(a)
The board of governors may request the County Office Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team (FCMAT) established pursuant to Section 42127.8 to assist a community college district to establish or maintain sound financial and budgetary conditions and to comply with principles of sound fiscal management.
(b)
The board of governors may recommend additional persons with expertise in community college fiscal accountability to serve as part of a FCMAT operation for the purposes of this section.
(c)
The board of governors may request FCMAT to assist a community college district as follows:
(1)
Whenever regulations adopted by the board of governors authorize contracting for a management review of the district and its educational programs or an audit of the financial conditions of the district.
(2)
To provide management or fiscal crisis intervention, or both, for a community college district where a crisis presents an imminent threat to the fiscal integrity and security of that district. In these cases, the FCMAT shall have the authority, subject to regulations adopted by the board of governors, to stay or rescind any action of the district’s governing board that is inconsistent with the district’s fiscal integrity and security.
(d)
The FCMAT shall submit a progress report to the affected district, to the board of governors, and to the chancellor at least every six months, or more frequently if that is required by the chancellor.
(e)
Each community college district that receives assistance at the request of the board of governors under subdivision (a), (b), (c), or (d) shall be required to pay the full cost incurred by the unit for these purposes.
(f)
If the board of governors requests the assistance of the FCMAT pursuant to paragraph (2) of subdivision (c), the chancellor shall provide the board of governors with a report that includes all of the following:
(1)
An assessment of which events or activities led to the crisis.
(2)
An action plan for addressing the deficiencies of the district.
(3)
A process for assessing district progress in correcting deficiencies.
(4)
Benchmarks that indicate the presence of local capacity to manage the fiscal responsibilities of the district.
(g)
(1)Irrespective of whether the FCMAT has been requested by the board of governors to assist a district under this section, a district may request the FCMAT to do either or both of the following at district expense, in accordance with paragraph (2):
(A)
Provide fiscal management assistance.
(B)
Facilitate training for members of the district governing board and for any district employees whose responsibilities include addressing fiscal issues. Training services shall emphasize efforts to improve fiscal accountability and to expand the fiscal competency of the trainees.
(2)
Each community college district that receives assistance at its request under this subdivision shall be required to pay the full cost incurred by the unit for that purpose.
(h)
The board of governors shall develop and adopt any regulations that are necessary for the implementation of this section.