187-A:3 University of New Hampshire. A university is established and made a body politic and corporate, by the name of the "University of New Hampshire," the object of which shall be to teach such branches of learning and to prosecute such researches as may be necessary and desirable in the education of youth and advancement and development of the arts, the sciences and the industries, including the education and training of teachers for the public school systems of the cities and towns of the state, and of such nature, scope and standard as usually prevail in the tax supported universities of the several states. Such university is authorized to grant and confer in the name of the university of New Hampshire all such degrees, literary titles, honors and distinctions as other universities may of right do including associate, baccalaureate, master's and doctor's degrees. The trustees of said university are further authorized to define and prescribe the standard, scope and nature of the instruction and attainments necessary in order to qualify for such degrees, titles, honors and distinctions and to issue such bulletins, announcements and reports as may be found necessary or desirable in publishing and defining the standard, scope, quality and nature of the educational work of the corporation.
187-A:4 Colleges and Schools. The university shall include a college of engineering and physical sciences, a college of liberal arts, a college of life sciences and agriculture, a school of business and economics, a school of health studies, a college at Manchester, a graduate school, Granite state college, and may include a school of social work and such other colleges, schools, departments and divisions as are consistent with such organization.
187-A:5 College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts. The New Hampshire college of agriculture and the mechanic arts shall be a division of the university of New Hampshire, established pursuant to the provisions of RSA 187-A:3.
I. The leading object of the college shall be, without excluding other scientific and classical studies and including military tactics, to teach such branches of learning as are related to agriculture and the mechanic arts, in conformity to an act of congress entitled "An act donating land to the several states and territories which may provide colleges for the benefit of agriculture and the mechanic arts," approved July 2, 1862.
II. The state gives its assent to the purpose of and accepts for the benefit of the New Hampshire college of agriculture and the mechanic arts the grants of money authorized by act of congress, approved August 30, 1890, for the further endowment and support of the colleges for the benefit of agriculture and the mechanic arts and "to be applied only to instruction in agriculture, the mechanic arts, the English language, and the various branches of mathematical, physical, natural and economic science, with special reference to their application in the industries of life and the facilities for such instruction," as provided in said act of congress. The treasurer of the university of New Hampshire shall receive all grants of money made to this state under the provisions of said act of congress.
III. The work of the college shall be carried on in connection with, and as a part of the work of, the university, in such manner as to be consistent with the provisions of the aforesaid act of congress and the supplements to and amendments of said act, and with the terms of the bequest made to the state by Benjamin Thompson of Durham, and of other gifts made to the college or to the state for the benefit of the college, and with the continuance of the corporate existence of the college as a division of the university of New Hampshire.
IV. The funds derived from the sale of land scrip of the United States, and now in the possession of the state, shall be held by it as a trust fund for the benefit of the college of agriculture and the mechanic arts until otherwise ordered by the legislature; and the state shall pay to the treasurer of the university of New Hampshire, semi-annually, interest on the fund at the rate of six percent per annum.
V. Nothing in this chapter shall repeal any of the provisions of the laws of 1891, 361, entitled "An act providing for the removal of the New Hampshire college of agriculture and the mechanic arts from Hanover to Durham, and for other purposes."
187-A:6 County Programs; University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension Outreach Programs.
I. The purpose and intent of university of New Hampshire cooperative extension programs shall be as provided in RSA 24:10.
II. The university of New Hampshire cooperative extension shall, through its county outreach centers, take full advantage of communication technologies and distance-learning capabilities to bring university-based research and knowledge to the citizens of New Hampshire.
III. The memorandum of understanding between the division of forests and lands (DRED) and the university of New Hampshire cooperative extension, which provides cooperative extension with funds for forest education purposes, shall continue.
IV. The state recognizes and applauds the relationships between cooperative extension and other state agencies and encourages the development and continuance of the memorandum of understanding between the appropriate parties.
