HB 1218-FN - VERSION ADOPTED BY BOTH BODIES

2022 SESSION

22-2153

04/11

HOUSE BILL 1218-FN

AN ACT relative to the merger of Granite State college with the university of New Hampshire.

SPONSORS: Rep. Ladd, Graf. 4; Rep. Hobson, Rock. 35; Rep. Shaw, Hills. 16; Rep. Umberger, Carr. 2; Rep. Moffett, Merr. 9; Rep. Cordelli, Carr. 4; Rep. Mullen, Hills. 7; Sen. Gray, Dist 6; Sen. D'Allesandro, Dist 20; Sen. Reagan, Dist 17; Sen. Ward, Dist 8; Sen. Kahn, Dist 10

COMMITTEE: Education

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ANALYSIS

This bill merges Granite state college into the university of New Hampshire.

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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.

Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]

Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

22-2153

04/11

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty Two

AN ACT relative to the merger of Granite State college with the university of New Hampshire.

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

1  Department of Education; Higher Education Commission.  Amend RSA 21-N:8-a, II(a)(1) to read as follows:

(1)  The president of the university of New Hampshire, the president of Keene state college[,] and the president of Plymouth state university[, and the president of Granite State college].

2  State College and University System; Components of the University System.  Amend RSA 187-A:2 to read as follows:

187-A:2  Components of the University System.  The university system of New Hampshire shall consist of the university of New Hampshire (including the New Hampshire college of agriculture and the mechanic arts and its other colleges, schools and divisions), the Plymouth state university, and the Keene state college[, and the Granite state college].

3  State College and University System; University of New Hampshire Colleges and Schools.  Amend RSA 187-A:4 to read as follows:

187-A:4  Colleges and Schools.  The university shall include a college of engineering and physical sciences, a college of liberal arts, a college of life sciences and agriculture, a school of business and economics, a school of health studies, a college at Manchester, a graduate school, Granite state college, and may include a school of social work and such other colleges, schools, departments and divisions as are consistent with such organization.

4  State College and University System; Other Colleges Within System.  Amend the section heading in RSA 187-A:11 to read as follows:

187-A:11 Keene State College[,] and Plymouth State University[, and Granite State College].

5  State College and University System; Other Colleges Within System.  Amend RSA 187-A:11, II-a to read as follows:

II-a.  Granite state college is established [and made a body corporate and politic and] as a division of the university [system] of New Hampshire and is authorized to award associate, baccalaureate, and masters degrees.

6  State College and University System; Trustees of University System.  Amend RSA 187-A:13, I to read as follows:

I.  [Eight] Seven ex-officio members: the governor of the state, the chancellor of the university system, the commissioner of agriculture, markets, and food, the commissioner of education, the president of the university of New Hampshire, the president of Plymouth state university, and the president of Keene state college[, the president of the Granite state college].

7  State College and University System; Authority of the Trustees.  Amend the introductory paragraph in RSA 187-A:16 and RSA 187-A:16, I to read as follows:

The trustees shall have the management and control of all the property and affairs of the university system of New Hampshire, the university of New Hampshire (including the New Hampshire college of agriculture and the mechanic arts), and all its divisions and departments, the Keene state college, and the Plymouth state university[, and the Granite state college].  They shall not change the name of the Plymouth state university[,] or the Keene state college[, or the Granite state college] nor shall they cease operating these colleges without legislative authority.  It is the intent of the general court that the trustees, when exercising their responsibilities under this chapter, recognize and foster the unique character and educational mission of each institution of the system.  To this end, the institutions are to be permitted to operate with the highest measure of autonomy and self-governance, subject to the supervision of the board of trustees.  In addition to this general authority, the trustees are authorized to:

I.  Appoint and fix the compensation of a president of the university of New Hampshire, a president of Keene state college[,]and a president of Plymouth state university[, and a president of the Granite state college], who shall be the chief academic and administrative officers of their respective institutions. The chief executive officer of each institution shall have the authority for and be responsible for the general administration and supervision of all aspects of the institutional, research and service programs of that institution.

8  State College and University System; Public Higher Education Study Committee.  Amend RSA 187-A:28-a to read as follows:

187-A:28-a  Public Higher Education Study Committee.  Educational opportunity in New Hampshire must involve all the components of education.  The general court acknowledges that education does not start or end at any particular point.  There is hereby established a permanent public higher education study committee for the state of New Hampshire.  The study committee shall be composed of 8 members and shall examine the goals, purposes, organization, and financing of public higher education in New Hampshire, and shall evaluate and make recommendations on the university of New Hampshire, Plymouth state university, Keene state college, [the Granite state college,] and the community college system of New Hampshire.

9  Motor Vehicles; Multi-use Decal Plates.  Amend RSA 261-B:9, XII to read as follows:

XII.  The university system of New Hampshire. [Granite state college,] Keene state college[,] and Plymouth state university are each authorized to issue decals, provided that all proceeds shall remain with the issuing institution and be used only for student scholarships.

10  Repeal.  RSA 187-A:11, II-a, relative to Granite state college, is repealed.

11  Effective Date.  

I.  Section 10 of this act shall take effect July 1, 2023.

II.  The remainder of this act shall take effect upon its passage.

LBA

22-2153

10/28/21

HB 1218-FN- FISCAL NOTE

AS INTRODUCED

AN ACT relative to the merger of Granite State college with the university of New Hampshire.

FISCAL IMPACT:      [ X ] State              [    ] County               [    ] Local              [    ] None

METHODOLOGY:

This bill establishes Granite State College (GSC) as a division within the University of New Hampshire (UNH) and would amend other relevant statutes to reflect attendant administrative and governance changes.  The repeal of RSA 187-A:11, II-a, specifically, which establishes GSC as “a body corporate and politic,” would be effective July 1, 2023, with the remainder of the act effective upon passage.  The fiscal impact on University System of New Hampshire (System) operations is indeterminable as a number of workstreams are being addressed concurrently (e.g., online delivery, accreditation, facilities, programming, etc.).  The System states increases to its operating expense to migrate and align GSC and UNH systems are expected in the short term, and savings and added revenue are expected in the long term with the consolidation of duplicative resources and programs and growth in online offerings once fully integrated.  Some level of “full integration” is expected by FY 2024, when GSC will no longer offer degrees on its own.  

AGENCIES CONTACTED:

University System of New Hampshire