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General Assembly Raised Bill No. 5113
February Session, 2020 LCO No. 1117
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repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2
2020): 3
(a) The Board of Regents for Higher Education shall: (1) Establish4
policies and guidelines for the Connecticut State University System, the 5
regional community-technical college system and Charter Oak State 6
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 State 9
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
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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 regional 17
community-technical college system and Charter Oak State College in 18
accordance with criteria established by the board, provided (A) such 19
recommended merger or closing shall require a two-thirds vote of the 20
board, [and] (B) notice of such recommended merger or closing shall be 21
sent, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a, to the joint 22
standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance over 23
matters relating to higher education, and [to the General Assembly] (C) 24
such recommended merger or closing shall be accepted by a majority 25
vote of both houses of the General Assembly or rejected by a majority 26
vote of either house of the General Assembly not later than one year 27
after receiving notice by the board pursuant to this subsection or the 28
adjournment of the next regular session of the General Assembly, 29
whichever is later, provided if the General Assembly fails to act, such 30
recommended merger or closing shall be deemed accepted; (6) review 31
and approve mission statements for the Connecticut State University 32
System, the regional community-technical college system and Charter 33
Oak State College and role and scope statements for the individual 34
institutions and campuses of such constituent units; (7) review and 35
approve any recommendations for the establishment of new academic 36
programs submitted to the board by the state universities within the 37
Connecticut State University System, the regional community-technical 38
colleges and Charter Oak State College, and, in consultation with the 39
affected 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 system 45
and enforce standards through licensing and accreditation; (9) prepare 46
and present to the Governor and General Assembly, in accordance with 47
section 10a-8, consolidated operating and capital expenditure budgets 48 Raised Bill No. 5113
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for the Connecticut State University System, the regional community-49
technical college system and Charter Oak State College developed in 50
accordance with the provisions of said section 10a-8; (10) review and 51
make recommendations on plans received from the Connecticut State 52
University System, the regional community-technical college system 53
and Charter Oak State College to implement the goals identified in 54
section 10a-11c; (11) appoint advisory committees with representatives 55
from public and independent institutions of higher education to study 56
methods and proposals for coordinating efforts of the public institutions 57
of higher education under its jurisdiction with The University of 58
Connecticut and the independent institutions of higher education to 59
implement the goals identified in section 10a-11c; (12) evaluate (A) 60
means of implementing the goals identified in section 10a-11c, and (B) 61
any recommendations made by the Planning Commission for Higher 62
Education in implementing the strategic master plan pursuant to section 63
10a-11b through alternative and nontraditional approaches such as 64
external degrees and credit by examination; (13) coordinate programs 65
and services among the Connecticut State University System, the 66
regional community-technical college system and Charter Oak State 67
College; (14) assess opportunities for collaboration with The University 68
of Connecticut and the independent institutions of higher education to 69
implement the goals identified in section 10a-11c; (15) make or enter into 70
contracts, leases or other agreements in connection with its 71
responsibilities under this part, provided all acquisitions of real estate 72
by lease or otherwise shall be subject to the provisions of section 4b-23; 73
(16) be responsible for the care and maintenance of permanent records74
of institutions of higher education dissolved after September 1, 1969;75
(17) prepare and present to the Governor and General Assembly76
legislative proposals affecting the Connecticut State University System,77
the regional community-technical college system and Charter Oak State78
College; (18) develop and maintain a central higher education79
information system and establish definitions and data requirements for80
the Connecticut State University System, the regional community-81
technical college system and Charter Oak State College; (19) report all82 Raised Bill No. 5113
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new programs and program changes at the Connecticut State University 83
System, the regional community-technical college system and Charter 84
Oak State College to the Office of Higher Education; and (20) undertake 85
such studies and other activities as will best serve the higher educational 86
interests of the Connecticut State University System, the regional 87
community-technical college system and Charter Oak State College. 88
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
sections:
Section 1 July 1, 2020 10a-6(a)
Statement of Purpose:
To require legislative approval for the merger or closing of institutions
within the Connecticut state colleges and universities.
[Proposed deletions are enclosed in brackets. Proposed additions are indicated by underline, except
that when the entire text of a bill or resolution or a section of a bill or resolution is new, it is not
underlined.]