A. The governing board and administration of each public institution of higher education that meets the state goals set forth in subsection A of § 23.1-1002 and meets the requirements of this article to demonstrate the ability to manage successfully the administrative and financial operations of the institution without jeopardizing the financial integrity and stability of the institution may negotiate with the Governor to develop a management agreement with the Commonwealth to exercise restructured financial and administrative authority.

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B. No public institution of higher education shall enter into a management agreement unless:

1. a. Its most current and unenhanced bond rating received from Moody’s Investors Service, Inc., Standard & Poor’s, Inc., or Fitch Investor’s Services, Inc., is at least AA- (i.e., AA minus) or its equivalent, provided that such bond rating has been received within the last three years of the date that the initial management agreement is entered into; or

b. The institution has participated in decentralization pilot programs in the areas of finance and capital outlay, demonstrated management competency in those two areas as evidenced by a written certification from the Cabinet Secretary designated by the Governor, received restructured operational authority under a memorandum of understanding pursuant to Article 3 (§ 23.1-1003 et seq.) in at least one functional area, and demonstrated management competency in that area for a period of at least two years;

2. At least an absolute two-thirds of the institution’s governing board has voted in the affirmative for a resolution in support of a request for restructured operational authority under a management agreement;

3. The institution submits to the Governor a written request for his approval of the management agreement that contains evidence that (i) the institution possesses the necessary administrative infrastructure, experience, and expertise to perform successfully its public educational mission as a covered institution; (ii) the institution is financially able to operate as a covered institution without jeopardizing the financial integrity and stability of the institution; (iii) the institution consistently meets the financial and administrative management standards pursuant to § 23.1-1001; and (iv) the institution’s governing board has adopted performance and accountability standards, in addition to any institutional performance benchmarks included in the general appropriation act and developed pursuant to § 23.1-206, against which its implementation of the restructured operational authority under the management agreement can be measured;

4. The institution provides a copy of the written request to the Chairmen of the House Committee on Appropriations, the House Committee on Education, the Senate Committee on Finance and Appropriations, and the Senate Committee on Education and Health;

5. The institution agrees to reimburse the Commonwealth for any additional costs that the Commonwealth incurs to provide health or other group insurance benefits to employees and undertake any risk management program that are attributable to the institution’s exercise of restructured operational authority. The Secretary of Finance and the Secretary of Administration, in consultation with the Virginia Retirement System and the affected institutions, shall establish procedures for determining any amounts to be paid by each institution and a mechanism for transferring the appropriate amounts directly and solely to the affected programs;

6. The institution considers potential future impacts of tuition increases on the Commonwealth Savers Plan and discusses such potential impacts with parties participating in the development of the management agreement. The chief executive officer of the Commonwealth Savers Plan shall provide to the institution and such parties the Plan’s assumptions underlying the contract pricing of the program; and

7. The Governor transmits a draft of any management agreement that affects insurance or benefit programs administered by the Virginia Retirement System to the Board of Trustees of the Virginia Retirement System, which shall review the relevant provisions of the management agreement to ensure compliance with the applicable provisions of Title 51.1, administrative policies and procedures, and federal regulations governing retirement plans and advise the Governor and appropriate Cabinet Secretaries of any conflicts.

2005, cc. 933, 945, §§ 23-38.88, 23-38.91, 23-38.97; 2006, c. 775; 2009, cc. 827, 845; 2011, cc. 828, 869; 2013, c. 482; 2014, c. 628; 2016, c. 588; 2017, c. 314; 2024, c. 217.