Title 23.1. Institutions of Higher Education; Other Educational and Cultural Institutions
Chapter 10. Restructured Higher Education Financial and Administrative Operations Act
§ 23.1-1007. Management agreement; duration and oversight.
A. Each initial management agreement shall remain in effect for a period of three years. Subsequent management agreements shall remain in effect for a period of five years.
B. If an existing management agreement is not renewed or a new management agreement is not executed prior to the expiration date, the existing agreement shall remain in effect on a provisional basis for a period not to exceed one year. If, after the expiration of the provisional one-year period, the management agreement has not been renewed or a new agreement has not been executed, the public institution of higher education shall not exercise such restructured operational authority until it enters into a new management agreement with the Commonwealth.
C. The Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission, in cooperation with the Auditor of Public Accounts, shall review, for at least the first 24 months from the effective date of the management agreement, the level of compliance with the expressed terms of the management agreement, the degree to which the covered institution has demonstrated its ability to manage successfully the administrative and financial operations of the institution without jeopardizing the financial integrity and stability of the institution, the degree to which the covered institution is meeting the state goals set forth in subsection A of § 23.1-1002, and any impact that the management agreement has had on students and employees of the covered institution. The Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission shall make a written report of its review no later than June 30 of the third year of the management agreement. The Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission may conduct a similar review of any management agreement entered into subsequent to the initial agreement.
D. The Auditor of Public Accounts or his legally authorized representatives shall audit annually accounts of all covered institutions and shall distribute copies of each annual audit to the Governor and to the Chairmen of the House Committee on Appropriations and the Senate Committee on Finance and Appropriations. Pursuant to § 30-133, the Auditor of Public Accounts and his legally authorized representatives shall examine annually the accounts and books of each such institution, but no covered institution shall be deemed a state or governmental agency, advisory agency, public body, or agency or instrumentality for purposes of Chapter 14 (§ 30-130 et seq.) of Title 30 except for those provisions in such chapter that relate to requirements for financial recordkeeping and bookkeeping. Each covered institution is subject to such other reviews and audits as are required by law.
E. If the Governor makes a written determination that the covered institution is not in substantial compliance with the terms of the management agreement or with the requirements of this chapter, he shall provide a copy of that written determination to the chairman or rector of the governing board of the covered institution and to the General Assembly, and the covered institution shall develop and implement a plan of corrective action. The covered institution shall provide a copy of such corrective action plan to the Governor and General Assembly. If the Governor determines that the covered institution is not yet in substantial compliance with the management agreement or the requirements of this chapter after a reasonable period of time following the implementation of the corrective action plan, the Governor may void the management agreement and the institution's status as a covered institution shall terminate and it shall not exercise such restructured operational authority until the institution enters into a subsequent management agreement with the Cabinet Secretary designated by the Governor or the voided management agreement is reinstated by the General Assembly.
F. An institution's status as a covered institution may be revoked by an act of the General Assembly if the institution fails to meet the requirements of this article or the management agreement.
2005, cc. 933, 945, §§ 23-38.88, 23-38.94. 23-38.98; 2006, c. 775; 2009, cc. 827, 845; 2011, cc. 828, 869; 2013, c. 482; 2014, c. 628; 2016, c. 588.