V. There shall be appropriated annually by the state a sum of money consistent with the purpose of conducting cooperative extension outreach programs in the various counties of the state in cooperation with the appropriate federal agencies and the counties and in furtherance of the so-called Smith-Lever Act as accepted by the state under the provisions of the laws of 1915, 194 and 195. The sums appropriated shall be expended through the university of New Hampshire cooperative extension to support outreach programs in the counties.
187-A:7 The State Fund.
I. For the purpose of providing a fund to be known as the university system of New Hampshire fund, the state treasurer shall credit to such fund the appropriation made to the university system for each fiscal year.
II. All sums so credited are appropriated to said university system for the support and maintenance thereof, including payments of salaries and wages to employees, and current expenses; the construction of additional buildings; the taking of land by eminent domain; the purchase of land, library books, and periodicals; the making of necessary repairs and replacements; the building of roads and walks; the improvement of the grounds; the construction, extension and maintenance of water, sewer and heating systems; and in general for the payment of all such expenses incident to the management of the university system as the trustees thereof may from time to time determine.
III. This fund shall constitute a continuing appropriation for the benefit of the university system. Any amount remaining to the credit of the university system at the close of any fiscal year shall be carried over and credited to its account for the succeeding year. No part of the fund shall be used for the payment of salaries or expenses of extension service agents resident in the counties of the state.
187-A:8 Payment of State Fund. Money in the state fund shall be paid to the treasurer of the university system on manifests approved by the governor and council in the same manner as other state claims are paid; provided, that there shall be advanced to the treasurer such money as may be requested by the treasurer of the university system and approved by the governor and council; and provided, further, that manifests covering the money so advanced shall be submitted according to regular procedure at the earliest practicable time.
187-A:9 Two-Year Course. A two-year course in practical and theoretical agriculture is established in the Thompson school of applied science of the university of New Hampshire, to which students shall be admitted who can pass such fair and reasonable examination in reading, spelling, writing, arithmetic, English grammar, and the geography and history of the United States as may be approved by the trustees. In this course students are not required to take higher mathematics or any foreign language. In addition, they may take any other exercises or studies for which they are qualified and which are provided by the Thompson school of applied science or the university of New Hampshire in other courses. Those who successfully complete said two-year program of instruction in the Thompson school of applied science shall receive an appropriate associate degree as authorized by the trustees.
187-A:10 Out-of-State Students. The number of undergraduate students enrolled in the university of New Hampshire from domiciles outside the state in any year shall not exceed 25 percent of the maximum capacity for regular undergraduate students at the university as determined by the board of trustees. The limitation on out-of-state enrollment at the university may be suspended by vote of the board of trustees whenever the trustees find that such suspension benefits the state and the university without impairing the opportunity for qualified students of the state of New Hampshire to attend the university. However, any such suspension shall be made for not more than one year at a time but may be continued from year to year upon vote of said trustees. The limitation on out-of-state enrollment at the university of New Hampshire shall not apply to the following divisions of the university: Thompson school of applied science, summer school and graduate school. Nor shall the limitation apply to students attending the university under reciprocal agreements and contracts with other educational institutions.
187-A:10-a Consulting Center. The university of New Hampshire consulting center shall be an administrative unit of the university of New Hampshire research office. The consulting center shall report to the director of the research office and, through the director, to the vice president for academic affairs. The purpose of the consulting center shall be:
I. To promote interaction between the faculty and students of the university of New Hampshire and members of the private sector, nonprofit organizations, and state and local governmental units.
II. To aid New Hampshire businesses, nonprofit organizations, and state and local governmental units by providing access to the facilities and expertise offered by the university of New Hampshire.
III. To address the needs of clients, who may be either public or private organizations, by forming project teams composed of faculty and students of the university of New Hampshire. The purpose of the project teams shall be to find solutions to client problems.
IV. To promote the transfer of technology from the university to New Hampshire businesses and industries.