116-17. Purchase of annuity or retirement income contracts for faculty members, officers and employees.

Notwithstanding any provision of law relating to salaries and/or salary schedules for the pay of faculty members, administrative officers, or any other employees of universities, colleges, constituent institutions, and other institutions of higher learning as named and set forth in this Article, and other State agencies qualified as educational institutions under section 501(c)(3) of the United States Internal Revenue Code, the governing boards of any such universities, colleges, constituent institutions, and other institutions of higher learning may authorize the business officer or agent of same to enter into annual contracts with any of the faculty members, administrative officers and employees of said institutions which provide for a reduction in salary below the total established compensation or salary schedule for a term of one year. The financial officer or agent shall use the funds derived from the reduction in the salary of the faculty member, administrative officer or employee to purchase a nonforfeitable annuity or retirement income contract for the benefit of said faculty member, administrative officer or employee of said universities, colleges and institutions. A faculty member, administrative officer or employee who has agreed to a salary reduction for this purpose shall not have the right to receive the amount of the salary reduction in cash or in any other way except the annuity or retirement income contract. Funds used for the purchase of an annuity or retirement income contract shall not be in lieu of any amount earned by the faculty member, administrative officer or employee before his election for a salary reduction has become effective. The agreement for salary reductions referred to herein shall be effected under any necessary regulations and procedures adopted by the various governing boards of the various institutions and on forms prepared by said governing boards. Notwithstanding any other provision of this section or law, the amount by which the salary of any faculty member, administrative officer or employee is reduced pursuant to this section shall not be excluded, but shall be included, in computing and making payroll deductions for social security and retirement system purposes, and in computing and providing matching funds for retirement system purposes.

In lieu of the annuity and related contracts provided for under this section, interests in custodial accounts pursuant to Section 401(f), Section 403(b)(7), and related sections of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 as amended may be purchased for the benefit of qualified employees under this section with the funds derived from the reduction in the salaries of such employees.