The board of trustees of a community college district may:

(A) Own and operate a community college, pursuant to an official plan prepared and approved in accordance with section 3354.07 of the Revised Code, or enter into a contract with a generally accredited public university or college for operation of such community college by such university or college pursuant to an official plan prepared and approved in accordance with section 3354.07 of the Revised Code;

(B) Hold, encumber, control, acquire by donation, purchase, or condemnation, construct, own, lease, use, and sell real and personal property as is necessary for the conduct of the program of the community college on whatever terms and for whatever consideration may be appropriate for the purpose of the college;

(C) Accept gifts, grants, bequests, and devises absolutely or in trust for support of the college during the existence of the college;

(D) Appoint the administrative officers, faculty, and staff, necessary and proper for such community college, and fix their compensation except in instances in which the board of trustees has delegated such powers to a college or university operating such community college pursuant to a contract entered into by the board of trustees of the district;

(E) Provide for a community college necessary lands, buildings or other structures, equipment, means, and appliances;

(F) Develop and adopt, pursuant to the official plan, the curricular programs identified in section 3354.01 of the Revised Code as arts and sciences programs and technical programs, or either. Such programs may include adult-education programs.

(G) Except as provided in sections 3333.17 and 3333.32 of the Revised Code, establish schedules of fees and tuition for students who are residents of the district, residents of Ohio but not of the district, and students who are nonresidents of Ohio. The establishment of rules governing the determination of residence shall be subject to approval of the chancellor of higher education. Students who are nonresidents of Ohio shall be required to pay higher rates of fees and tuition than the rates required of students who are residents of Ohio but not of the district, and students who are residents of the district shall pay a smaller tuition and fee rate than the rate for either category of nonresident students.

(H) Authorize, approve, ratify, or confirm any agreement relating to any such community college with the United States government, acting through any agency of such government designated or created to aid in the financing of such projects, or with any person or agency offering grants in aid in financing such educational facilities or the operation of such facilities except as prohibited in division (K) of this section.

Such agreement may include a provision for repayment of advances, grants, or loans made to any community college district from funds which may become available to it.

When the United States government or its agent makes a grant of money to any community college district to aid in paying the cost of any projects of such district, or enters into an agreement with the community college district for the making of any such grant of money, the amount thereof is deemed appropriated for such purpose by the community college district and is deemed in process of collection within the meaning of section 5705.41 of the Revised Code.

(I) Grant appropriate certificates of achievement or degrees to students successfully completing the community college programs;

(J) Prescribe rules for the effective operation of a community college and exercise such other powers as are necessary for the efficient management of such college;

(K) Receive and expend gifts or grants from the state for the payment of operating costs, for the acquisition, construction, or improvement of buildings or other structures, or for the acquisition or use of land. In no event shall state gifts or grants be expended for the support of adult-education programs. Gifts or grants from the state for operating costs shall not in any biennium exceed the amount recommended by the chancellor to the governor as provided in Chapter 3333. of the Revised Code. Such gifts or grants shall be distributed to such districts in equal quarter-annual payments, unless otherwise provided or authorized in any act appropriating moneys for such purposes, on or before the last day of February, May, August, and November in each year.

(L) Retain consultants in the fields of education, planning, architecture, law, engineering, or other fields of professional skill;

(M) Purchase:

(1) A policy or policies of insurance insuring the district against loss of or damage to property, whether real, personal, or mixed, which is owned by the district or leased by it as lessee or which is in the process of construction by or for the district;

(2) A policy or policies of fidelity insurance in such amounts and covering such trustees, officers, and employees of the district as it considers necessary or desirable;

(3) A policy or policies of liability insurance from an insurer or insurers licensed to do business in this state insuring its members, officers, and employees against all civil liability arising from an act or omission by the member, officer, or employee when the member, officer, or employee is not acting manifestly outside the scope of employment or official responsibilities with the institution, with malicious purpose or bad faith, or in a wanton or reckless manner, or may otherwise provide for the indemnification of such persons against such liability. All or any portion of the cost, premium, or charge for such a policy or policies or indemnification payment may be paid from any funds under the institution's control. The policy or policies of liability insurance or the indemnification policy of the institution may cover any risks including, but not limited to, damages resulting from injury to property or person, professional liability, and other special risks, including legal fees and expenses incurred in the defense or settlement of claims for such damages.

(4) A policy or policies of insurance insuring the district against any liabilities to which it may be subject on account of damage or injury to persons or property, including liability for wrongful death.

(N) Designate one or more employees of the institution as state university law enforcement officers, to serve and have duties as prescribed in section 3345.04 of the Revised Code.

Any instrument by which real property is acquired pursuant to this section shall identify the agency of the state that has the use and benefit of the real property as specified in section 5301.012 of the Revised Code.

Amended by 132nd General Assembly File No. TBD, HB 49, §101.01, eff. 9/29/2017.

Effective Date: 09-22-2000.