{"data":{"id":"us-ut/utah-code-53h-8-210","jurisdiction":"us-ut","citation":"Utah Code § 53H-8-210","heading":"Higher education strategic reinvestment.","body":"(1) As used in this section:\n(a) \"Reinvestment funds\" means the amount of money the Legislature appropriates to the board for strategic reinvestment in accordance with this section.\n(b) \"Strategic reinvestment plan\" means a plan described in Subsection (3) that each degree-granting institution develops to reallocate reinvestment funds to certain strategic investments.\n(2) The board may transfer to a degree-granting institution the reinvestment funds dedicated to the degree-granting institution if:\n(a) for the 2026 fiscal year:\n(i) the respective degree-granting institution provides to the board the degree-granting institution's strategic reinvestment plan;\n(ii) the board approves the degree-granting institution's strategic reinvestment plan; and\n(iii) after receiving a report from the board regarding the strategic reinvestment plan in the meeting of the Executive Appropriations Committee in September 2025, the Executive Appropriations Committee makes a determination that the relevant degree-granting institution's strategic reinvestment plan satisfies the requirements of this section; and\n(b) for each of the 2027 and 2028 fiscal years:\n(i) the respective degree-granting institution provides to the board a report on the degree-granting institution's progress in executing the degree-granting institution's strategic reinvestment plan; and\n(ii) after receiving a report from the board regarding the degree-granting institution's execution of the strategic reinvestment plan in the meeting of the Executive Appropriations Committee in September of 2026 and 2027, respectively, the Executive Appropriations Committee makes a determination that the relevant degree-granting institution has progressed in executing the degree-granting institution's strategic reinvestment plan in accordance with this section.\n(3) Each degree-granting institution shall:\n(a) prepare and submit the degree-granting institution's strategic reinvestment plan in accordance with Subsections (3)(b) and (c) based on:\n(i) demonstrated enrollment data;\n(ii) completion rate and timely completion;\n(iii) discipline-related professional outcomes, including placement, employment, licensure, and wage outcomes;\n(iv) current and future localized and statewide workforce demands;\n(v) program-level cost; and\n(vi) the degree-granting institution's mission and role within the statewide system;\n(b) in consultation with the board, develop a strategic reinvestment plan that:\n(i) identifies programs, courses, degrees, departments, colleges, or other divisions of the degree-granting institution, operational efficiencies, and other components of the degree-granting institution's instruction and administrative functions, including dean positions and other administration positions, that merit further investment;\n(ii) identifies programs, courses, degrees, departments, colleges or other divisions of the degree-granting institution, operational inefficiencies, and other components of the degree-granting institution's instruction and administrative functions, including dean positions and other administration positions, that the degree-granting institution will reduce or eliminate to shift resources, in an amount at least equal to the amount of reinvestment funds dedicated to the degree-granting institution, to the strategic investments described in Subsection (3)(b)(i);\n(iii) retains a core general education curricula that enables students to acquire critical thinking, problem solving, citizenship, communication, and other durable skills; and\n(iv) includes an accounting demonstrating the reallocation of resources from the reduced or eliminated items described in Subsection (3)(b)(ii) to the strategic investments described in Subsection (3)(b)(i) in the following amounts:\n(A) for fiscal year 2026, at least 30% of the total of the reinvestment funds dedicated to the degree-granting institution;\n(B) for fiscal year 2027, at least 70% of the total of the amount of reinvestment funds dedicated to the degree-granting institution; and\n(C) for fiscal year 2028, 100% of the total of the reinvestment funds dedicated to the degree-granting institution; and\n(c) before a date that the board identifies in each of 2026 and 2027, submit to the board a report on the degree-granting institution's progress in executing the degree-granting institution's strategic reinvestment plan, which may include modifications to the plan if the modified plan meets the requirements of this section.