New Jersey-2024-S342-Introduced

An Act concerning the membership of the board of governors of Rutgers University and amending and supplementing chapter 65 of Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes.

Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

1. N.J.S.18A:65-14 is amended to read as follows:

18A:65-14. The membership of the board of governors shall be classified as follows and consist of:

a. the president of the corporation, serving as an ex officio non-voting member; [and]

b. 15 voting members,

i. seven of whom shall be appointed by the Governor of the State, with the advice and consent of the Senate, with one of these members being a resident of Camden County, and one of whom shall be appointed by the Governor upon the recommendation of the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the General Assembly and who shall be a resident of Essex County, and

ii. seven of whom shall be appointed by the board of trustees, from among their members, one of whom shall be a resident of Essex County and one of whom shall be a resident of Middlesex County, elected and serving under the provisions of subsection I.c. or I.d. of 18A:65-15[.] ; and

c. two student representatives who shall be full-time, regularly matriculated students in good academic standing, and who shall be 18 years of age or older and citizens of the United States, to be elected by the students of the university pursuant to section 2 of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill) to serve on the board of governors for terms of two years commencing at the next organization of the board.

The first additional appointments made by the Governor pursuant to P.L.2012, c.45 (C.18A:64M-1 et al.), shall not require the advice and consent of the Senate, but thereafter such advice and consent shall be required.

All members, other than the student representatives, shall serve for terms of six years, except that the terms of those initially appointed by the Governor which began on September 1, 1956, shall expire respectively (as designated by him) one, two, three, four, five and six years after June 30, 1956, and terms of those initially appointed by the board of trustees which began on September 1, 1956, shall expire respectively (as designated by the board) two, three, four, five and six years after June 30, 1956; all of whose respective successors shall be appointed to serve six-year terms. Governors may succeed themselves for not more than one additional term after having served one full six-year term (including an initial term beginning on September 1, 1956, and expiring on June 30, 1962).

(cf: P.L.2012, c.45, s.87)

2. (New section) a. In order to implement the provisions of subsection c. of N.J.S.18A:65-14, the board of governors shall schedule a public hearing within 90 days of the effective date of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill) on the question of the method of election of student representatives to the board. At its next regularly scheduled meeting following the public hearing, the board of governors shall determine whether the students are to be elected by the student body at large or by the members of the student government association. The method of the selection and the designation of eligible academic status of the student representatives shall be determined by the board of governors.

b. For the first election held pursuant to this section, one student shall be elected for a one-year term as a full voting member, and one student shall be elected for two years, but shall serve as an alternate member during the first year and as a voting member during the second year.

At each subsequent election, one student shall be elected for two years, but shall serve during the first year as an alternate member, and as a voting member during the second year. Any vacancies which occur shall be filled by the student governing body for the unexpired term only.

c. The standards for eligibility for student representatives on the board of governors shall be the same as those required for other student government officers.

d. The student members shall be entitled to full participation in all activities of the board except that they shall not participate in:

(1) any matter involving the employment, appointment, termination of employment, terms and conditions of employment, evaluation of the performance of, promotion, or disciplining of any specific prospective officer or employee or current officer or employee employed or appointed by the board, unless all the individual employees or appointees whose rights could be adversely affected request in writing that the matter or matters be discussed at a public meeting;

(2) any matter involving the purchase, lease, acquisition or sale of real property with public funds, the setting of banking rates or investment of public funds, where it could adversely affect the public interest if discussion of these matters were disclosed; and

(3) any pending or anticipated litigation in which the board is, or may become, a party, where it could adversely affect the public interest if discussion of these matters were disclosed, or any matters falling within the attorney-client privilege, to the extent that confidentiality is required in order for the attorney to exercise his ethical duties as a lawyer.

e. Upon assuming office, the students shall agree to adhere to such standards of responsibility and confidentiality as are established by the board of governors.

3. This act shall take effect immediately.

STATEMENT

This bill adds two student representatives to the board of governors of Rutgers University. Membership of the board currently consists of the president of the university, serving as an ex officio non-voting member, and 15 voting members, eight of whom are appointed by the Governor, and seven of whom are members of the board of trustees of the university.

Under the bill, two full-time, regularly matriculated student representatives in good academic standing, who are 18 years of age or older and citizens of the United States, are to be elected by the students of the university to serve on the board of governors for terms of two years.

The bill requires the board of governors to schedule a public hearing on the question of the method of election of student representatives to the board within 90 days of the bill's effective date. At its next regularly scheduled meeting following the public hearing, the board of governors will determine whether the students are to be elected by the student body at large or by the members of the student government association. The method of the selection and the designation of eligible academic status of the student representatives will be determined by the board of governors.

Under the bill, for the first election held for student representatives, one student will be elected for a one-year term as a full voting member, and one student will be elected for two years, but will serve as an alternate member during the first year and as a voting member during the second year. At each subsequent election, one student is to be elected for two years, but will serve during the first year as an alternate member, and as a voting member during the second year.