Off-campus Instructional Programs

Miss. Code Ann. tit. 37, ch. 102
in effect

Miss. Code Ann. § 37-102-1 Authorization of establishment; course loads; satisfaction of residency requirements; work standards and quality of degree.

The Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning may establish off-campus instructional programs for existing universities. However, the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning shall not establish off-campus instructional programs if in its opinion such action is not in the best interest of quality education for the State of Mississippi and the university system. Students at any off-campus program site may, in the discretion of the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning, be permitted to register for full-time course loads. Attendance at an off-campus site shall fulfill the residency requirements as if the student had attended class on the parent campus of the university, and there shall be no difference in the standards for work nor quality weight of a degree earned in the off-campus program from that earned at the parent institution.

Miss. Code Ann. § 37-102-3 Approval of Mississippi Community College Board.

The Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning shall not permit its universities to offer courses for college credit at the lower undergraduate level at an off-campus site unless approved by the Mississippi Community College Board. The Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning, in cooperation with the Mississippi Community College Board, shall study the need and advisability of offering (a) courses for college credit at the lower undergraduate level, and (b) advanced centers for technology partnerships for industrial training and professional development for credit and noncredit courses, at the following off-campus sites by four-year public state institutions of higher learning: the Mississippi Gulf Coast counties; Greenville, Mississippi; Columbus, Mississippi; McComb, Mississippi; Hattiesburg, Mississippi; Meridian, Mississippi; Laurel, Mississippi; and any other proposed area of the state. Any such study shall take into account the ongoing programs of the community and junior colleges in the State of Mississippi when said board authorizes off-campus programs created under this chapter. It is the intent of the Legislature to meet the educational needs of students who do not have ready access to the educational opportunities that they desire. It is the further intent of this chapter that university off-campus programs established hereunder will in no way usurp the responsibilities of the public junior colleges of the State of Mississippi. The board shall establish such rules and regulations as it deems necessary and proper to carry out the purposes and intent of this chapter.

Miss. Code Ann. § 37-102-5 Operation and location of programs.

The Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning may designate the university which shall operate and be responsible for each off-campus site. However, off-campus sites shall be located in such a manner as to make the services of the institutions of higher learning available to the people of Mississippi without unnecessary program duplication in the same geographic area.

Miss. Code Ann. § 37-102-7 Budget requests.

The Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning shall submit to the Legislature budget requests with off-campus programs being an identified part of the total general support budget request for universities by being a separate item within the budget request of the respective university which offers the program. Said budget request shall include a statement of all actual or estimated receipts and disbursements for such off-campus programs and such other information as may be required by the Legislative Budget Office.

Miss. Code Ann. § 37-102-9 Assistance in providing facilities.

It is the intention of this chapter that the political subdivision or the people of the area may assist in providing facilities for the establishment of such off-campus sites.

Miss. Code Ann. § 37-102-11 Construction of dormitories, gymnasiums, etc.

Extracurricular items such as dormitories, gymnasiums, stadiums, and such related items shall not be constructed for use by off-campus sites of universities.

Miss. Code Ann. § 37-102-13 Consideration of programs of private colleges prior to authorization of off-campus programs; purpose of chapter.

The Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning shall take into account the ongoing programs of the private colleges in the State of Mississippi when said board authorizes off-campus programs created under this chapter. It is the intent of this chapter to meet the educational needs of students who do not have ready access to the educational opportunities that they desire.

Miss. Code Ann. § 37-102-15 Capital improvement expenditures.

The Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning and the Bureau of Buildings, Grounds and Real Property Management shall not make any expenditure for capital improvements for off-campus sites unless specifically authorized by the Mississippi Legislature. However, this shall not preclude such capital improvements from being made by county or municipal governments locally or regionally involved. The Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning and the Bureau of Buildings, Grounds and Real Property Management is specifically authorized to expend any funds available to it from private sources, from the proceeds of the sale of any property and improvements currently on the site of Mississippi State University off-campus instructional program at Meridian and from the proceeds of funds designated to the Mississippi State University system for “repair, renovation and new construction” in Chapter 2, Section 2, General Laws, First Extraordinary Session of 1989, for the construction, equipping and furnishing and new building, and/or for the repair, renovation, equipping and furnishing of any existing building at the Mississippi State University off-campus instructional program site at Meridian, Mississippi. The board of trustees is hereby authorized to receive and expend matching funds from the local, county and municipal governments for such construction, equipping, furnishing, repair or renovation.

Miss. Code Ann. § 37-102-17 Exemption from chapter.

The associate degree program in nursing of the University of Southern Mississippi located at Natchez, Mississippi, is exempt from this chapter.

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