Opinion No. 74-230 (1974) Ag Part I of Part II

CourtOklahoma Attorney General Reports
DecidedOctober 2, 1974
StatusPublished

This text of Opinion No. 74-230 (1974) Ag Part I of Part II (Opinion No. 74-230 (1974) Ag Part I of Part II) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Oklahoma Attorney General Reports primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Opinion No. 74-230 (1974) Ag Part I of Part II, (Okla. Super. Ct. 1974).

Opinion

** Part I of Part II ** LIABILITY OF BOARD OF REGENTS Where an institution under the Board of Regents for the Oklahoma Agricultural and Mechanical Colleges purports to incur liabilities payable from educational and general funds in excess of funds available, the Board of Regents has the legal responsibility to continue to operate such institution where the current appropriated moneys subject to fiscal year limitations are in excess of liabilities payable therefrom after excluding claims from previous fiscal years and where any non-fiscal appropriated funds or revolving fund moneys are in excess of valid liabilities payable therefrom after excluding claims which are invalid by reason of the failure to comply with the requirements of prior approval and encumbrance, or otherwise. Where such an institution incurs liabilities payable from auxiliary enterprise funds, in excess of cash on hand, the Board of Regents has the legal responsibility to continue to incur obligations as necessary to provide food and housing for students and maintain its other auxiliary enterprises necessary to make the institution effective as an educational institution. However, the Board of Regents and administration must carry on operation in a reasonable and prudent manner. The Board of Regents may not approve claims incurred in previous fiscal years payable out of current appropriated funds subject to fiscal year limitations. The Board may approve claims from previous fiscal years payable out of appropriated funds not subject to fiscal year limitations or from the institution's revolving fund, otherwise valid, so long as the requirement is met of obtaining prior approval and encumbrance by the Director of State Finance and other applicable laws. Claims incurred in previous fiscal years payable from auxiliary enterprise funds are not subject to fiscal year limitations and they may be paid from current funds so long as the funds are expended for the same purpose as collected. A revolving fund differs from a special agency account in that moneys from a revolving fund may be expended only upon warrants issued by the State Auditor and such expenditures are subject to prior approval and encumbrance by the Director of State Finance. Special agency accounts are not subject to such procedure since the institution directly draws vouchers on the State Treasury. There is no statutory debt limitation provision applicable to special agency accounts as is true of revolving fund accounts. However, obligations must be incurred in a reasonable manner. It is a general rule that in the absence of malice, oppression in office, or willful misconduct, public officers cannot ordinarily be held liable for mistaken exercise of discretion or error in judgment in the performance of official duties. However, it is appropriate to consult private counsel for advice on any particular factual situation involving a question of possible personal liability. The Attorney General has considered your request for an opinion on the following questions: "QUESTION 1: What is the legal responsibility of the Board of Regents in the event that one or more of the institutions under its jurisdiction incurs liabilities payable from education and general funds in excess of funds available? "QUESTION 2: What is the legal responsibility of the Board of Regents in the event that one or more of the institutions under its jurisdiction incurs liabilities payable from auxiliary enterprise funds in excess of funds available? "QUESTION 3: Can the Board approve claims that were incurred in previous fiscal years in education and general funds although we are now in a new fiscal year? "QUESTION 4: Can the Board approve claims that were incurred in previous fiscal years in auxiliary enterprise funds although we are now in a new fiscal year? "QUESTION 5: Can the Board legally continue to operate such an institution during this current fiscal year? "QUESTION 6: Can the Board authorize the institution to use funds collected from room and board, cafeteria, and student union to handle obligations incurred in a prior fiscal year as auxiliary enterprise debts? "QUESTION 7: Are depository accounts operated as revolving funds; and, if so, do they take on the same legal restrictions as revolving funds do? "QUESTION 8: Can the Board legally continue to operate an institution under its jurisdiction when the institution has incurred liabilities in the education and general fund areas in excess of monies available? "QUESTION 9: Can the Board legally continue to operate an institution under its jurisdiction when that institution has incurred liabilities in the auxiliary enterprise fund area in excess of monies available? "QUESTION 10: What personal liabilities would the Board incur if it continues to operate such an institution that has incurred liabilities in excess of revenues in both the education and general area and the auxiliary enterprise area?" Before proceeding with an analysis of your questions, it is necessary ;o set out certain pertinent constitutional and statutory provisions. the Board of Regents for Oklahoma Agricultural and Mechanical colleges, hereinafter referred to as the Board of Regents, is created pursuant to Article VI, Section 31(a) of the Oklahoma Constitution, which reads in part as follows: "There is hereby created a Board of Regents for the Oklahoma Agricultural and Mechanical College and all agricultural and mechanical schools and colleges maintained in whole or in part by the state. . ." The powers and duties of the Board of Regents are provided by 70 O.S. 3412 [70-3412] (1971) which reads in part as follows: "The Board of Regents for Oklahoma Agricultural and Mechanical Colleges shall have the supervision, management and control of Oklahoma State University of Agricultural and Applied Science, Panhandle Agricultural and Mechanical College, Langston University, Cameron State Agricultural College, Connors State Agriculture College, Eastern Oklahoma Agricultural and Mechanical College, Murray State Agricultural College, and Northeastern Oklahoma Agricultural and Mechanical College; and shall have the following additional powers and duties: "(a) Adopt such rules and regulations as it deems necessary to govern each of the institutions under its jurisdiction. "(b) Employ and fix the compensation and duties of such personnel as it deems necessary, including architects, attorneys, engineers, and other professional and technical persons deemed necessary by the Board, for its operation and for the operation of the institutions under its jurisdiction. . . "(c) Enter into contracts, purchase supplies, materials and equipment, and incur such other expenses as may be necessary to make any of its powers effective. "(d) Authorize officials at the several institutions under its jurisdiction to act in its behalf in the making of contracts, or in carrying out the powers conferred upon it. "(e) Receive and make disposition of moneys, grants and property from Federal Agencies, and administer the same in accordance with Federal requirements. "(f) Accept gifts of real and personal property, money and other things, and use or dispose of the same in accordance with the directions of the donors or grantors thereof. "(g) Direct the disposition of all moneys appropriated by the Legislature or by the Congress or derived from the sale of bonds or received from any other source by institutions under its jurisdiction. "(h) Acquire and take title to real and personal property in its name, on behalf of any of the institutions under its jurisdiction, and convey, exchange or dispose of, or otherwise manage or control, such property in the interest of such institutions, including the granting of leases, permits, easements and licenses over or upon any such real property. . .

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Bluebook (online)
Opinion No. 74-230 (1974) Ag Part I of Part II, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/opinion-no-74-230-1974-ag-part-i-of-part-ii-oklaag-1974.