Upon the qualification of its members, the board of trustees of a state community college district shall prepare an official plan for a state community college within the district except where the district was created under division (C) or (D) of section 3358.02 of the Revised Code. The official plan shall include, but need not be limited to, a demonstration of needs and prospective enrollment, by the types and to the extent of the specific programs defined in section 3358.01 of the Revised Code; a description and location of lands, buildings, facilities, and improvements proposed to be occupied by the college; a proposed schedule for acquisition of such lands or improvements, for construction of improvements, and for operation of the college; the proposed organization and program of the college, consistent with the proposed lands and improvements; and a proposed budget to meet operating cost for the first two years of operation of the college including the proposed faculty-student ratio to be maintained by the institution.

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In preparing the official plan, the board of trustees may retain consultants as needed.

For the purpose of preparing the official plan, the board may receive and expend gifts, grants, bequests, or devises, or public funds appropriated for this purpose.

The official plan shall include a recommendation as to whether the state community college shall be operated directly by the board of trustees of the state community college district, or shall be operated in part by an accredited university or college pursuant to a contract to be entered into by the board of trustees of the state community college district and the governing board of the university or college. If the plan recommends that the state community college be operated in part under such a contract, it shall include the full text of the recommended contract, with certification by the respective boards to the effect that they have adopted resolutions approving the contract and await approval of the plan and the contract by the board of regents.

In any instance in which an official plan proposes partial operation by an accredited university or college, pursuant to a contract, the contract shall include a provision that the contracting university or college will accept all academic credit awarded to students attending the proposed state community college under the contract if the student desires to transfer to the contracting university or college. The contract shall also include a provision that the contracting university or college shall not unreasonably and wastefully duplicate existing educational services.

Upon completing the preparation of the offficial plan, the board of trustees of a state community college district shall file a copy of the plan with the board of regents, which shall approve or disapprove the plan or any of its provisions. If the board of regents approves the official plan, it shall certify a copy of its action to the board of trustees of the state community college district and issue a charter creating and establishing the state community college, to be known by the name set forth in the official plan. The official plan shall be appended to and shall become a part of the charter, and the charter shall not thereafter be changed except by charter amendment, in accordance with the procedure set forth in this section for preparation and adoption of an official plan in the first instance.