HB897: Higher educational institutions, public; six-year plans submitted by governing board, report.


VIRGINIA ACTS OF ASSEMBLY -- CHAPTER
An Act to amend and reenact § 23.1-306 of the Code of Virginia, relating to governing boards of public institutions of higher education; six-year plans.
[H 897]
Approved

 

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That § 23.1-306 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:

§ 23.1-306. Public institutions of higher education; six-year plans.

A. The governing board of each public institution of higher education shall (i) develop and adopt biennially in odd-numbered years and amend or affirm annually biennially in even-numbered years a six-year plan for the institution; (ii) submit a preliminary version of such plan to the Council, the General Assembly, the Governor, and the Chairmen of the House Committee on Appropriations, the House Committee on Education, the Senate Committee on Education and Health, and the Senate Committee on Finance no later than July 1 of each odd-numbered year; and (iii) submit preliminary amendments to or an a preliminary affirmation of that each such plan no later than July 1 of each even-numbered year or at any other time permitted by the Governor or General Assembly to the Council, the General Assembly, the Governor, and the Chairmen of the House Committee on Appropriations, the House Committee on Education, the Senate Committee on Education and Health, and the Senate Committee on Finance no later than July 1 of each even-numbered year. Each such preliminary plan and preliminary amendment to or preliminary affirmation of such plan shall include a report of the institution's active contributions to efforts to stimulate the economic development of the Commonwealth, the area in which the institution is located, and, for those institutions subject to a management agreement set forth in Article 4 (§ 23.1-1004 et seq.) of Chapter 10, the areas that lag behind the Commonwealth in terms of income, employment, and other factors. Each such preliminary plan and preliminary amendment to or preliminary affirmation of such plan shall be submitted as a report document as provided in the procedures of the Division of Legislative Automated Systems for the processing of legislative documents and reports. No such preliminary plan, amendments, or affirmation shall be posted on the General Assembly's website.

B. The Secretary of Finance, the Secretary of Education, the Director of the Department of Planning and Budget, the Director of the Council, the Staff Director of the House Committee on Appropriations, and the Staff Director of the Senate Committee on Finance, or their designees, shall review each institution's preliminary plan or, amendments, or affirmation and provide comments to the institution on such plan or, amendments, or affirmation by September 1 of the relevant year. Each institution shall respond to any such comments by October 1 of that year and submit a finalized version of such plan, amendments, or affirmation to the Council, the General Assembly, the Governor, and the Chairmen of the House Committee on Appropriations, the House Committee on Education, the Senate Committee on Education and Health, and the Senate Committee on Finance no later than December 1 of that year. Each such finalized version shall be submitted as a report document as provided in the procedures of the Division of Legislative Automated Systems for the processing of legislative documents and reports and shall be posted on the General Assembly's website.

C. Each plan shall be structured in accordance with, and be consistent with, the objective and purposes of this chapter set forth in § 23.1-301 and the criteria developed pursuant to § 23.1-309 and shall be in a form and manner prescribed by the Council, in consultation with the Secretary of Finance, the Secretary of Education, the Director of the Department of Planning and Budget, the Director of the Council, the Staff Director of the House Committee on Appropriations, and the Staff Director of the Senate Committee on Finance, or their designees.

D. Each six-year plan shall (i) address the institution's academic, financial, and enrollment plans, including the number of Virginia and non-Virginia students, for the six-year period; (ii) indicate the planned use of any projected increase in general fund, tuition, or other nongeneral fund revenues; (iii) be based upon any assumptions provided by the Council, following consultation with the Department of Planning and Budget and the staffs of the House Committee on Appropriations and the Senate Committee on Finance, for funding relating to state general fund support pursuant to §§ 23.1-303, 23.1-304, and 23.1-305 and subdivision 9; (iv) be aligned with the institution's six-year enrollment projections; and (v) include:

1. Financial planning reflecting the institution's anticipated level of general fund, tuition, and other nongeneral fund support for each year of the next biennium;

2. The institution's anticipated annual tuition and educational and general fee charges required by (i) degree level and (ii) domiciliary status, as provided in § 23.1-307;

3. Plans for providing financial aid to help mitigate the impact of tuition and fee increases on low-income and middle-income students and their families as described in subdivision 9, including the projected mix of grants and loans;

4. Degree conferral targets for undergraduate Virginia students;

5. Plans for optimal year-round use of the institution's facilities and instructional resources;

6. Plans for the development of an instructional resource-sharing program with other public institutions of higher education and private institutions of higher education;

7. Plans with regard to any other incentives set forth in § 23.1-305 or any other matters the institution deems appropriate;

8. The identification of (i) new programs or initiatives including quality improvements and (ii) institution-specific funding based on particular state policies or institution-specific programs, or both, as provided in subsection C of § 23.1-307; and

9. An institutional student financial aid commitment that, in conjunction with general funds appropriated for that purpose, provides assistance to students from both low-income and middle-income families and takes into account the information and recommendations resulting from the review of federal and state financial aid programs and institutional practices conducted pursuant to subdivisions B 2 and C 1 of § 23.1-309.

E. In developing such plans, each public institution of higher education shall consider potential future impacts of tuition increases on the Virginia College Savings Plan and ABLE Savings Trust Accounts (§ 23.1-700 et seq.) and shall discuss such potential impacts with the Virginia College Savings Plan. The chief executive officer of the Virginia College Savings Plan shall provide to each institution the Plan's assumptions underlying the contract pricing of the program.

