(a) The Office of Higher Education shall, in addition to its other powers and duties and in consultation with the Connecticut Campus Compact for Student Community Service established pursuant to subsection (c) of this section, provide for a comprehensive, coordinated and state-wide system of college and university community service programs designed to assist in the identification and solution of community problems in urban, suburban and rural areas, and, as a part thereof, shall (1) identify problems, matters or areas relevant to the interests and welfare of the citizens of the state which it deems should be made the subject of community service programs, (2) support community service programs regarding such problems, matters or areas through any public or private institution of higher education in the state, through any combination of such institutions, and through any joint, collective, regional, representative or other organization established by such institutions or by professional staff members designated by such institutions, (3) provide an information service about community service programs in institutions of higher education in the state, (4) publish such documents as will, in its judgment, further its activities, and (5) in consultation with institutions of higher education in the state, develop a plan to improve the integration of student community service programs with academic course offerings and submit the plan to the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to education not later than June 30, 1991.

(b) The office may expend its appropriations and receipts received for the purpose of initiating and supporting community service programs by means of contracts, grants or other arrangements which it deems effective and appropriate, provided nothing in this section or section 10a-48a shall prevent the Office of Higher Education from accepting volunteer services or receiving and expending federal or private funds for purposes of this section and section 10a-48a.

(c) There is established a Connecticut Campus Compact for Student Community Service to review opportunities and initiatives for, and develop plans to encourage and support, student community service programs at institutions of higher education in the state or which involve cooperation and coordination among such institutions. The compact shall be composed of the chief executive officer or president of each public and independent institution of higher education in the state and the executive director of the Office of Higher Education, or their designees. On or before October 1, 1989, and at least annually thereafter, the executive director of the Office of Higher Education shall convene the members of the compact.

(1967, P.A. 585, S. 6, 7; P.A. 73-281, S. 3, 7; P.A. 77-573, S. 24, 30; P.A. 82-218, S. 37, 46; P.A. 84-241, S. 2, 5; P.A. 89-40, S. 1, 2; P.A. 90-339, S. 1, 6; P.A. 91-208, S. 3, 11; P.A. 96-88, S. 4, 9; P.A. 11-48, S. 285; P.A. 12-156, S. 40.)

History: P.A. 73-281 substituted commission for higher education for Connecticut commission on aid to higher education in Subsec. (a) and substituted “received for the purpose of initiating and supporting” for “to initiate and support”; P.A. 77-573 replaced commission for higher education with board of higher education; P.A. 82-218 replaced board of higher education with board of governors pursuant to reorganization of higher education system, effective March 1, 1983; Sec. 10-334e transferred to Sec. 10a-48 in 1983; P.A. 84-241 added “of higher education” to board of governors' title; P.A. 89-40 added new Subsec. (c) establishing a campus compact for student community service and provided in Subsec. (a) that the board of governors of higher education consult with the compact in providing a state-wide system of community service programs; P.A. 90-339 added Subsec. (a)(5) re plan to improve integration of student community service programs with academic course offerings; P.A. 91-208 in Subsec. (b) added provision for acceptance of volunteer services and for receiving and expending federal and private funds; P.A. 96-88 deleted provision in Subsec. (a)(4) that publication of documents by board shall not be subject to provisions of repealed Sec. 4a-68, effective July 1, 1996; pursuant to P.A. 11-48, “Board of Governors of Higher Education” and “Department of Higher Education” were changed editorially by the Revisors to “Board of Regents for Higher Education”, and “Commissioner of Higher Education” was changed editorially by the Revisors to “president of the Board of Regents for Higher Education”, effective July 1, 2011; P.A. 12-156 replaced references to Board of Regents for Higher Education with references to Office of Higher Education and replaced references to president of Board of Regents for Higher Education with references to executive director of Office of Higher Education, effective June 15, 2012.