Bill Text: MS SC562 | 2016 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Public universities; amend Const. to provide for a State University System and local Boards of Trustees.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Failed) 2016-02-23 - Died In Committee [SC562 Detail]
Download: Mississippi-2016-SC562-Introduced.html
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2016 Regular Session
To: Universities and Colleges; Appropriations
By: Senator(s) Tollison
Senate Concurrent Resolution 562
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION PROPOSING AN AMENDMENT TO SECTION 213A, MISSISSIPPI CONSTITUTION OF 1890, TO CLARIFY THAT THE LEGISLATURE SHALL MAKE ADEQUATE PROVISION BY LAW FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT, MAINTENANCE AND OPERATION OF THE 8 PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES IN THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, TO PROVIDE FOR A STATE UNIVERSITY SYSTEM COMPRISED OF THE 8 PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES IN THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, TO ESTABLISH A SYSTEM OF GOVERNANCE FOR THE STATE UNIVERSITY SYSTEM OF MISSISSIPPI, TO PROVIDE FOR A BOARD OF GOVERNORS FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF THE STATE UNIVERSITY SYSTEM COMPRISED OF THE MEMBERSHIP OF THE PRESENT BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF STATE INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING, TO PRESCRIBE THE GENERAL RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE BOARD OF GOVERNORS OF THE STATE UNIVERSITY SYSTEM, TO PROVIDE FOR LOCAL BOARDS OF TRUSTEES FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF EACH UNIVERSITY IN THE STATE UNIVERSITY SYSTEM AND TO PRESCRIBE THE GENERAL RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE LOCAL BOARDS OF 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 be submitted to the qualified electors of the state:
Amend Section 213A, Mississippi Constitution of 1890, to read as follows:
Section 213-A. (1) Public
universities. Adequate provision shall be made by law for the
establishment, maintenance and operation of the * * * public institutions of higher
learning in Mississippi, to wit: University of Mississippi, Mississippi State
University * * *, 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 * * *. Nothing herein contained shall in any way limit or take
away the power the Legislature had and possessed * * * at the time of the adoption of this
amendment, to consolidate, abolish or change the status of any of the above-named
institutions.
(2) State University System. There shall be a single State University System comprised of all public universities. A Board of Trustees shall administer each public university and a Board of Governors shall govern the State University System.
(3) Board of
Governors of the State University System. The Board of Governors of the
State University System shall be a body corporate consisting of the former
membership of the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning,
which shall become the new Board of Governors of the State University System.
The board shall operate, regulate, control and be fully responsible for the
management of the whole university system. These responsibilities shall
include, but not be limited to, defining the distinctive mission of each
constituent university and its articulation with public schools and community
colleges, ensuring the well-planned coordination and operation of the system,
and avoiding wasteful duplication of facilities or programs. The board's
management shall be subject to the powers of the Legislature to appropriate for
the expenditure of funds, and the board shall account for such expenditures as
provided by law. The Governor shall appoint the members of the board with
the advice and consent of the Senate. The Governor shall appoint only persons
who are qualified electors residing in the district from which each is
appointed, and at least twenty-five (25) 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 * * * Governors shall be composed of
twelve (12) members. The members of the board * * * as constituted on January 1, 2004,
shall continue to serve until expiration of their respective terms of office.
Appointments made to fill vacancies created by expiration of members' terms of
office occurring after January 1, 2004, shall be as follows: The initial term
of the members appointed in 2004 shall be for eleven (11) years; the initial
term of the members appointed in 2008 shall be for ten (10) years; and the
initial term of the members appointed in 2012 shall be for nine (9) years.
After the expiration of the initial terms, all terms shall be for nine (9)
years. Four (4) members of the board * * * shall be appointed from each of
the three (3) Mississippi Supreme Court districts and, as such vacancies occur,
the Governor shall make appointments from the Supreme Court district having the
smallest number of board members until the membership includes four (4) members
from each district. 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 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 for the balance of the unexpired term for which such original
trustee was appointed, to the end that one-third (1/3) of such trustees' terms
will expire each three (3) years. 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.
* * *
(4) Local Boards of Trustees. Each local constituent university shall be administered by a Board of Trustees consisting of seven (7) members, dedicated to the purposes of the State University System, selected as provided by law. The Board of Governors of the State University System shall establish the powers and duties of the Boards of Trustees.
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 2016, as provided by Section 273 of the Constitution and by law.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the explanation of the amendment for the ballot shall read as follows: "This proposed amendment provides for the establishment of and a system of governance for a State University System for the State of Mississippi comprised of the existing eight (8) State Institutions of Higher Learning. It requires the Legislature to make adequate provision by law for the establishment, maintenance and operation of the eight (8) state institutions of higher learning. It establishes a Board of Governors for the State University System responsible for the management of the whole university system, consisting of the membership of the present Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning. It establishes local Boards of Trustees to administer the operation of each of the eight (8) state institutions of higher learning, with their responsibilities to be established by the Board of Governors."