Bill Text: MS HC25 | 2020 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Constitution; amned to dissolve the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Failed) 2020-10-02 - Died In Committee [HC25 Detail]
Download: Mississippi-2020-HC25-Introduced.html
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2020 Regular Session
To: Constitution; Universities and Colleges
By: Representative Bell (65th)
House Concurrent Resolution 25
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION PROPOSING TO AMEND SECTION 213-A, MISSISSIPPI CONSTITUTION OF 1890, TO ABOLISH THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF STATE INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING EFFECTIVE MAY 7, 2021; TO PROVIDE THAT THE GOVERNANCE OF STATE INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING SHALL BE VESTED IN A BOARD OF TRUSTEES FOR EACH UNIVERSITY ELECTED BY THE ALUMNI ASSOCIATIONS AND DULY ENROLLED MEMBERS OF THE STUDENT BODY OF EACH RESPECTIVE UNIVERSITY; TO PRESCRIBE THE COMPOSITION OF THE BOARD AND TERMS OF OFFICE OF SUCH INDIVIDUALS ELECTED TO SERVE AS TRUSTEES; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, That the following amendment to the Mississippi Constitution of 1890 is proposed to the qualified electors of the state:
Amend Section 213-A, Mississippi Constitution of 1890, to read as follows: Amend Section 213-A, Mississippi Constitution of 1890, to read as follows:
"Section 213-A. The
state institutions of higher learning in Mississippi, to wit: University of
Mississippi, Mississippi State University of Agriculture and Applied Science,
Mississippi University for Women, University of Southern Mississippi, Delta
State University, Alcorn State University, Jackson State University,
Mississippi Valley State University, and any others which may be organized or
established by the State of Mississippi, shall be under the management and
control of * * *
an university specific board of trustees to be known as the "(name
of university) Board of Trustees" * * *. Each state
institution of higher learning shall be administered by a university board of
trustees comprised of three (3) members who shall be residents of the State of
Mississippi, and who shall be elected by members of the university's alumni
association and duly enrolled members of the university's student body at any
such time that elections are conducted. In addition to the elected trustees,
the president of each university shall serve on the board of trustees as an ex-officio
member of the board for the university in which he or she serves. The
chairperson of the faculty senate or the equivalent and the president of the
student body of the university shall serve the board in an advisory capacity.
The elected members shall serve staggered five-year terms. In order to achieve
staggered terms, beginning May 7, 2021, of the initially elected trustees, one
(1) member shall serve a five-year term, one (1) member shall serve a three-year
term, and one (1) member shall serve a two-year term, and thereafter, each
elected trustee shall serve a term of five (5) years. In case of a vacancy
on the board by death or resignation of a member, or from any cause other
than the expiration of such member's term of office, the * * * university president shall elect
his successor, who shall hold office until the end of the * * * fiscal year
in which the vacancy occurred. If the vacancy occurs within forty-five (45)
days of the fiscal year's end, the president shall elect a successor who shall
serve until the end of the immediate following fiscal year, at which such time
an election shall be held to fill the vacancy, the person so elected shall
serve the remainder of the unexpired term. * * *
The Legislature shall provide by law for the appointment of a trustee for the La Bauve Fund at the University of Mississippi and for the perpetuation of such fund, which shall be under the management and control of the University of Mississippi Board of Trustees.
Such board shall have the
power and authority to elect the * * * head of * * * its respective
institution of higher learning, and contract with all deans, professors and
other members of the teaching staff, and all administrative employees of the
institutions for a term not exceeding four (4) years; but the board may
terminate any such contract at any time for malfeasance, inefficiency or
contumacious conduct, but never for political reasons.
Nothing herein contained shall in any way limit or take away the power the Legislature had and possessed, if any, at the time of the adoption of this amendment, to consolidate, abolish or change the status of any of the above named institutions."
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this amendment to the Constitution shall be submitted to the qualified electors of this state at an election to be held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday of November 2020, in the manner provided by Section 273 of the Constitution and by law.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the explanation of this proposed amendment for the ballot shall read as follows: "This proposed amendment provides that after May 7, 2021, the twelve-member Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning shall be abolished and the governance of the state institutions of higher learning shall be vested in a board of trustees for each university elected by the alumni associations and duly enrolled members of the student body of each respective university."
