Budget Amendment ID: FY2019-S4-315

EDU 315

Special Commission on UMass Boston Debt

Ms. Jehlen, Messrs. Ross, Eldridge, Lewis, Moore and Collins, Ms. L'Italien, Messrs. O'Connor and Rodrigues moved that the proposed new text be amended by inserting the following new section:-

SECTION XX.  There shall be a special joint legislative commission  to review and evaluate all aspects of the original infrastructure debt associated with all repair and maintenance and capital construction-improvement projects completed at UMass Boston. Consistent with the requirement that public expenditures must be open to review, the commission will have access to all records, data, studies and reports, etc. prepared by or for UMass Boston, The University of Massachusetts President’s Office, UMass Building Authority, UMass Board of Trustees, etc. and available from various state agencies, vendors-contractors, consultants, etc. The commission will have unfettered and complete access to any and all such data and related public documents.

The commission shall review and evaluate the collected data and will assess the impact of the original infrastructure debt on the day-to-day operations of the UMass Boston campus. It shall identify those expenses incurred to-date and pending future expenses to be incurred to correct all deficient construction related activities caused by the initial construction of the campus. Upon completion of its review and evaluation, the commission will issue a report of its findings and recommendations. Specifically, the commission will identify that amount of debt incurred to-date or pending related to the initial deficient construction of the campus and that should either be reimbursed, paid off, and/or assumed by the commonwealth instead of UMass Boston.

The commission shall consist of:  1 person to be appointed by the senate president who shall serve as co-chair; 1 person to be appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives who shall serve as co-chair; the Senior Vice President for Administration  and  Finance and Treasurer, UMass President’s Office or a designee: the Chair of the Committee on Administration and Finance, UMass Board of Trustees or a designee; the Vice Chancellor for Administration and Finance, UMass Boston or a designee; the President of UMass Boston Student Government or a designee;  and 7 persons to be appointed by the governor, 2 of whom shall be independent and qualified third party specialists-consultants in debt financing and debt management for public higher educational institutions, 1 of whom shall be a representative of the UMass Boston Board of Visitors, 1 of whom shall be a representative of the UMass Boston Alumni Association, 1 of whom shall be a representative of the UMass Boston Faculty Senate,1 of whom shall be a representative of the UMass Labor Employee Union, and 1 of whom shall be a representative of the UMass Building Authority.

Meetings of the commission shall be subject to all applicable provisions of MGL, Chapter 30A.  The commission will meet on a regular basis and will file a report of its findings and recommendations with the clerks of the senate and house of representatives, the chairs of the senate and house committees on ways and means, and the governor by March 31, 2019.