Researcher: MGS Page 1 3/15/22
OLR Bill Analysis
sSB 18
AN ACT CONCERNING VARIOUS REVISIONS TO THE HIGHER
EDUCATION STATUTES.
SUMMARY
This bill requires public Connecticut higher education institutions to
adopt a policy requiring new governing board members to complete
specified training within a year after their appointment or election to the
board. The bill establishes the required instruction and training topics,
which include financial, legal and ethical, and institutional operation
training topics, among others. By January 1, 2023, each institution must
post on its website the training policy and a summary of the instruction
and training board members received.
Additionally, the bill requires the Board of Regents for Higher
Education (BOR) to make the Connecticut State Colleges and
Universities (CSCU) central office a separate line item in its consolidated
operating budget (see COMMENT). It also makes several conforming
and technical changes.
EFFECTIVE DATE: July 1, 2022
§ 1 — GOVERNING BOARD TRAINING
The bill requires BOR and the UConn Board of Trustees (BOT) to each
adopt a policy by January 1, 2023, that requires new governing board
members to receive instruction and training on the topics listed in Table
1 within the first year of their appointment or election.
Table 1: Training Topics for BOR and UConn BOT Members
Board Operations and Member Duties
A board member’s duties to the state and the institution
Each board committee and its functions, including the executive committee 2022SB-00018-R000009-BA.DOCX
Researcher: MGS Page 2 3/15/22
Financial Matters
Professional accounting and reporting standards
Business operations, administration, budgeting, financing, financial reporting,
financial reserves, and endowment management for higher education institutions
Institutional advancement, including philanthropic giving, and fundraising initiatives
Legal and Ethical Matters
Methods for meeting the board’s statutory, regulatory, and fiduciary obligations
State Freedom of Information Act
A board member’s institutional and statutory ethical responsibilities
Institutional Operations
Development and implementation of institutional policies
Oversight of planning, construction, maintenance, expansion, and renovation
projects that impact the institution’s infrastructure, physical facilities, and natural
environment
Workforce planning, strategy, and investment
Alumni programming, communications and media, government and public relations,
and community affairs
Student Issues
Tuition, mandatory fees, and student debt trends
Student welfare issues, including academic studies, curriculum, residence life,
student governance and activities, and general physical and mental well-being
General Higher Education Issues
Current and anticipated higher education issues
Other topics each governing board deems necessary
§§ 2-4 — BOR BUDGETING PROCESS
The bill requires BOR to make the CSCU central office a separate line
item in the consolidated operating budget that it submits to the Office
of Policy and Management (OPM) (see BACKGROUND ; see
COMMENT). Under current law, the budget is itemized by the 2022SB-00018-R000009-BA.DOCX
Researcher: MGS Page 3 3/15/22
Connecticut State University System, regional community-technical
college system, and Charter Oak State College. Additionally, the bill
conforms law to practice by requiring any tuition increase proposed by
Charter Oak State College for the fiscal year covered by the budget to be
included in the single higher education budget that BOR submits.
The bill also exempts central office appropriations from the same
statutory limits on allotment reductions (i.e., rescissions) that apply to
the public colleges and universities under existing law.
COMMENT
Missing Conforming Change
Existing law requires BOR to prepare and present to the governor and
legislature consolidated operating and capital expenditure budgets for
the Connecticut State University System, the regional community-
technical college system and Charter Oak State College, developed
according to the requirements for the budget it must submit to OPM
(CGS § 10a-6(a)(9)). This provision is missing a conforming change
adding the CSCU central office to the consolidated operating budget.
BACKGROUND
BOR Budget Preparation
By law, BOR must develop either a formula or program-based
budgeting system for each institution to use when preparing its
requested operating budgets. After reviewing and commenting on their
budget requests, BOR incorporates them into a single budget request to
submit to the OPM secretary that is itemized by the state university
system, regional community-technical college system, and Charter Oak
State College. The request has a proposed expenditure plan that
includes the (1) total appropriation requested from the legislature, (2)
amount to be appropriated from the General Fund, and (3) amount to
be paid from tuition revenues (including any proposed tuition
increases) (CGS §10a-8(a)).
COMMITTEE ACTION
Higher Education and Employment Advancement Committee 2022SB-00018-R000009-BA.DOCX
Researcher: MGS Page 4 3/15/22
Joint Favorable Substitute
Yea 20 Nay 3 (03/03/2022)