Senate Bill 2915

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 37-101-3, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE THAT TWO UNIVERSITY STUDENT BODY PRESIDENTS SHALL SERVE AS NONVOTING ADVISORY MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF STATE INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING, ON A ROTATING BASIS; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

SECTION 1. Section 37-101-3, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

37-101-3. (1) The Governor, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, shall appoint the members of the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning, one (1) member from each congressional district of the state as existing as of March 31, 1944, one (1) member from each Supreme Court district and two (2) members from the state at large, with the terms of each to begin on May 8, 1944. One-third (1/3) of the membership of said board so appointed shall be appointed for a period of four (4) years, one-third (1/3) for a period of eight (8) years and one-third (1/3) for a period of twelve (12) years. On the expiration of any of said terms of office the Governor shall appoint successors, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, for terms of twelve (12) years in each case.

In addition, there shall be two (2) nonvoting student advisory board members to serve on the board. Each of the two (2) student members shall be a current student-body president at one of the state institutions of higher learning and shall serve a one-year term to begin on July 1 of each year. The student body president advisory members shall be rotated among the universities in the following order: Alcorn State University, Delta State University, Jackson State University, Mississippi State University, Mississippi University for Women, Mississippi Valley State University, University of Mississippi and University of Southern Mississippi. The Student Body President's Council of Mississippi (SBPCM) shall coordinate appointments to the nonvoting student advisory board with the Commissioner of Higher Education.

(2) In case of a vacancy on said board by death or resignation of a member or from any other cause than the expiration of such member's term of office, the board shall elect his successor who shall hold office until the end of the next session of the Legislature. During such term of the session of the Legislature the Governor shall appoint the successor member of the board from the district from which his predecessor was appointed to hold office until the end of the period or term for which said original trustee was appointed, to the end that one-third (1/3) of such trustees' terms shall expire each four (4) years.

(3) The Executive Director of the State Board for Community and Junior Colleges, or his designee, and one (1) member of the State Board for Community and Junior Colleges to be designated by the chairman of said board, shall attend all regular meetings of the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning. Said community/junior college representatives shall have no jurisdiction or vote on any matter within the jurisdiction of the board. The Executive Director of the State Board for Community and Junior Colleges and any designee who is a state employee shall receive no per diem for attending meetings of the board, but shall be entitled to actual and necessary expense reimbursement and mileage for attending meetings at locations other than Jackson, Mississippi. The designee of the State Board for Community and Junior Colleges shall receive per diem compensation as authorized by Section 25-3-69, Mississippi Code of 1972, for attending said meetings, and shall be entitled to reimbursement for actual expense reimbursement and mileage, which shall be paid from funds appropriated to the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2006.