NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL ASSEMBLY

1971 SESSION

 

 

CHAPTER 744

HOUSE BILL 780

 

 

AN ACT TO UTILIZE THE RESOURCES OF PRIVATE COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES IN EDUCATING NORTH CAROLINA STUDENTS.

 

Whereas, the private institutions of higher education in this State are currently educating approximately 25,000 North Carolinians each year; and

Whereas, if these 25,000 students were all enrolled at publicly-owned colleges and universities rather than at private institutions, the cost to the State, in current operating expenses alone, would be approximately $1,283 a year for each student at a senior college or university and approximately $750.00 for each student in the Community College System; and

Whereas, the private institutions have the facilities and personnel to provide education for additional numbers of North Carolinians; and

Whereas, many of the private institutions have, in recent years, found it increasingly difficult to meet operating expenses; and

Whereas, it is in the interest of the State that the private institutions continue to educate at least as many North Carolinians as are currently enrolled, and, if possible, a larger number, and the State should encourage and assist them to do so; Now, therefore,

 

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

 

Section 1.  In order to encourage and assist private institutions to continue to educate North Carolina students, the Board of Higher Education is hereby authorized to enter into contracts with the institutions under the terms of which an institution receiving any funds that may be appropriated pursuant to this section would agree that, during any fiscal year in which such funds were received, the institution would provide and administer scholarship funds for needy North Carolina students in an amount at least equal to the amount paid to the institution, pursuant to this section, during the fiscal year. Under the terms of the contracts the Board of Higher Education would agree to pay to the institutions, subject to the availability of funds, a fixed sum of money for each North Carolina student enrolled at the institutions for the regular academic year, said sum to be determined by appropriations that might be made from time to time by the General Assembly pursuant to this section. Funds appropriated pursuant to this section shall be paid by the Department of Administration to an institution upon recommendation of the Board of Higher Education and on certification of the institution showing the number of North Carolina students enrolled at the institution as of October 1 of any year for which funds may be appropriated.

Sec. 2.  In order to encourage and assist private institutions to educate additional numbers of North Carolinians, the Board of Higher Education is hereby authorized to enter into contracts with the institutions under the terms of which an institution receiving any funds that may be appropriated pursuant to this Section would agree that, during any fiscal year in which such funds were received, the institution would provide and administer scholarship funds for needy North Carolina students in an amount at least equal to the amount paid to the institution, pursuant to this Section, during the fiscal year. Under the terms of the contracts the Board of Higher Education would agree to pay to the institutions, subject to the availability of funds, a fixed sum of money for each North Carolina student enrolled as of October 1 of any year for which appropriated funds may be available, over and above the number of North Carolina students enrolled in that institution as of October 1, 1970, which shall be the base date for the purpose of this calculation. Funds appropriated pursuant to this Section shall be paid by the Department of Administration to an institution upon recommendation of the Board of Higher Education and on certification of the institution showing the number of North Carolina students enrolled at the institution as of October 1 of any year for which funds may be appropriated over the number enrolled on the base date. In the event funds are appropriated for expenditure pursuant to this Section and funds are also appropriated, for the same fiscal year, for expenditure pursuant to Section 1 hereof, students who are enrolled at an institution in excess of the number enrolled on the base date may be counted under this Section for the purpose of calculating the amount to be paid to the institution, but the same students may not also be counted under Section 1 hereof for the purpose of calculating payment to be made under that Section.

Sec. 3.  The Board of Higher Education is authorized to prescribe the form of the contracts to be executed under Sections 1 and 2 hereof, to require of the institutions such reports, statements and audits as the Board may deem necessary or desirable in carrying out the purposes of this act and to make any rules or regulations that will, in the opinion of the Board, help to achieve the purposes of this act.

Sec. 4.  As used in this act:

"Institution" shall mean an educational institution located in this State that is not owned or operated by the State of North Carolina or by an agency or political subdivision of the State or by any combination thereof; that is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools under the standards of the College Delegate Assembly of said Association and that is not a seminary, Bible school, Bible college or similar religious institution.

"Student" shall mean a resident of North Carolina in accordance with definitions of residency that may from time to time be adopted by the North Carolina Board of Higher Education and published in the residency manual of said Board; and a person who has not received a bachelor's degree, or qualified therefor, and who is otherwise classified as an undergraduate under such regulations as the Board of Higher Education may promulgate. The enrollment figures required by this act shall be the number of full-time-equivalent students as computed under regulations prescribed by the Board of Higher Education.

Sec. 5.  The Board of Higher Education is directed to conduct a study of the private institutions of higher education in North Carolina during the fall of 1972 in order to assess their prospects and needs as of that time and to evaluate the assistance afforded to them under this act. The Board is further directed to report its findings to the Governor and to the General Assembly of 1973 and to make such recommendations as it may deem appropriate, including recommendations as to whether the program inaugurated under this act should be continued, discontinued or modified.

Sec. 6.  This act shall become effective upon ratification.

In the General Assembly read three times and ratified, this the 5th day of July, 1971.