An Act to require the Board of Regents to prepare a plan providing for the shared administration of South Dakota School of Mines and Technology and Black Hills State University assemble a task force to study the possibility of shared administration among the institutions of higher education under the board's authority.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of South Dakota:

Section 1. The Board of Regents shall prepare a plan to provide forassemble a task force consisting of at least eleven members to examine the possible program and administrative efficiencies and cost effectiveness that may be achieved through the shared administration of the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology and, Black Hills State University, Dakota State University, Northern State University, South Dakota State University, and the University of South Dakota. All expenses incurred in carrying out the work of the task force shall be paid out of funds appropriated or otherwise provided to the board.

The board shall present the plan findings of the task force to the Governor and to the Executive Board of the Legislative Research Council no later than November 15, 20212020.

Section 2. The plan shall include:

(1) The timeline in which the transition to shared administrative services will take place;

(2) The specific administrative services that will be combined;

(3) The projected reduction in workforce that will occur and how that reduction will be achieved;

(4) The projected short-term costs associated with the transition;

(5) The long-term measurable cost savings and financial gains projected to be achieved through shared administrative services;

(6) The educational enhancements and any other benefits that are likely at each of the institutions based on the projected long-term measurable cost savings and financial gains;

(7) Any impact the shared administration will have on existing facilities at either of the institutions; and

(8) The efforts that will be undertaken to ensure that only administrative services of the two institutions are shared and that the history, heritage, mission, traditions, educational offerings, athletic programs, foundation, alumni association, and every other aspect of each individual institution is maintained.

Section 2. The task force examination shall include the following:

(1) The possible combining of administration at all levels of operation within an institution;

(2) The possible combining of operations and functions across multiple institutions;

(3) The possible combining of the administration of programs across multiple institutions;

(4) A review of the duplication of program offerings;

(5) A review of the academic majors with low enrollments and low numbers of graduates;

(6) A review of functions outside the core missions of teaching, learning, and research;

(7) A review of the operations and functions provided as an efficiency through the central office of the Board of Regents;

(8) A review of the viability of the university centers; and

(9) Any other possible cost-effective measures the task force determines are worthy of examination.