AN ACT CONCERNING COURSE ENROLLMENT FEE WAIVERS FOR CERTAIN VETERANS AND MEMBERS OF THE NATIONAL GUARD ENROLLED AT CHARTER OAK STATE COLLEGE.

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

Section 1. Section 10a-143 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2011):

(a) The Board of Governors of Higher Education, in concert with the state's institutions of higher education, shall study, develop and coordinate the implementation of new methods of awarding undergraduate degrees and college credits including, but not limited to: (1) External degrees awarded on the basis of acceptable performance in an educational field whether or not the necessary education was obtained by the candidate at an institution of higher education, and (2) examinations and methods other than classroom instruction for determining qualifications. On or before July 1, 1993, each constituent unit of the state system of higher education shall establish procedures to award college credits pursuant to this subsection and subsection (e) of this section.

(b) The Board of Governors of Higher Education shall promulgate regulations to authorize accredited institutions of higher education to award degrees by such new procedures.

(c) There shall continue to be a Board for State Academic Awards which shall be an independent constituent unit of the state system of higher education with authority to grant undergraduate and graduate credits and degrees on the basis of (1) examinations, (2) courses offered by Charter Oak State College, and (3) other forms of evaluation and validation of learning including transfer of credit. Said board is authorized to use the term "Charter Oak State College" on diplomas and other documents and utterances to affirm the status of the board as a degree-granting institution of higher education. It shall be the responsibility of the board to serve the interest of all Connecticut residents by providing open access to academic credentials which are based on a consensus of professional judgment. The purpose of such credentials shall be to identify and give recognition to higher learning acquired by individuals through independent study, work experience and programs of noncollegiate educational activity.

(d) The Board for State Academic Awards shall consist of nine persons, eight to be appointed by the Governor, who shall reflect the state's geographic, racial and ethnic diversity; one of whom shall be an alumnus of Charter Oak State College; and one to be elected by the students enrolled in Charter Oak State College. On or before July 1, 1983, the Governor shall appoint two members of the board for a term of two years from said date, two members for a term of four years from said date and one member for a term of six years from said date. On or before July 1, 1984, the Governor shall appoint one member for a term of three years from said date. On or before July 1, 1996, the Governor shall appoint two members, one for a term of five years from said date and one for a term of one year from said date. Thereafter the Governor shall appoint members of said board to succeed those appointees whose terms expire, such members to serve for terms of six years each from July first in the year of their appointment. On or before November 1, 1984, and biennially thereafter, the students enrolled with the board shall, in such manner as the board shall determine, elect one member of the board, who shall serve for a term of two years from November first in the year of his election. No member of said board, appointed by the Governor, shall be an employee of an institution of postsecondary or higher education. No member who has served consecutively for two full terms or portions thereof may again be appointed until two years have passed. The Governor shall, pursuant to section 4-9a, appoint the chairperson of the board. The board shall, annually, elect from its members such other officers as it deems necessary. The Governor shall fill any vacancies in the membership of said board by appointment for the balance of the unexpired term. The members of said board shall receive no compensation for their services as such but shall be reimbursed for their necessary expenses in the course of their duties. The board shall meet at least once during each calendar quarter and at such other times as the chairperson deems necessary or upon the request of a majority of members in office. Any member who fails to attend three consecutive meetings or who fails to attend fifty per cent of all meetings held during any calendar year shall be deemed to have resigned from office.

(e) (1) The Board for State Academic Awards shall develop and implement programs to improve opportunities in higher education through alternative modes of service, including, but not limited to, guidance and information services, registration and validation services, examination and degree-granting services, technological delivery systems, and projects of research and development. With respect to its own operation the board may appoint and remove an executive director, who shall be the chief academic and administrative officer, and a professional academic staff. The board may determine the size of the academic staff and the duties, terms, and conditions of employment of said director and staff subject to personnel guidelines established by the Board of Governors of Higher Education in consultation with the Board for State Academic Awards. The board shall establish through appointments on an adjunct basis a faculty of consulting examiners to make recommendations as to requirements and standards of the board's programs and to make recommendations for the award of academic undergraduate and graduate credits and degrees. Persons serving as members of the faculty of consulting examiners shall have appropriate professional qualifications as determined by the board and may hold professional appointments in active status at accredited institutions of postsecondary or higher learning. Within the limit of appropriations, the board shall fix the compensation of persons serving with adjunct appointment as members of the faculty of consulting examiners. The board shall confer such undergraduate and graduate certificates and degrees as are appropriate to programs of postsecondary and higher learning and in accordance with the recommendations of the board's faculty of consulting examiners on the basis of (A) examinations, (B) courses offered by Charter Oak State College, and (C) other forms of validation and evaluation of learning, including transfer of credit. The board shall assist public institutions of higher education in establishing and implementing procedures to award college credits pursuant to subsection (a) of this section.

