(A) As used in this section and section 3305.051 of the Revised Code, “academic or administrative employee” means any full-time employee not receiving any benefit, allowance, or other payment granted on the employee’s account from a state retirement system who, before August 1, 2005, met one of the following requirements:

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(1) The employee was a member of the faculty of a public institution of higher education.

(2) The employee was a member of the administrative staff of a public institution of higher education serving in a position in the unclassified civil service pursuant to section 124.11 of the Revised Code.

(3) If section 124.11 of the Revised Code did not apply to the public institution of higher education, the employee was a member of the administrative staff of a public institution of higher education serving in a position comparable to a position in the unclassified civil service.

In all cases of doubt, the board of trustees of the public institution of higher education shall determine whether any person is an academic or administrative employee for purposes of this chapter, and the board’s decision shall be final.

(B)(1) Each person who, on August 1, 2005, is an eligible employee of a public institution of higher education and has accrued less than five years of service credit in a state retirement system may, not later than one hundred twenty days after August 1, 2005, make an election to participate in an alternative retirement plan available at the employing public institution, unless, prior to August 1, 2005, the person had an opportunity pursuant to former section 3305.05 of the Revised Code to make such an election as an academic or administrative employee of that public institution of higher education.

(2) An eligible employee whose employment with a public institution of higher education commences on or after August 1, 2005, may, not later than one hundred twenty days after the starting date of the employment, make an election to participate in an alternative retirement plan available at the employing public institution.

(3) An eligible employee who, on or after August 1, 2005, terminates employment at one public institution of higher education and subsequently is employed by another public institution of higher education in a position for which an alternative retirement plan is available may, not later than one hundred twenty days after the starting date of the employment, elect to participate in an alternative retirement plan available at that public institution.

(C)(1) An eligible employee who makes an election under division (B) of this section shall submit the election in writing to the designated officer of the employee’s employing public institution of higher education. Once submitted, the election is irrevocable while the eligible employee continues to be employed by the public institution of higher education. Not later than ten days after the election becomes irrevocable, the officer shall file a certified copy of the election with the state retirement system to which, apart from the election, the employee’s employment would be subject.

Each public institution of higher education that employs a person eligible to make an election under division (B) of this section shall notify, in writing, the state retirement system that applies to that employment in the manner specified by that state retirement system. The notice shall include the person’s name and address. The notice shall be given not later than ten days after the first date the person is on the institution’s payroll.

(2) Elections made under division (B) of this section take effect as follows:

(a) An election under division (B)(1) of this section is effective as of the date on which the employee’s election to participate in the alternative retirement plan becomes irrevocable.

(b) An election under division (B)(2) or (3) of this section is effective as of the electing employee‘s starting date of employment.

(3) An eligible employee’s election under division (B) of this section applies to the employee’s employment in all positions at that public institution, unless the employee terminates employment at the public institution and does not return to employment in any position at that public institution for at least three hundred sixty-five days after the date of termination.

(4) An eligible employee who makes an election under division (B) of this section is forever barred from claiming or purchasing service credit under any state retirement system for the period of employment while the election is in effect.

(D)(1) An eligible employee who fails to make an election under division (B) of this section within the one-hundred-twenty day election period shall be deemed to have elected to participate in the state retirement system that applies to the employee’s employment.

(2) An eligible employee who fails to make an election under division (B) of this section shall not be permitted to make an election for employment in any other position at the public institution of higher education while employed at that public institution, unless the employee terminates employment at the public institution and does not return to employment in any position at the public institution for at least three hundred sixty-five days after the date of termination.