Bill Text: MS HC27 | 2020 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Constitution; amend to reconstitute the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Failed) 2020-03-03 - Died In Committee [HC27 Detail]
Download: Mississippi-2020-HC27-Introduced.html
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2020 Regular Session
To: Constitution
By: Representative Hines
House Concurrent Resolution 27
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION PROPOSING AN AMENDMENT TO SECTION 213A, MISSISSIPPI CONSTITUTION OF 1890, TO RECONSTITUTE THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF STATE INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING; 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 be submitted to the qualified electors of the state:
Amend Section 213A, Mississippi Constitution of 1890, to read as follows:
"Section 213A. 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 a board of trustees to be known as the Board of Trustees of State
Institutions of Higher Learning. The Governor shall appoint * * * one (1) member from
the state at large with the advice and consent of the Senate. Each
president of a state institution of higher learning shall submit five (5)
recommendations for a member to the Governor, and the Governor must select one
(1) member from each president's recommendations. All state institutions of
higher learning student government association presidents shall jointly appoint
one (1) from their group to serve as a member. The * * * appointments shall * * * only be persons who are
qualified electors * * * who
are at least * * * twenty-one (21) years of age, and of the highest order
of intelligence, character, learning and fitness for the performance of such
duties, to the end that such board shall perform its high and honorable duties
to the greatest advantage of the people of the state and such educational
institutions, uninfluenced by any political considerations. The board of
trustees shall be composed of * * * ten (10) members. * * * The terms of the
members of the board of trustees as constituted on December 31, 2021, shall
expire at midnight of that date, and the newly appointed members shall take
office on January 1, 2022, for a term of four (4) years. After the expiration
of the terms of the initial members, all subsequent appointments shall be made
for terms of four (4) years from the expiration date of the previous term.
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 board shall elect his successor, who shall hold office until the end of the * * * 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.
Such board shall have the power and authority to elect the heads of the various institutions 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 the amendment in this resolution shall be submitted to the qualified electors at an election to be held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday of November 2020, as 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 constitutional amendment reconstitutes the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning to reduce the number of members to ten (10) and shorten term to four (4) years."
