Derek Slap

SEN. SLAP LEADS SENATE PASSAGE OF LEGISLATION ALLOWING COMMUNITY COLLEGE CAMPUSES TO RETAIN FOUNDATIONS

Today, State Senator Derek Slap (D-West Hartford) led the State Senate in its approval of legislation that would allow community college campuses in Connecticut to retain or create foundations, non-profit organizations using private funds for support efforts, amid the merger of state community-technical colleges into campuses of the Connecticut State Community College.

Senate Bill 1106, “An Act Concerning The Foundations Of The Regional Community-Technical Colleges,” will allow campuses with existing foundations to retain them and campuses without existing foundations to establish new ones, as well as allow campus presidents or chief executive officers to serve on those foundations’ boards. Currently, several community technical colleges have foundations. Foundations will continue to receive audits and campus CEOs will be able to audit finances when necessary.

“As the CSCU merger continues, we need to ensure our community college campuses can retain the resources they already have. This bill allows each campus to retain its own independent foundation, ensuring funds are not combined into one foundation for the entire system,” said Sen. Slap. “Students receiving financial aid and programs providing services at community and technical colleges need assurance that their finances will not be impacted amid the merger, and this bill retains not only foundations but important oversight of their financial practices.”

Existing law, which is unchanged by the bill, limits foundations to only fund scholarships/direct student financial aid or programs, services or activities at their respective institution.

CSCU President Terrence Cheng and Manchester Community College Foundation President Peter Grose endorsed the bill in submitted testimony.

The bill passed the Higher Education and Employment Advancement Committee by a unanimous 22-0 vote. It now moves to the House for further consideration.