Sec. 4-37f. Requirements for foundations established for principal purpose of supporting or improving state agencies. - Connecticut Statutes

      Sec. 4-37f. Requirements for foundations established for principal purpose of supporting or improving state agencies. The executive authority of each state agency for which a foundation is established shall, in accordance with a policy adopted by the board of trustees of the constituent unit for each state agency which is a constituent unit or which is a public institution of higher education under the jurisdiction of the constituent unit, ensure that:

      (1) The foundation shall have a governing board to oversee its operation;

      (2) If the state agency is a constituent unit, the following persons shall serve as nonvoting members of the governing board of the foundation unless the bylaws of the foundation provide that they be voting members: The executive authority of the constituent unit, or his designee, a student enrolled at an institution under the jurisdiction of the constituent unit, who shall be elected by the students enrolled at the institutions under the jurisdiction of the constituent unit, and a member of the faculty of any such institution, who shall be elected by the faculty of the institutions under the jurisdiction of the constituent unit. Elections pursuant to this subdivision shall be conducted in accordance with procedures for such elections established by the board of trustees of the constituent unit;

      (3) If the constituent unit is the Board of Trustees of the Community-Technical Colleges or the Board of Trustees of the Connecticut State University System, the purposes of the foundation shall be limited to providing funding for (A) scholarships or other direct student financial aid and (B) programs, services or activities at one or more of the institutions within its jurisdiction;

      (4) If the state agency is a public institution of higher education, the following persons shall serve as nonvoting members of the governing board of the foundation unless the bylaws of the foundation provide that they be voting members: The executive authority of the institution, or his designee, a student enrolled at the institution, who shall be elected by the students enrolled in the institution and a member of the faculty of the institution, who shall be elected by the faculty of the institution. Elections pursuant to this subdivision shall be conducted in accordance with procedures for such elections established by the board of trustees of the constituent unit which has jurisdiction over the institution;

      (5) The governing board of the foundation shall annually file with the state agency an updated list of the members and officers of such board;

      (6) The salaries, benefits and expenses of officers and employees of the foundation shall be paid solely by the foundation;

      (7) The foundation shall use generally accepted accounting principles in its financial record-keeping and reporting;

      (8) A foundation which has in any of its fiscal years receipts and earnings from investments totaling one hundred thousand dollars per year or more shall have completed on its behalf for such fiscal year a full audit of the books and accounts of the foundation. A foundation which has receipts and earnings from investments totaling less than one hundred thousand dollars in each fiscal year during any three of its consecutive fiscal years beginning October 1, 1986, shall have completed on its behalf for the third fiscal year in any such three-year period a full audit of the books and accounts of the foundation. For each fiscal year in which an audit is not required pursuant to this subdivision financial statements shall be provided by the foundation to the executive authority of the state agency. Each audit under this subdivision shall be conducted (A) by an independent certified public accountant or, if requested by the state agency with the consent of the foundation, the Auditors of Public Accounts, and (B) in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards. The audit report shall include financial statements, a management letter and an audit opinion which address the conformance of the operating procedures of the foundation with the provisions of sections 4-37e to 4-37i, inclusive, and recommend any corrective actions needed to ensure such conformance. Each audit report shall disclose the receipt or use by the foundation of any public funds in violation of said sections or any other provision of the general statutes. The foundation shall provide a copy of each audit report completed pursuant to this subdivision to the executive authority of the state agency. Each financial statement required under this subdivision shall include, for the fiscal year to which the statement applies, the total receipts and earnings from investments of the foundation and the amount and purpose of each receipt of funds by the state agency from the foundation. As used in this subdivision, "fiscal year" means any twelve-month period adopted by a foundation as its accounting year; and

      (9) There shall be a written agreement between the state agency and the foundation which (A) addresses any use by the foundation of the agency's facilities and resources including, but not limited to, office space, storage space, office furniture and equipment, utilities, photocopying services, computer systems and the maintenance by the state agency of the books and records of the foundation, provided any such books and records maintained by the state agency shall not be deemed to be public records and shall not be subject to disclosure pursuant to the provisions of section 1-210, (B) provides that the state agency shall have no liability for the obligations, acts or omissions of the foundation, (C) requires the foundation to reimburse the state agency for expenses the agency incurs as a result of foundation operations, if the agency would not have otherwise incurred such expenses, (D) in the case of foundations established for a constituent unit of the state system of higher education or for a public institution of higher education, requires the foundation to establish and adhere to an investment policy and a spending policy that are consistent with sections 45a-535 to 45a-535i, inclusive, and (E) provides that if the foundation ceases to exist or ceases to be a foundation, as defined in section 4-37e, (i) the foundation shall be prohibited from using the name of the state agency, (ii) the records of the foundation, or copies of such records, shall be made available to and may be retained by the state agency, provided any such records or copies which are retained by the state agency shall not be deemed to be public records and shall not be subject to disclosure pursuant to the provisions of section 1-210, and (iii) there are procedures for the disposition of the financial and other assets of the foundation. If the state agency is a constituent unit, the board of trustees of the constituent unit shall approve such agreement. If the state agency is a public institution of higher education, the board of trustees of the constituent unit which has jurisdiction over the institution shall approve such agreement.

      (P.A. 89-267, S. 2; P.A. 94-180, S. 13, 17; P.A. 95-259, S. 1, 32; P.A. 96-244, S. 40, 63; P.A. 99-285, S. 9, 12; P.A. 08-6, S. 1.)

      History: P.A. 94-180 added Subdiv. (3) limiting the purposes of foundations established by the boards of trustees of the community-technical colleges and the Connecticut State University system and renumbered the remaining Subdivs., effective July 1, 1994; P.A. 95-259 amended Subdivs. (2) and (4) concerning the bylaws and voting members, effective July 6, 1995; P.A. 96-244 amended Subdiv. (8) to allow the audit to be conducted by the Auditors of Public Accounts, if requested by the state agency, effective June 6, 1996; P.A. 99-285 amended Subdiv. (9) to designate the existing Subpara. (D) as Subpara. (E) and to add a new Subpara. (D) re investment and spending policy for foundations established for constituent units of the state system of higher education or for public institutions of higher education, effective July 1, 1999; P.A. 08-6 amended Subdiv. (9)(D) to replace references to repealed sections with references to Secs. 45a-535 to 45a-535i, effective April 29, 2008.