Conference Engrossed |
State of Arizona House of Representatives Forty-sixth Legislature Second Regular Session 2004
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CHAPTER 322
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HOUSE BILL 2369 |
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AN ACT
amending section 15-1626, Arizona Revised Statutes; relating to universities.
(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:
Section 1. Section 15-1626, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:
15-1626. General administrative powers of board
A. The board shall:
1. Have and exercise the powers necessary for the effective governance and administration of the institutions under its control. To that end, the board may adopt, and authorize each university to adopt, such regulations, policies, rules or measures as are deemed necessary and may delegate in writing to its committees, to its university presidents, or their designees, or to other entities under its control, any part of its authority for the administration and governance of such institutions, including those powers enumerated in section 15‑1625, subsection B, paragraphs 2 and 4, paragraphs 3, 4, 7, 8, 10 and 11 of this subsection, and subsection B of this section. Any delegation of authority may be rescinded by the board at any time in whole or in part.
2. Appoint and employ and determine the compensation of presidents with such power and authority and for such purposes in connection with the operation of the institutions as the board deems necessary.
3. Appoint and employ and determine the compensation of vice‑presidents, deans, professors, instructors, lecturers, fellows and such other officers and employees with such power and authority and for such purposes in connection with the operation of the institutions as the board deems necessary, or delegate its authority pursuant to paragraph 1 of this subsection.
4. Remove any officer or employee when the interests of education in this state so require in accordance with its personnel rules and policies.
5. Fix tuitions and fees to be charged and graduate the tuitions and fees between institutions and between residents, nonresidents and students from foreign countries. The amount of tuition, registration fees and other revenues included in the operating budget for the university adopted by the board as prescribed in paragraph 12 of this subsection shall be deposited, pursuant to sections 35‑146 and 35‑147. All other tuition and fee revenue shall be retained by each university for expenditure as approved by the board. Except as provided in subsection H of this section, the Arizona board of regents shall adopt rules to govern its tuition and fee setting process which shall provide for the following:
(a) At least one public hearing at each university as an opportunity for students and members of the public to comment upon any proposed increase in tuition or fees.
(b) Publication of the notice of public hearing at least ten days prior to the hearing in a newspaper of general circulation in Maricopa county, Coconino county and Pima county. The notice shall include the date, time and location of the public hearing.
(c) Public disclosure by each university of any proposed increases in tuition or fees at least ten days prior to the public hearing.
(d) Final board action on changes in tuition or fees shall be taken by roll call vote. The procedural requirements of subdivisions (a), (b), (c) and (d) apply only to those changes in tuition or fees that require board approval.
6. Pursuant to section 35‑115, submit a budget request for each institution under its jurisdiction that includes the estimated tuition and fee revenue available to support the programs of the institution as described in the budget request. The estimated available tuition and fee revenue shall be based on the tuition and registration fee rates in effect at the time the budget request is submitted with adjustments for projected changes in enrollment as provided by the board.
7. Establish curriculums and designate courses at the several institutions which in its judgment will best serve the interests of this state.
8. Award such degrees and diplomas upon the completion of such courses and curriculum requirements as it deems appropriate.
9. Prescribe qualifications for admission of all students to the universities. The board shall establish policies for GUARANTEED admission that assure fair and equitable access to students in this state from public, private, charter and home schools. For the purpose of determining the qualifications of honorably discharged veterans, veterans are those who served in the armed forces for a minimum of two years and who were previously enrolled at a university or community college in this state. No prior failing grades received by the veteran at the university or community college in this state may be considered.
10. Adopt any energy conservation standards promulgated by the department of administration for the construction of new buildings.
11. Employ for such time and purposes as the board requires attorneys whose compensation shall be fixed and paid by the board. Litigation to which the board is a party and for which self‑insurance is not provided may be compromised or settled at the direction of the board.
12. Adopt annually an operating budget for each university equal to the sum of appropriated general fund monies and the amount of tuition, registration fees and other revenues approved by the board and allocated to each university operating budget.
13. In consultation with the state board of education and other education groups, develop and implement a program to award honors endorsements to be affixed to the high school diplomas of qualifying high school pupils and to be included in the transcripts of pupils who are awarded endorsements. The board shall develop application procedures and testing criteria and adopt testing instruments and procedures to administer the program. In order to receive an honors endorsement, a pupil must demonstrate an extraordinary level of knowledge, skill and competency as measured by the testing instruments adopted by the board in mathematics, English, science and social studies. Additional subjects may be added at the determination of the board. The program is voluntary for pupils.
14. Require the publisher of each literary and nonliterary textbook used in the universities of this state to furnish computer software in a standardized format when software becomes available for nonliterary textbooks, to the Arizona board of regents from which braille versions of the textbooks may be produced.
15. Require universities that provide a degree in education to require courses that are necessary to obtain a provisional structured English immersion endorsement as prescribed by the state board of education.
B. The board shall adopt personnel rules. All nonacademic employees of the universities are subject to these rules except for university presidents, university vice‑presidents, university deans, legal counsel and administrative officers. The personnel rules shall be similar to the personnel rules under section 41‑783. The rules shall include provisions for listing available positions with the department of economic security, competitive employment processes for applicants, probationary status for new nonacademic employees, nonprobationary status on successful completion of probation and due process protections of nonprobationary employees after discharge. The board shall provide notice of proposed rule adoption and an opportunity for public comment on all personnel rules proposed for adoption.
C. The Arizona board of regents may employ legal assistance in procuring loans for the institutions from the United States government. Fees or compensation paid for such legal assistance shall not be a claim upon the general fund of this state but shall be paid from funds of the institutions.
D. The board shall approve or disapprove any contract or agreement entered into by the university of Arizona hospital with the Arizona health facilities authority.
E. The board may adopt policies which authorize the institutions under its jurisdiction to enter into employment contracts with nontenured employees for periods of more than one year but not more than five years. The policies shall prescribe limitations on the authority of the institutions to enter into employment contracts for periods of more than one year but not more than five years, including the requirement that the board approve the contracts.
F. The board may adopt a plan or plans for employee benefits which allow for participation in a cafeteria plan that meets the requirements of the United States internal revenue code of 1986.
G. The board may establish a program for the exchange of students between the universities under the jurisdiction of the board and colleges and universities located in the state of Sonora, Mexico. Notwithstanding subsection A, paragraph 5 of this section, the program may provide for in‑state tuition at the universities under the jurisdiction of the board for fifty Sonoran students in exchange for similar tuition provisions for up to fifty Arizona students enrolled or seeking enrollment in Sonoran colleges or universities. The board may direct the universities to work in conjunction with the Arizona‑Mexico commission to coordinate recruitment and admissions activities.
H. Subsection A, paragraph 5, subdivision subdivisions (a), (b), (c) and (d) of this section do not apply to fee increases that are set by individual universities and that do not require approval by the Arizona board of regents before the fee increase becomes effective.
APPROVED BY THE GOVERNOR JUNE 3, 2004.
FILED IN THE OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE JUNE 3, 2004.