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General Assembly Raised Bill No. 6403
January Session, 2021
LCO No. 2936
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 CONNECTIC UT 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repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2
2021): 3
(a) The Board of Regents for Higher Education shall: (1) Establish 4
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 Raised Bill No. 6403
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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
recommend a merger or closing of institutions within the Connecticut 17
State University System, the regional community-technical college 18
system and Charter Oak State College in accordance with criteria 19
established by the board, provided (A) such [recommended merger or 20
closing] recommendation shall require a two-thirds vote of the board, 21
[and] (B) notice of such recommended merger or closing shall be sent, 22
in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a, to the joint standing 23
committee of the General Assembly having cognizance over matters 24
relating to higher education, and [to the General Assembly] (C) such 25
recommended merger or closing shall be approved by a majority vote 26
of both houses of the General Assembly or rejected by a majority vote of 27
either house of the General Assembly not later than one year after 28
receiving notice by the board pursuant to subparagraph (A) of this 29
subdivision or the adjournment of the next regular session of the 30
General Assembly, whichever is later, provided if the General Assembly 31
fails to act, such recommended merger or closing shall be deemed 32
approved; (6) review and approve mission statements for the 33
Connecticut State University System, the regional community-technical 34
college system and Charter Oak State College and role and scope 35
statements for the individual institutions and campuses of such 36
constituent units; (7) review and approve any recommendations for the 37
establishment of new academic programs submitted to the board by the 38
state universities within the Connecticut State University System, the 39
regional community-technical colleges and Charter Oak State College, 40
and, in consultation with the affected constituent units, provide for the 41
initiation, consolidation or termination of academic programs; (8) 42
develop criteria to ensure acceptable quality in (A) programs at the 43
Connecticut State University System, the regional community-technical 44
college system and Charter Oak State College, and (B) institutions 45
within the Connecticut State University System and the regional 46
community-technical college system and enforce standards through 47
licensing and accreditation; (9) prepare and present to the Governor and 48
General Assembly, in accordance with section 10a-8, consolidated 49 Raised Bill No. 6403
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operating and capital expenditure budgets for the Connecticut State 50
University System, the regional community-technical college system 51
and Charter Oak State College developed in accordance with the 52
provisions of said section 10a-8; (10) review and make 53
recommendations on plans received from the Connecticut State 54
University System, the regional community-technical college system 55
and Charter Oak State College to implement the goals identified in 56
section 10a-11c; (11) appoint advisory committees with representatives 57
from public and independent institutions of higher education to study 58
methods and proposals for coordinating efforts of the public institutions 59
of higher education under its jurisdiction with The University of 60
Connecticut and the independent institutions of higher education to 61
implement the goals identified in section 10a-11c; (12) evaluate (A) 62
means of implementing the goals identified in section 10a-11c, and (B) 63
any recommendations made by the Planning Commission for Higher 64
Education in implementing the strategic master plan pursuant to section 65
10a-11b through alternative and nontraditional approaches such as 66
external degrees and credit by examination; (13) coordinate programs 67
and services among the Connecticut State University System, the 68
regional community-technical college system and Charter Oak State 69
College; (14) assess opportunities for collaboration with The University 70
of Connecticut and the independent institutions of higher education to 71
implement the goals identified in section 10a-11c; (15) make or enter into 72
contracts, leases or other agreements in connection with its 73
responsibilities under this part, provided all acquisitions of real estate 74
by lease or otherwise shall be subject to the provisions of section 4b-23; 75
(16) be responsible for the care and maintenance of permanent records 76
of institutions of higher education dissolved after September 1, 1969; 77
(17) prepare and present to the Governor and General Assembly 78
legislative proposals affecting the Connecticut State University System, 79
the regional community-technical college system and Charter Oak State 80
College; (18) develop and maintain a central higher education 81
information system and establish definitions and data requirements for 82
the Connecticut State University System, the regional community-83
technical college system and Charter Oak State College; (19) report all 84 Raised Bill No. 6403
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new programs and program changes at the Connecticut State University 85
System, the regional community-technical college system and Charter 86
Oak State College to the Office of Higher Education; and (20) undertake 87
such studies and other activities as will best serve the higher educational 88
interests of the Connecticut State University System, the regional 89
community-technical college system and Charter Oak State College. 90
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
sections:
Section 1 July 1, 2021 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.]