state universities, the regional 14 Committee Bill No. 749
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community-technical colleges and Charter Oak State College in 15
accordance with criteria established by the board; (5) merge or close 16
institutions within the Connecticut State University System, the 17
regional community-technical college system and Charter Oak State 18
College in accordance with criteria established by the board, provided 19
(A) such recommended merger or closing shall require a two-thirds 20
vote of the board, [and] (B) notice of such recommended merger or 21
closing shall be sent to the joint standing committee of the General 22
Assembly having cognizance [over] of matters relating to higher 23
education, [and to the General Assembly] and (C) such recommended 24
merger or closing shall be accepted by a majority vote of both houses 25
of the General Assembly or rejected by a majority vote of either house 26
of the General Assembly not later than one year after receiving notice 27
by the board pursuant to this subsection or the adjournment of the 28
next regular session of the General Assembly, whichever is later, 29
provided if the General Assembly fails to act, such recommended 30
merger or closing shall be deemed accepted; (6) review and approve 31
mission statements for the Connecticut State University System, the 32
regional community-technical college system and Charter Oak State 33
College and role and scope statements for the individual institutions 34
and campuses of such constituent units; (7) review and approve any 35
recommendations for the establishment of new academic programs 36
submitted to the board by the state universities within the Connecticut 37
State University System, the regional community-technical colleges 38
and Charter Oak State College, and, in consultation with the affected 39
constituent units, provide for the initiation, consolidation or 40
termination of academic programs; (8) develop criteria to ensure 41
acceptable quality in (A) programs at the Connecticut State University 42
System, the regional community-technical college system and Charter 43
Oak State College, and (B) institutions within the Connecticut State 44
University System and the regional community-technical college 45
system and enforce standards through licensing and accreditation; (9) 46
prepare and present to the Governor and General Assembly, in 47
accordance with section 10a-8, consolidated operating and capital 48
expenditure budgets for the Connecticut State University System, the 49 Committee Bill No. 749
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regional community-technical college system and Charter Oak State 50
College developed in accordance with the provisions of said section 51
10a-8; (10) review and make recommendations on plans received from 52
the Connecticut State University System, the regional community-53
technical college system and Charter Oak State College to implement 54
the goals identified in section 10a-11c; (11) appoint advisory 55
committees with representatives from public and independent 56
institutions of higher education to study methods and proposals for 57
coordinating efforts of the public institutions of higher education 58
under its jurisdiction with The University of Connecticut and the 59
independent institutions of higher education to implement the goals 60
identified in section 10a-11c; (12) evaluate (A) means of implementing 61
the goals identified in section 10a-11c, and (B) any recommendations 62
made by the Planning Commission for Higher Education in 63
implementing the strategic master plan pursuant to section 10a-11b 64
through alternative and nontraditional approaches such as external 65
degrees and credit by examination; (13) coordinate programs and 66
services among the Connecticut State University System, the regional 67
community-technical college system and Charter Oak State College; 68
(14) assess opportunities for collaboration with The University of 69
Connecticut and the independent institutions of higher education to 70
implement the goals identified in section 10a-11c; (15) make or enter 71
into contracts, leases or other agreements in connection with its 72
responsibilities under this part, provided all acquisitions of real estate 73
by lease or otherwise shall be subject to the provisions of section 4b-23; 74
(16) be responsible for the care and maintenance of permanent records 75
of institutions of higher education dissolved after September 1, 1969; 76
(17) prepare and present to the Governor and General Assembly 77
legislative proposals affecting the Connecticut State University System, 78
the regional community-technical college system and Charter Oak 79
State College; (18) develop and maintain a central higher education 80
information system and establish definitions and data requirements for 81
the Connecticut State University System, the regional community-82
technical college system and Charter Oak State College; (19) report all 83
new programs and program changes at the Connecticut State 84 Committee Bill No. 749
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University System, the regional community-technical college system 85
and Charter Oak State College to the Office of Higher Education; and 86
(20) undertake such studies and other activities as will best serve the 87
higher educational interests of the Connecticut State University 88
System, the regional community-technical college system and Charter 89
Oak State College. 90
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
sections:
Section 1 July 1, 2019 10a-6(a)
HED Joint Favorable