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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>83053</law_id><section_number>23.1-1309</section_number><catch_line>Boards of visitors; baccalaureate public institutions of higher education; intercollegiate athletics programs</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>30-360</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="23.1">Institutions of Higher Education; Other Educational and Cultural Institutions</unit><unit label="subtitle" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="IV">Public Institutions of Higher Education</unit><unit label="chapter" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="13">Governing Boards of Public Institutions of Higher Education</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> As used in this section:
			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Athletics revenue</span>&#x201D; means the total revenue received by an institution that is generated by any of the institution&#x2019;s <span class="dictionary">intercollegiate athletics programs</span>. &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Athletics revenue</span>&#x201D; includes <span class="dictionary">contributions</span>; game guarantees; income received from endowments and investments; income received from the sale of food, game programs, novelties, and other concessions at an intercollegiate athletics contest; income received from intercollegiate athletics conferences for participation in bowl games, tournaments, and other intercollegiate athletics contests; income received from the provision of parking at intercollegiate athletics contests or other events associated with intercollegiate athletics; <span class="dictionary">rights and licensing</span>; <span class="dictionary">school funds</span>; <span class="dictionary">student fees</span>; support from third parties guaranteed by the institution, such as income received from athletics camps, income received from television, and housing allowances; and all other income from any other source generated by the institution&#x2019;s <span class="dictionary">intercollegiate athletics programs</span>.
			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Contributions</span>&#x201D; means any income received directly from individuals, corporations, associations, foundations, clubs, or other donors for the operation of an institution&#x2019;s <span class="dictionary">intercollegiate athletics programs</span>. &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Contributions</span>&#x201D; includes amounts paid in excess of the face value of an admissions ticket to an intercollegiate athletics contest or any other event associated with intercollegiate athletics; cash; marketable securities; income generated from preferential seating arrangements at intercollegiate athletics contests or other events associated with intercollegiate athletics; and in-kind <span class="dictionary">contributions</span> such as cars provided to an <span class="dictionary">intercollegiate athletics program</span> by car dealers at no cost and apparel and sports drink products provided to intercollegiate athletes and coaches at no cost.
			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Generated revenue</span>&#x201D; means all <span class="dictionary">athletics revenue</span> with the exception of the subsidy.
			&#x201C;Institution&#x201D; means a <span class="dictionary">baccalaureate <span class="dictionary">public institution of higher education</span></span>.
			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Intercollegiate athletics program</span>&#x201D; means any athletics program for a particular sport that is operated by an institution and governed by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).
			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Rights and licensing</span>&#x201D; includes income from radio and television broadcasts; Internet and e-commerce rights resulting from institution-negotiated <span class="dictionary">contracts</span>; revenue-sharing agreements with the NCAA or an intercollegiate athletics conference; licensing; the sale of advertisements, trademarks, or royalties; corporate sponsorships; and the value of in-kind <span class="dictionary">contributions</span> of products and services provided to an <span class="dictionary">intercollegiate athletics program</span> at no cost as part of such corporate sponsorship, such as equipment, apparel, isotonic sports drinks, other sports drink products, or water.
			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">School funds</span>&#x201D; means the direct and indirect financial support provided by the institution to any of its <span class="dictionary">intercollegiate athletics programs</span>. &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">School funds</span>&#x201D; includes state funds, tuition, tuition <span class="dictionary">waivers</span>, federal work awards for student athletes, administrative costs, facilities and grounds maintenance, security, risk management, utilities, and depreciation and debt services.
			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Student fees</span>&#x201D; means any fees assessed by an institution against a student that are used to support any of the institution&#x2019;s <span class="dictionary">intercollegiate athletics programs</span>.
			&#x201C;Subsidy&#x201D; means the sum of <span class="dictionary">school funds</span> and <span class="dictionary">student fees</span>.
			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Subsidy percentage</span>&#x201D; means the subsidy divided by the <span class="dictionary">athletics revenue</span>, provided that revenues allocated to (i) support spirit groups associated with any <span class="dictionary">intercollegiate athletics program</span>, (ii) meet any indirect cost policy requirements, or (iii) debt service for previously approved intercollegiate athletics capital outlay projects may be excluded from the subsidy for the purposes of such calculation.
