The chancellor of higher education shall approve or disapprove proposed official plans of community college districts, prepared and submitted pursuant to sections 3354.01 to 3354.18 of the Revised Code, and issue or decline to issue charters for operation of community colleges, pursuant to section 3354.07 of the Revised Code.

The chancellor shall approve an official plan, and issue a charter, only upon the following findings:

(A) That the official plan and all past and proposed actions of the community college district are in conformity to law;

(B) That the proposed community college will not unreasonably and wastefully duplicate existing educational services available to students and prospective students residing in the community college district;

(C) That there is reasonable prospect of adequate current operating revenue for the proposed community college from its proposed opening date of operation;

(D) That the proposed lands and facilities of the community colleges will be adequate and efficient for the purposes of the proposed community college;

(E) That the proposed curricular programs defined in section 3354.01 of the Revised Code as "arts and sciences" and "technical," or either, are the programs for which there is substantial need in the territory of the district.

The employment and separation of individual personnel in a community college, and the establishing or abolishing of individual courses of instruction, shall not be subject to the specific and individual approval or disapproval of the chancellor, but shall occur in the discretion of the local management of such college within the limitations of law, the official plan, and the charter of such college.

Amended by 131st General Assembly File No. TBD, HB 64, §101.01, eff. 9/29/2015.

Effective Date: 11-07-1967; 2007 HB2 05-15-2007