§ 16-32-9 — § 16-32-9. Annual appropriations.

§ 16-32-9. Annual appropriations.

(a) The general assembly shall annually appropriate any sum as it may deem sufficient for the purpose of defraying the expenses of the university, the appropriation to be expended under the direction of the trustees and officers of the university. The state controller is authorized and directed to draw his or her orders upon the general treasurer for the payment of the appropriations or so much of the sums that are necessary for the purposes appropriated, upon the receipt by him or her of proper vouchers as the board of trustees may by rule provide. The board shall receive, review, and adjust the budget for the university and present the budget under the requirements of § 35-3-4.

(b) Any tuition or fee increase schedules in effect for the university shall be received by the board of trustees for allocation for the fiscal year for which state appropriations are made to the board by the general assembly; provided that no further increases may be made by the board for the year for which appropriations are made.

(c) All housing, dining, and other auxiliary facilities at the university shall be self-supporting and no funds shall be appropriated by the general assembly to pay operating expenses, including principal and interest on debt services, and overhead expenses for the facilities. Any debt service costs on general obligation bonds presented to the voters in November 2000 and November 2004 or appropriated funds from the Rhode Island capital plan fund or the housing auxiliaries at the university of Rhode Island shall not be subject to this self-supporting requirement in order to provide funds for the building construction and rehabilitation program.

(d) The additional costs to achieve self-supporting status shall be by the implementation of a fee schedule of all housing, dining, and other auxiliary facilities, including but not limited to, operating expenses, principal, and interest on debt services, and overhead expenses.

(e) Notwithstanding subsections (a) and (c) of this section or any provisions of this title, to the extent necessary to comply with the provisions of any outstanding bonds issued by the Rhode Island health and educational building corporation or outstanding lease certificates of participation, in either case, issued for the benefit of the university of Rhode Island, the community college of Rhode Island, and/or Rhode Island college, to the extent necessary to comply with the provisions of any such bonds or certificates of participation, the general assembly shall annually appropriate any such sums it deems necessary from educational and general revenues (including, but not limited to tuition) and auxiliary enterprise revenues derived from the university of Rhode Island, the community college of Rhode Island and Rhode Island college, to be allocated by the council on postsecondary education or by the board of trustees, as appropriate, in accordance with the terms of the contracts with such bondholders or certificate holders.

Legislative History

G.L. 1896, ch. 66, § 2; P.L. 1899, ch. 668, § 1; P.L. 1906, ch. 1353, § 1; G.L. 1909, ch. 76, § 2; P.L. 1913, ch. 960, § 1; P.L. 1915, ch. 1214, § 1; P.L. 1921, ch. 2056, § 1; G.L. 1923, ch. 83, § 2; G.L. 1938, ch. 188, § 3; impl. am. P.L. 1939, ch. 688, § 3; impl. am. P.L. 1951, ch. 2686, § 3; G.L. 1956, § 16-32-9; P.L. 2019, ch. 88, art. 9, § 3.