File No. 45

Senate, March 20, 2012

The Committee on Higher Education and Employment Advancement reported through SEN. BYE of the 5th Dist., Chairperson of the Committee on the part of the Senate, that the substitute bill ought to pass.

AN ACT CONCERNING THE SELECTION PROCESS FOR MEMBERS OF THE FACULTY ADVISORY COMMITTEE TO THE BOARD OF REGENTS FOR HIGHER EDUCATION.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:

Section 1. Section 10a-3a of the 2012 supplement to the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2012):

(a) There shall be a faculty advisory committee to the Board of Regents for Higher Education to assist the board in performing its statutory functions. The committee shall consist of the following members: Three teaching faculty members and one administrative faculty member who provides direct student services from the Connecticut State University System, three teaching faculty members and one administrative faculty member who provides direct student services from the regional community-technical college system and one teaching faculty member and one administrative faculty member who provides direct student services from Charter Oak State College. Such members shall serve a term of two years. If the membership of any such faculty member terminates, the constituent unit that elected such member shall, not later than thirty days after the membership terminates and in such manner as the council determines, elect a faculty member who shall serve for the remainder of the term.

(b) [The] Not later than October 1, 2013, the members of the committee and alternates for such members shall be elected pursuant to a uniform, fair and open system-wide election by the faculty [senates representing] governance body of each of the constituent units they are to represent and, in the case of Charter Oak State College, by a majority vote of the Academic Council at Charter Oak State College. The alternate members of the committee may serve in the absence of the regularly elected member. Nothing in this section shall be construed to require a labor union representing faculty members to participate in any election held pursuant to this subsection.

(c) The committee shall, on a rotating basis among its members, elect its own chairperson and vice-chairperson, one of whom shall be a member from the Connecticut State University System and the other of whom shall be a member from the regional community-technical colleges, and such other officers as it deems necessary, to serve for a term of two years. The committee shall be deemed to be a public agency within the scope of the Freedom of Information Act, as defined in section 1-200, and shall keep such records as may be appropriate.

(d) The committee, established pursuant to subsection (a) of this section, shall meet at least biannually with the Board of Regents for Higher Education. Agendas shall be prepared for such meetings and shall be distributed by the board prior thereto and shall consist of matters recommended for inclusion by the chairperson of the Board of Regents for Higher Education and the committee. Such meetings shall be chaired by the chairperson of the Board of Regents for Higher Education and the committee members shall have the right to participate in all discussions and deliberations, but shall not have the right to vote at such meetings.

(e) Beginning on January 1, 2012, and annually thereafter, the faculty advisory committee shall report to the joint standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to higher education and appropriations, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a, regarding the performance of its statutory functions and its biannual meetings with the Board of Regents for Higher Education.

The following Fiscal Impact Statement and Bill Analysis are prepared for the benefit of the members of the General Assembly, solely for purposes of information, summarization and explanation and do not represent the intent of the General Assembly or either chamber thereof for any purpose. In general, fiscal impacts are based upon a variety of informational sources, including the analyst's professional knowledge. Whenever applicable, agency data is consulted as part of the analysis, however final products do not necessarily reflect an assessment from any specific department.

OFA Fiscal Note

State Impact: None

Municipal Impact: None

Explanation

There is no fiscal impact to the Board of Regents for Higher Education as the bill only alters procedures for the selection of members of the faculty advisory committee.

The Out Years

State Impact: None

Municipal Impact: None

OLR Bill Analysis

sSB 42

AN ACT CONCERNING THE SELECTION PROCESS FOR MEMBERS OF THE FACULTY ADVISORY COMMITTEE TO THE BOARD OF REGENTS FOR HIGHER EDUCATION.

SUMMARY:

This bill expands, from seven members to 10, the size of the faculty advisory committee to the Board of Regents for Higher Education. It adds one administrative faculty member each from the Connecticut State University System, the community-technical colleges, and Charter Oak State College. It requires that these administrative faculty members provide direct student services. It specifies that the other committee members must be teaching faculty.

The bill also requires that committee members and alternates be elected, by October 1, 2013, through a uniform, fair, and open system-wide election by each constituent unit's faculty governance body. For Charter Oak, it requires election by a majority vote of its academic council. Current law requires a system-wide election by each constituent unit's faculty senate. Presumably, the committee's current members can serve the remainder of their terms, which by law are for two years. The bill also specifies that labor union participation in the elections is not required.

EFFECTIVE DATE: July 1, 2012

COMMITTEE ACTION

Higher Education and Employment Advancement Committee

Joint Favorable Substitute