Sec. 10a-6. (Formerly Sec. 10-323e). Duties of the Board of Governors of Higher Education; establishment of state-wide policy for higher education.
Sec. 10a-6. (Formerly Sec. 10-323e). Duties of the Board of Governors of
Higher Education; establishment of state-wide policy for higher education. (a) The
Board of Governors of Higher Education shall: (1) Establish state-wide policy and guidelines for Connecticut's system of public higher education; (2) develop a master plan for
higher education and postsecondary education, consistent with the goals in subsection
(b) of this section; (3) establish state-wide tuition and student fee policies; (4) establish
state-wide student financial aid policies; (5) monitor and evaluate institutional effectiveness and viability in accordance with criteria established by the board; (6) merge or
close institutions in accordance with criteria established by the board provided (A) such
recommended merger or closing shall require a two-thirds vote of the board and (B)
notice of such recommended merger or closing shall be sent to the committee having
cognizance over matters relating to education and to the General Assembly; (7) review
and approve mission statements for the constituent units and role and scope statements
for the individual institutions and branches thereof; (8) review and approve any recommendations for the establishment of new academic programs submitted to the board by
the constituent unit boards of trustees, and, in consultation with the affected constituent
units, provide for the initiation, consolidation or termination of academic programs. The
Board of Governors of Higher Education shall notify the board of trustees affected by
the proposed termination of an academic program. Within ninety days of receipt of such
notice, said trustees shall accept or reject the termination proposal and shall notify the
Board of Governors of Higher Education of its action. If the termination proposal is
rejected by the trustees, the Board of Governors of Higher Education may override
the rejection by a two-thirds vote; (9) develop criteria to ensure acceptable quality in
programs and institutions and enforce standards through licensing and accreditation;
(10) prepare and present to the Governor and General Assembly, in accordance with
section 10a-8, consolidated operating and capital expenditure budgets for public higher
education developed in accordance with the provisions of said section 10a-8 and section
10a-9; (11) review and make recommendations on plans received from the constituent
unit boards of trustees for the continuing development and maximum utilization of the
state's public higher education resources; (12) appoint advisory committees to assist in
defining and suggesting solutions for the problems and needs of higher education; (13)
establish an advisory council for higher education with representatives from public and
private institutions to study methods and proposals for coordinating efforts of all such
institutions in providing a stimulating and enriched educational environment for the
citizens of the state, including measures to improve educational opportunities through
alternative and nontraditional approaches such as external degrees and credit by examination; (14) coordinate programs and services throughout public higher education and
between public and independent institutions, including procedures to evaluate the impact on independent institutions of higher education of proposals affecting public institutions of higher education; (15) make or enter into contracts, leases or other agreements
in connection with its responsibilities under this part, provided all acquisitions of real
estate by lease or otherwise shall be subject to the provisions of section 4b-23; (16) be
responsible for the care and maintenance of permanent records of institutions of higher
education dissolved after September 1, 1969; (17) prepare and present to the Governor
and General Assembly legislative proposals affecting public higher education, including
proposals which utilize programs and facilities of independent institutions of higher
education; (18) develop and maintain a central higher education information system
and establish definitions and data requirements for the state system of higher education;
and (19) undertake such studies and other activities as will best serve the higher educational interests of the state.
(b) Within the limits of authorized expenditures, the policies of the state system of
higher education shall be consistent with the following goals: (1) To ensure that no
qualified person be denied the opportunity for higher education on the basis of age, sex,
ethnic background or social, physical or economic condition, (2) to protect academic
freedom, (3) to provide opportunities for education and training related to the economic,
cultural and educational development of the state, (4) to assure the fullest possible use of
available resources in public and private institutions of higher education, (5) to maintain
standards of quality ensuring a position of national leadership for state institutions of
higher education, (6) to apply the resources of higher education to the problems of
society, and (7) to foster flexibility in the policies and institutions of higher education
to enable the system to respond to changes in the economy, society, technology and
student interests. Said board shall review recent studies of the need for higher education
services, with special attention to those completed pursuant to legislative action, and to
meet such needs shall initiate additional programs or services through one or more of
the constituent units.
(c) Repealed by P.A. 83-533, S. 53, 54.
(d) The board of governors shall request and receive, or be provided electronic
access to, data, reports and other information from the constituent units of the state
system of higher education that is necessary for the board to carry out its responsibilities
pursuant to this section.
(P.A. 77-573, S. 6, 30; P.A. 79-418; P.A. 82-218, S. 6, 46; P.A. 83-533, S. 53, 54; P.A. 84-241, S. 2, 5; P.A. 91-174,
S. 1, 16; 91-230, S. 10, 17; 91-256, S. 10, 69; P.A. 92-126, S. 5, 48; 92-154, S. 9, 23; P.A. 99-285, S. 3, 12; P.A. 04-257,
S. 13.)
History: P.A. 79-418 amended Subsec. (d) to make provisions applicable to eligible employees regardless of employment date, provisions previously applicable to eligible employees "employed on or after October 1, 1975"; P.A. 82-218
repealed authority of board of higher education in Subsec. (a) and delineated powers and duties of board of governors and
repealed Subsec. (c) which contained elements of a master plan for higher education, reflecting reorganization of state
system of higher education, effective March 1, 1983; Sec. 10-323e transferred to Sec. 10a-6 in 1983; P.A. 83-533 repealed
former Subsec. (c) which had permitted board to authorize participation in an alternate retirement program by unclassified
employees of state system of higher education and higher education department staff; P.A. 84-241 added "of higher
education" to board of governors' title; P.A. 91-174 amended Subsec. (a) by adding the language in Subdivs. (15) and (18)
pertaining to independent institutions; P.A. 91-230 deleted Subsec. (a)(11) re responsibility for reviewing and approving
capital expenditure requests from the constituent units before submission to the state bond commission, renumbered remaining Subdivs. and in newly renumbered Subdiv. (11) changed "approve" to "make recommendations on"; P.A. 91-256 in Subsec. (a)(12) changed "approve" to "make recommendations on"; P.A. 92-126 and P.A. 92-154 both amended
Subsec. (a)(6) to remove the authority of the general assembly to accept or reject a recommended merger or closing; P.A.
99-285 added Subsec. (d) re electronic access, effective July 1, 1999; P.A. 04-257 made a technical change in Subsec. (d),
effective June 14, 2004.
Annotation to former section 10-323e:
Cited. 175 C. 586.