HOUSE BILL NO. 897

Offered January 10, 2018
Prefiled January 9, 2018
A BILL to amend and reenact § 23.1-306 of the Code of Virginia, relating to governing boards of public institutions of higher education; six-year plans.
Patron-- Landes

Committee Referral Pending

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That § 23.1-306 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:

§ 23.1-306. Public institutions of higher education; six-year plans.

A. The governing board of each public institution of higher education shall (i) develop and adopt biennially in odd-numbered years and amend or affirm annually biennially in even-numbered years a six-year plan for the institution; (ii) submit a preliminary version of such plan to the Council, the General Assembly, the Governor, and the Chairmen of the House Committee on Appropriations, the House Committee on Education, the Senate Committee on Education and Health, and the Senate Committee on Finance no later than July 1 of each odd-numbered year; and (iii) submit preliminary amendments to or an a preliminary affirmation of that each such plan no later than July 1 of each even-numbered year or at any other time permitted by the Governor or General Assembly to the Council, the General Assembly, the Governor, and the Chairmen of the House Committee on Appropriations, the House Committee on Education, the Senate Committee on Education and Health, and the Senate Committee on Finance no later than July 1 of each even-numbered year. Each such preliminary plan and preliminary amendment to or preliminary affirmation of such plan shall include a report of the institution's active contributions to efforts to stimulate the economic development of the Commonwealth, the area in which the institution is located, and, for those institutions subject to a management agreement set forth in Article 4 (§ 23.1-1004 et seq.) of Chapter 10, the areas that lag behind the Commonwealth in terms of income, employment, and other factors. Each such preliminary plan and preliminary amendment to or preliminary affirmation of such plan shall be submitted as a report document as provided in the procedures of the Division of Legislative Automated Systems for the processing of legislative documents and reports. No such preliminary plan, amendments, or affirmation shall be posted on the General Assembly's website.

B. The Secretary of Finance, the Secretary of Education, the Director of the Department of Planning and Budget, the Director of the Council, the Staff Director of the House Committee on Appropriations, and the Staff Director of the Senate Committee on Finance, or their designees, shall review each institution's preliminary plan or, amendments, or affirmation and provide comments to the institution on such plan or, amendments, or affirmation by September 1 of the relevant year. Each institution shall respond to any such comments by October 1 of that year and submit a finalized version of such plan, amendments, or affirmation to the Council, the General Assembly, the Governor, and the Chairmen of the House Committee on Appropriations, the House Committee on Education, the Senate Committee on Education and Health, and the Senate Committee on Finance no later than December 1 of that year. Each such finalized version shall be submitted as a report document as provided in the procedures of the Division of Legislative Automated Systems for the processing of legislative documents and reports and shall be posted on the General Assembly's website.

C. Each plan shall be structured in accordance with, and be consistent with, the objective and purposes of this chapter set forth in § 23.1-301 and the criteria developed pursuant to § 23.1-309 and shall be in a form and manner prescribed by the Council, in consultation with the Secretary of Finance, the Secretary of Education, the Director of the Department of Planning and Budget, the Director of the Council, the Staff Director of the House Committee on Appropriations, and the Staff Director of the Senate Committee on Finance, or their designees.

D. Each six-year plan shall (i) address the institution's academic, financial, and enrollment plans, including the number of Virginia and non-Virginia students, for the six-year period; (ii) indicate the planned use of any projected increase in general fund, tuition, or other nongeneral fund revenues; (iii) be based upon any assumptions provided by the Council, following consultation with the Department of Planning and Budget and the staffs of the House Committee on Appropriations and the Senate Committee on Finance, for funding relating to state general fund support pursuant to §§ 23.1-303, 23.1-304, and 23.1-305 and subdivision 9; (iv) be aligned with the institution's six-year enrollment projections; and (v) include:

1. Financial planning reflecting the institution's anticipated level of general fund, tuition, and other nongeneral fund support for each year of the next biennium;

2. The institution's anticipated annual tuition and educational and general fee charges required by (i) degree level and (ii) domiciliary status, as provided in § 23.1-307;

3. Plans for providing financial aid to help mitigate the impact of tuition and fee increases on low-income and middle-income students and their families as described in subdivision 9, including the projected mix of grants and loans;

4. Degree conferral targets for undergraduate Virginia students;

5. Plans for optimal year-round use of the institution's facilities and instructional resources;

6. Plans for the development of an instructional resource-sharing program with other public institutions of higher education and private institutions of higher education;

7. Plans with regard to any other incentives set forth in § 23.1-305 or any other matters the institution deems appropriate;

8. The identification of (i) new programs or initiatives including quality improvements and (ii) institution-specific funding based on particular state policies or institution-specific programs, or both, as provided in subsection C of § 23.1-307; and

9. An institutional student financial aid commitment that, in conjunction with general funds appropriated for that purpose, provides assistance to students from both low-income and middle-income families and takes into account the information and recommendations resulting from the review of federal and state financial aid programs and institutional practices conducted pursuant to subdivisions B 2 and C 1 of § 23.1-309.

E. In developing such plans, each public institution of higher education shall consider potential future impacts of tuition increases on the Virginia College Savings Plan and ABLE Savings Trust Accounts (§ 23.1-700 et seq.) and shall discuss such potential impacts with the Virginia College Savings Plan. The chief executive officer of the Virginia College Savings Plan shall provide to each institution the Plan's assumptions underlying the contract pricing of the program.