			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Ticket sales</span>&#x201D; means the sale of the right to gain admission to an intercollegiate athletics contest or any other event associated with intercollegiate athletics. &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Ticket sales</span>&#x201D; includes sums received from any associated shipping and handling charges and includes sales to the public, faculty, and students. &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Ticket sales</span>&#x201D; does not include (i) amounts paid in excess of the face value of an admissions ticket to an intercollegiate athletics contest or any other event associated with intercollegiate athletics such as preferential seating arrangements or (ii) pass-through sales transactions such as sales for admission tickets to bowl games and conference and national tournaments. <a id="paragraph-297649" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/23.1-1309/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> The Auditor of Public Accounts, in collaboration with the <span class="dictionary">Council</span>, State Comptroller, Department of Planning and Budget, and each institution, shall develop and implement a standardized reporting format for each institution to annually report its intercollegiate <span class="dictionary">athletics revenue</span> and expenses to the Auditor of Public Accounts that shall include treatment of <span class="dictionary">student fees</span> and classification of specific <span class="dictionary">intercollegiate athletics programs</span> and shall require expenses for spirit groups, indirect cost policy requirements, and debt service for previously approved intercollegiate athletics capital outlay projects and other intercollegiate athletics capital outlay projects to be reported on separate lines. <a id="paragraph-297650" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/23.1-1309/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> The <span class="dictionary">subsidy percentage</span> shall not exceed: <a id="paragraph-297651" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/23.1-1309/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C1" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">1.</span> 20 percent for NCAA Division I-A <span class="dictionary">institutions</span> affiliated with the Atlantic Coast Conference, Big Ten Conference, Big 12 Conference, Pac-12 Conference, or Southeastern Conference; <a id="paragraph-297652" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/23.1-1309/#C1"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C2" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">2.</span> 55 percent for NCAA Division I-A <span class="dictionary">institutions</span> affiliated with conferences other than the Atlantic Coast Conference, Big Ten Conference, Big 12 Conference, Pac-12 Conference, or Southeastern Conference; <a id="paragraph-297653" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/23.1-1309/#C2"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C3" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">3.</span> 70 percent for NCAA Division I-AA <span class="dictionary">institutions</span>; <a id="paragraph-297654" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/23.1-1309/#C3"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C4" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">4.</span> 78 percent for NCAA Division I-AAA <span class="dictionary">institutions</span>; <a id="paragraph-297655" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/23.1-1309/#C4"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C5" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">5.</span> 81 percent for NCAA Division II <span class="dictionary">institutions</span> that operate intercollegiate football programs; <a id="paragraph-297656" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/23.1-1309/#C5"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C6" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">6.</span> 85 percent for NCAA Division II <span class="dictionary">institutions</span> that do not operate intercollegiate football programs; <a id="paragraph-297657" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/23.1-1309/#C6"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C7" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">7.</span> 89 percent for NCAA Division III <span class="dictionary">institutions</span> that operate intercollegiate football programs; and <a id="paragraph-297658" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/23.1-1309/#C7"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C8" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">8.</span> 92 percent for NCAA Division III <span class="dictionary">institutions</span> that do not operate intercollegiate football programs. <a id="paragraph-297659" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/23.1-1309/#C8"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="D"><p><span class="prefix-number">D.</span> Each fiscal year, any percentage increase in the subsidy at an institution that complies with subsection C shall be matched by a like percentage increase in <span class="dictionary">generated revenue</span>, except that each such institution shall utilize a rolling average of the change in <span class="dictionary">generated revenue</span> and <span class="dictionary">student fees</span> over the immediately preceding five years for the purposes of such calculation. <a id="paragraph-297660" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/23.1-1309/#D"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="E"><p><span class="prefix-number">E.</span> When necessary, each institution shall submit to the Governor and the General Assembly for approval a plan that reduces the subsidy in accordance with targets outlined in the plan over a five-year period until the <span class="dictionary">subsidy percentage</span> complies with the requirements of subsection C. <a id="paragraph-297661" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/23.1-1309/#E"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="F"><p><span class="prefix-number">F.</span> The Auditor of Public Accounts shall annually review each institution&#x2019;s progress towards meeting the requirements of each plan approved pursuant to subsection E as part of his annual audit pursuant to &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Duties and powers generally" href="/30-133/">30-133</a>. <a id="paragraph-297662" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/23.1-1309/#F"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="G"><p><span class="prefix-number">G.</span> Failure to meet the progress requirements of each plan approved pursuant to subsection E for one year, as determined by the Auditor of Public Accounts, shall result in such reduction of the financial and administrative operations authority granted to the institution pursuant to the Restructured Higher Education Financial and Administrative Operations Act (&#xA7; <a class="law" title="Definitions" href="/23.1-1000/">23.1-1000</a> et seq.) as the Governor or General Assembly determines. <a id="paragraph-297663" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/23.1-1309/#G"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="H"><p><span class="prefix-number">H.</span> Failure to meet the progress requirements of each plan approved pursuant to subsection E for two consecutive years, as determined by the Auditor of Public Accounts, shall result in <span class="dictionary">revocation</span> of all financial and administrative operations authority granted to the institution pursuant to the Restructured Higher Education Financial and Administrative Operations Act (&#xA7; <a class="law" title="Definitions" href="/23.1-1000/">23.1-1000</a> et seq.). <a id="paragraph-297664" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/23.1-1309/#H"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="I"><p><span class="prefix-number">I.</span> The board of visitors of any institution that seeks to add a major <span class="dictionary">intercollegiate athletics program</span> such as football or basketball or change the division level of any of its existing <span class="dictionary">intercollegiate athletics programs</span> shall first submit to the Intercollegiate Athletics Review Commission (Commission) established pursuant to Chapter 57 (&#xA7; <a class="law" title="Intercollegiate Athletics Review Commission; purpose; membership; terms; compensation and expenses" href="/30-359/">30-359</a> et seq.) of Title 30 a plan and recommendations for financing the addition or change. The institution shall not in any way undertake any such addition or agree or commit to any such change until it has received the <span class="dictionary">findings</span> and recommendations of the Commission pursuant to &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Review of plans to add a major intercollegiate athletics program or change the division level of an existing intercollegiate athletics program" href="/30-360/">30-360</a>. Any such addition or change is subject to the approval of the General Assembly expressed in the general appropriation act. The board of visitors of any institution that adds a non-major <span class="dictionary">intercollegiate athletics program</span> shall report such decision within 15 days of the board&#x2019;s action. <a id="paragraph-297665" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/23.1-1309/#I"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>2015, c. 704, &#xA7; 23-1.2; 2016, c. 588.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
