Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That §23.1-200 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:

§23.1-200. State Council of Higher Education for Virginia established; purpose; membership; terms; officers.

A. The State Council of Higher Education for Virginia is established to advocate for and promote the development and operation of an educationally and economically sound, vigorous, progressive, and coordinated system of higher education in the Commonwealth and lead state-level strategic planning and policy development and implementation based on research and analysis and in accordance with §23.1-301 and subsection A of §23.1-1002. The Council shall seek to facilitate collaboration among institutions of higher education that will enhance quality and create operational efficiencies and work with institutions of higher education and their governing boards on board development.

B. The Council shall be composed of individuals selected from the Commonwealth at large without regard to political affiliation but with due consideration of geographical representation. Nonlegislative citizen members shall have demonstrated experience, knowledge, and understanding of higher education and workforce needs. Nonlegislative citizen members shall be selected for their ability and all appointments shall be of such nature as to aid the work of the Council and inspire the highest degree of cooperation and confidence. No officer, employee, trustee, or member of the governing board of any institution of higher education, employee of the Commonwealth, member of the General Assembly, or member of the Board of Education is eligible for appointment to the Council except as specified in this section. All members of the Council are members at large who shall serve the best interests of the whole Commonwealth. No member shall act as the representative of any particular region or of any particular institution of higher education.

C. The Council shall consist of 13 members: 12 nonlegislative citizen members appointed by the Governor and one ex officio member. At least one nonlegislative citizen member shall have served as a chief executive officer of a public institution of higher education. At least one nonlegislative citizen member shall have served as a chief executive officer of an accredited nonprofit private institution of higher education whose primary purpose is to provide collegiate, graduate, or professional education and not to provide religious training or theological education. At least one nonlegislative citizen member shall be a division superintendent or the Superintendent of Public Instruction. The President of the Virginia Economic Development Partnership Authority shall serve ex officio with voting privileges.

D. All terms shall begin July 1.

E. Nonlegislative citizen members shall serve for terms of four years. Vacancies occurring other than by expiration of a term shall be filled for the unexpired term. No nonlegislative citizen member shall serve for more than two consecutive terms; however, a nonlegislative citizen member appointed to serve an unexpired term is eligible to serve two consecutive four-year terms. No nonlegislative citizen member who has served two consecutive four-year terms is eligible to serve on the Council until at least two years have passed since the end of his second consecutive four-year term. All appointments are subject to confirmation by the General Assembly. Nonlegislative citizen members shall continue to hold office until their successors have been appointed and qualified. Ex officio members shall serve terms coincident with their terms of office.

F. The Council shall elect a chairman and a vice-chairman from its membership. The Council shall appoint a secretary and such other officers as it deems necessary and prescribe their duties and terms of office.

G. At each meeting, the Council shall involve the chief executive officer of each public institution of higher education in its agenda. The chief executive officers shall present information and comment on issues of common interest and choose presenters to the Council from among themselves who reflect the diversity of the institutions.

H. At each meeting, the Council may involve other groups, including the presidents of private institutions of higher education, in its agenda.

I. As used in this section, "chief executive officer" includes the president of any accredited nonprofit private institution of higher education whose primary purpose is to provide collegiate, graduate, or professional education and not to provide religious training or theological education.

2. That the provisions of this act shall become effective on July 1, 2026.