(1) There is established a State Board of Regents.

(2) (a) Except as provided in Subsection (2)(b), the board shall control, manage, and supervise the institutions of higher education designated in Section 53B-1-102 in a manner consistent with the policy and purpose of this title and the specific powers and responsibilities granted to the board. (b) The board may only exercise powers relating to the Utah System of Technical Colleges Board of Trustees, the Utah System of Technical Colleges, or a technical college that are specifically provided in this title.

(a) Except as provided in Subsection (2)(b), the board shall control, manage, and supervise the institutions of higher education designated in Section 53B-1-102 in a manner consistent with the policy and purpose of this title and the specific powers and responsibilities granted to the board.

(b) The board may only exercise powers relating to the Utah System of Technical Colleges Board of Trustees, the Utah System of Technical Colleges, or a technical college that are specifically provided in this title.

(3) The board shall, for the Utah System of Higher Education: (a) provide strategic leadership and link system capacity to the economy and workforce needs; (b) enhance the impact and efficiency of the system; (c) establish measurable goals and metrics and delineate the expected contributions of individual institutions of higher education toward these goals; (d) evaluate presidents based on institutional performance; (e) delegate to presidents the authority to manage the presidents' institutions of higher education; (f) administer statewide functions including system data collection and reporting; (g) establish unified budget, finance, and capital funding priorities and practices; and (h) provide system leadership on issues that have a system-wide impact, including: (i) statewide college access and college preparedness initiatives; (ii) learning opportunities drawn from multiple campuses or online learning options, including new modes of delivery of content at multiple locations; (iii) degree program requirement guidelines including credit hour limits, articulation agreements, and transfer across institutions; (iv) alignment of general education requirements across institutions of higher education; (v) incorporation of evidence-based practices that increase college completion; and (vi) monitoring of workforce needs, with an emphasis on credentials that build upon one another.

(a) provide strategic leadership and link system capacity to the economy and workforce needs;

(b) enhance the impact and efficiency of the system;

(c) establish measurable goals and metrics and delineate the expected contributions of individual institutions of higher education toward these goals;

(d) evaluate presidents based on institutional performance;

(e) delegate to presidents the authority to manage the presidents' institutions of higher education;

(f) administer statewide functions including system data collection and reporting;

(g) establish unified budget, finance, and capital funding priorities and practices; and

(h) provide system leadership on issues that have a system-wide impact, including: (i) statewide college access and college preparedness initiatives; (ii) learning opportunities drawn from multiple campuses or online learning options, including new modes of delivery of content at multiple locations; (iii) degree program requirement guidelines including credit hour limits, articulation agreements, and transfer across institutions; (iv) alignment of general education requirements across institutions of higher education; (v) incorporation of evidence-based practices that increase college completion; and (vi) monitoring of workforce needs, with an emphasis on credentials that build upon one another.

(i) statewide college access and college preparedness initiatives;

(ii) learning opportunities drawn from multiple campuses or online learning options, including new modes of delivery of content at multiple locations;

(iii) degree program requirement guidelines including credit hour limits, articulation agreements, and transfer across institutions;

(iv) alignment of general education requirements across institutions of higher education;

(v) incorporation of evidence-based practices that increase college completion; and

(vi) monitoring of workforce needs, with an emphasis on credentials that build upon one another.

(4) The board shall coordinate and support articulation agreements between the Utah System of Technical Colleges or a technical college and other institutions of higher education.

(5) The board shall prepare and submit an annual report detailing the board's progress and recommendations on career and technical education issues and addressing workforce needs to the governor and to the Legislature's Education Interim Committee by October 31 of each year, which shall include information detailing: (a) how the career and technical education needs of secondary students are being met by institutions of higher education described in Subsection 53B-1-102(1)(a), including the access secondary students have to programs offered by Salt Lake Community College's School of Applied Technology, Snow College, Utah State University Eastern, and Utah State University Blanding; (b) how the emphasis on high demand, high wage, and high skill jobs in business and industry is being provided; (c) performance outcomes, including: (i) entered employment; (ii) job retention; and (iii) earnings; (d) an analysis of workforce needs and efforts to meet workforce needs; and (e) student tuition and fees.

(a) how the career and technical education needs of secondary students are being met by institutions of higher education described in Subsection 53B-1-102(1)(a), including the access secondary students have to programs offered by Salt Lake Community College's School of Applied Technology, Snow College, Utah State University Eastern, and Utah State University Blanding;

(b) how the emphasis on high demand, high wage, and high skill jobs in business and industry is being provided;

(c) performance outcomes, including: (i) entered employment; (ii) job retention; and (iii) earnings;

(i) entered employment;

(ii) job retention; and

(iii) earnings;

(d) an analysis of workforce needs and efforts to meet workforce needs; and

(e) student tuition and fees.

(6) The board may modify the name of an institution described in Subsection 53B-1-102(1)(a) to reflect the role and general course of study of the institution.

(7) The board may not conduct a feasibility study or perform another act relating to merging a technical college with another institution of higher education.

(8) This section does not affect the power and authority vested in the State Board of Education to apply for, accept, and manage federal appropriations for the establishment and maintenance of career and technical education.

(9) The board shall ensure that any training or certification that an employee of the higher education system is required to complete under this title or by board rule complies with Title 63G, Chapter 22, State Training and Certification Requirements.