(a) There is established a Connecticut Higher Education Trust Advisory Committee which shall consist of the State Treasurer, the executive director of the Office of Higher Education, the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management and the cochairpersons and ranking members of the joint standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to education and finance, revenue and bonding, or their designees, and one student financial aid officer and one finance officer at a public institution of higher education in the state, each appointed by the Board of Regents for Higher Education, and one student financial aid officer and one finance officer at an independent institution of higher education in the state, each appointed by the Connecticut Conference of Independent Colleges. The advisory committee shall meet at least annually. The State Treasurer shall convene the meetings of the committee.

(b) Within six months from the date of the trust’s annual report, the State Treasurer and the executive director of the Office of Higher Education shall jointly report, in accordance with § 11-4a, to the joint standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to education and finance, revenue and bonding on an evaluation of the Connecticut Higher Education Trust and recommendations, if any, for improvements in the program.