Board of Higher Education
Data Current as of:  10/29/2007

Reggie Lewis Track and Athletic Center Board

SECTION 5.   Chapter 15A of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 22 the following section:-

Section 22A. (a) For purposes of this section, the following words shall have the following meanings:-

"Board", the board of trustees of the Roxbury Community College.

"Center", the Reggie Lewis Track and Athletic Center established in subsection (b).

"College", the Roxbury Community College.

"Use for nonpublic purposes", shall include, but not be limited to, the leasing or renting of the building for commercial entertainment activity.

"Use for public purposes", shall include, but not be limited to, use by public high school track programs, members of the abutting residential community or by members of the community at large and students, faculty, staff and alumni at Roxbury Community College.

(b) There shall be established the Reggie Lewis Track and Athletic Center at Roxbury Community College. The center shall be a building containing a Massachusetts state track facility which shall be maintained at the college for public purposes. In the event the facility is not in use for public purposes, the board may permit use for nonpublic purposes for a rental amount to be determined by said board.

(c) The board shall be responsible for the management and operation of the center including, but not limited to, the following:-

(i) establishing user fees;

(ii) entering into agreements with the Massachusetts State Track Coaches Association, with other public groups and, pursuant to this section, with nonpublic groups for nonpublic purposes;

(iii) establishing rules and regulations for the use of the center by Massachusetts public high school track programs, by members of the abutting residential neighborhoods and members of the community at large, by students, faculty and staff and alumni of Roxbury Community College, and, by nonpublic groups for nonpublic purposes in accordance with this section;

(iv) deciding the priority of uses and schedule for the center, with input from an advisory committee;

and (v) entering into agreements with vendors to provide concession stand services and other agreements as deemed necessary by the board for the maintenance and operation of the center.

(d) The center shall be made available without charge for use by public high school track programs and Roxbury Community College. The center shall be made available on a user fee basis for members of the public. The center shall be made available at market rate, as determined by the board, for use for nonpublic purposes so long as the center is not being used for public purposes.

(e) The annual operating expenses of the center shall be separate and distinct from appropriations within the general appropriations act for the college, shall use a separate item of appropriation and shall be audited biennially by the state auditor.

Transfer to the MA Science, Technology, Engineering and Math Fund

SECTION 62.   Notwithstanding any other general or special law to the contrary, 10 days after the effective date of this act, the comptroller shall transfer $4,000,000 from the General Fund to the Massachusetts Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Grant Fund, established in section 2MMM of chapter 29 of the General Laws.

Transfer to the Commonwealth Covenant Fund

SECTION 64.   Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, within 10 days of the effective date of this act, the comptroller shall transfer $3,750,000 from the General Fund to the Commonwealth Covenant Fund established in section 35EE of chapter 10 of the General Laws.

Required Reports to Administration and Finance

SECTION 81.   Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, any agency, board, bureau, department, division, section, or commission of the commonwealth required to submit a report to the house and senate committees on ways and means pursuant to this act shall submit a copy of said report to the executive office of administration and finance.

Task Force to Prevent Campus Violence

SECTION 83.   Notwithstanding any special or general law to the contrary, there shall be a special task force to examine existing policies, procedures and programs and make recommendations to reduce and prevent incidents of campus violence including, but not limited to, assault, sexual assault, weapons possession and homicide on college campuses. The task force shall also study and make recommendations on existing communication plans, staffing and training of security personnel for each campus.

The task force shall be comprised of 13 members, including the house and senate chairs of the joint committee of higher education, who shall serve as co-chairs of the task force, 1 member to be appointed by the minority leader of the house of representatives, 1 member to be appointed by the minority leader of the senate, 2 members to be appointed by the governor, the chair of the board of higher education, 1 member to be appointed by the president of the University of Massachusetts, 1 member to be appointed by the state college presidents, 1 member to be appointed by the community college presidents, 1 student of a University of Massachusetts, or a state or community college to be appointed by the board of higher education, the secretary of public safety or his designee and the attorney general or his designee.

The board of higher education shall provide such staff and resources as may be necessary for the task force to perform its functions. The task force shall convene its first meeting on or before October 1, 2007 and shall file a report, with any legislative or regulatory recommendations, with the clerks of the senate and the house of representatives on or before March 1, 2008.