(2) The Board for State Academic Awards shall develop a mission statement which shall include, but not be limited to, the following elements: (A) The educational needs of, and constituencies served by the board; (B) the degrees offered by the board; and (C) the role and scope of the programs offered by the board. The board shall submit the mission statement to the Board of Governors of Higher Education for review and approval in accordance with the provisions of section 10a-6.

(f) The Advisory Council for Higher Education established in accordance with subdivision (13) of subsection (a) of section 10a-6 shall be the advisory council for the board.

(g) The board shall fix fees for examinations and for such other purposes as the board deems necessary and may make refunds and other disposition of same as provided by law or regulation. The board may make contracts, leases or other agreements in connection with its responsibilities.

(h) The Board for State Academic Awards shall establish and administer a fund to be known as the Board for State Academic Awards Operating Fund, which shall be a separate account within the General Fund. The operating fund shall be used for the expenses of the board, including personnel expenses and equipment, and for the support of board activities pursuant to this section, including validation and evaluation of learning, guidance and public information services, projects of research and development for the improvement of learning materials and the technology of delivery systems, and for the purchase of such services, materials and equipment as are required for use in connection with said activities. Appropriations from general revenues of the state, all fees and proceeds of the board's activities, including grants and donations, not required by statute or regulation to be deposited to the credit of the General Fund, shall be credited to and become a part of the resources of said operating fund. Any balance of receipts above expenditures shall remain in said operating fund.

(i) The Board for State Academic Awards shall promote fund-raising to assist its programs pursuant to this section and shall report to the Commissioner of Higher Education and the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to education by January 1, 1994, and biennially thereafter, on such fund-raising.

(j) (1) The Board for State Academic Awards shall waive the payment of course enrollment fees at Charter Oak State College, (A) subject to the provisions of subdivisions (2) and (3) of this subsection, for any veteran who (i) performed service in time of war, as defined in subsection (a) of section 27-103, except that for purposes of this subdivision, "service in time of war" shall not include time spent in attendance at a military service academy, (ii) has been accepted for admission to Charter Oak State College, and (iii) is domiciled in this state at the time such veteran is accepted for admission to Charter Oak State College, and (B) for any active member of the Connecticut Army or Air National Guard who (i) has been certified by the Adjutant General or the Adjutant General's designee as a member in good standing of the guard, and (ii) is enrolled or accepted for admission to Charter Oak State College on a full-time or part-time basis in a degree-granting program. If any person who receives a course enrollment fee waiver in accordance with the provisions of this subdivision also receives educational reimbursement from an employer, such waiver shall be reduced by the amount of such educational reimbursement. Veterans and members of the National Guard described in this subdivision shall be given the same status as students not receiving course enrollment fee waivers in registering for courses at Charter Oak State College. Notwithstanding the provisions of section 10a-30, as used in this subsection, "domiciled in this state" includes domicile for less than one year.

(2) If any veteran described in subdivision (1) of this subsection has applied for federal educational assistance under the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008, the Board for State Academic Awards shall waive the payment of course enrollment fees at Charter Oak State College for such veteran in accordance with subdivision (3) of this subsection. If any such veteran certifies to said board that such veteran's application for such federal educational assistance has been denied or withdrawn, said board shall waive the payment of course enrollment fees in accordance with subdivision (1) of this subsection.

(3) (A) For purposes of this subdivision, "veteran course enrollment fee benefit" means the portion of federal educational assistance under the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008 to be paid to Charter Oak State College on behalf of a veteran described in subdivision (1) of this subsection that represents payment for course enrollment fees. Such portion shall be calculated by multiplying (i) the total amount of federal educational assistance to be paid to Charter Oak State College on behalf of such veteran by (ii) an amount obtained by dividing (I) the actual course enrollment fees charged by Charter Oak State College to such veteran by (II) the sum of the actual course enrollment fees and other fees charged by Charter Oak State College to such veteran.

(B) Said board shall waive the payment of course enrollment fees in excess of the veteran course enrollment fee benefit at Charter Oak State College for such veteran.

Statement of Legislative Commissioners:

In section 1(j)(1)(A), designators were inserted for clarity.