\n(4) The board shall:\n(a) during the 2025 fiscal year:\n(i) establish standards for the reallocations described in the strategic reinvestment plans; and\n(ii) provide guidance to the degree-granting institutions of higher education on metrics and evaluative processes for the degree-granting institutions to use in analyzing programs and budgets to develop the strategic reinvestment plan;\n(b) review each degree-granting institution's strategic reinvestment plan and approve plans that meet the requirements of this section; and\n(c) report on each degree-granting institution's strategic reinvestment plan to:\n(i) in August of 2025, 2026, and 2027, the Higher Education Appropriations Subcommittee; and\n(ii) in September of 2025, 2026, and 2027, the Executive Appropriations Committee.\n(5)\n(a) Each year, after receiving the board report described in Subsection (4)(c)(i), the Higher Education Appropriations Subcommittee shall make a recommendation to the Executive Appropriations Committee regarding each degree-granting institution's strategic reinvestment plan and compliance with this section.\n(b) Each year, after receiving the board report described in Subsection (4)(c)(ii), the Executive Appropriations Committee shall make a determination, for each degree-granting institution individually, regarding:\n(i) for fiscal year 2026, whether the degree-granting institution's strategic reinvestment plan satisfies the requirements of this section; and\n(ii) for each of fiscal years 2027 and 2028, whether the degree-granting institution has progressed in executing the degree-granting institution's strategic reinvestment plan in accordance with this section.\n(6)\n(a) A degree-granting institution may use reinvestment funds:\n(i) for the strategic investments described in Subsection (3)(b)(i); and\n(ii) for the reduced or eliminated items described in Subsection (3)(b)(ii) in the following amounts:\n(A) for fiscal year 2026, no more than 70% of the total of the reinvestment funds dedicated to the degree-granting institution; and\n(B) for fiscal year 2027, no more than 30% of the total of the reinvestment funds dedicated to the degree-granting institution.\n(b) A degree-granting institution may not supplant or supplement the cost of a reduced or eliminated item described in Subsection (3)(b)(ii):\n(i) through a tuition increase; or\n(ii) with any state funds, except in fiscal year 2028, to the extent necessary to allow a student to complete the student's academic program as outlined in the degree-granting institution's approved strategic reinvestment plan.\n(7) If a degree-granting institution fails to reallocate resources in accordance with the degree-granting institution's reinvestment plan and this section, in preparing the higher education budgets immediately following the degree-granting institution's failure, the Executive Appropriations Committee shall reduce appropriations for the degree-granting institution's instruction and administration in an amount equal to the amount the degree-granting institution failed to properly reallocate.\n(8)\n(a) Each degree-granting institution shall:\n(i) establish policies specifically to effectuate the strategic reinvestment plan, and that address the following:\n(A) reduction or elimination of positions and other personnel decisions; and\n(B) internal institutional procedures regarding the reduction, elimination, creation, or modification of programs, courses, degrees, departments, colleges, or other divisions of the degree-granting institution;\n(ii) ensure that the policies described in this Subsection (8)(a):\n(A) create operational efficiencies in carrying out the strategic reinvestment plan;\n(B) assist the degree-granting institution to meet the timeframes described in this section and the strategic reinvestment plan; and\n(C) are consistent with the guidance the board provides in accordance with Subsection (4)(a); and\n(iii) prepare the policies described in this Subsection (8)(a) in consultation with the board.\n(b) A degree-granting institution's policies described in Subsection (8)(a) may supersede the following that are inconsistent with the strategic reinvestment plan or the goals of the plan:\n(i) an existing policy, procedure, or timeframe of the degree-granting institution; and\n(ii) a board policy, if the board determines that superseding the policy is necessary or appropriate.\n(c) Notwithstanding any other provision of this title, a degree-granting institution may act in accordance with the policies described in this Subsection (8).","path":["Title 53H Higher Education","Chapter 53H-8 Finance","Part 53H-8-2 Budgets and Financing"],"source_url":"https://le.utah.gov/xcode/Title53H/Chapter8/53H-8-S210.html","current_through":"2026 General Session","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-09-03T11:34:33Z","sha256":"cd71f8ea68d1f8484b1e4ad17d3cfccde854b9eab5a63f98dc61af9eb85688f2","source_id":"us-ut","stale":false,"prev":"us-ut/utah-code-53h-8-209","next":"us-ut/utah-code-53h-8-211"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}