2022 -- H 7744

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LC004576

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2022

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO EDUCATION -- UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND

     Introduced By: Representatives Fogarty, McEntee, Caldwell, Craven, Phillips, and
O'Brien

     Date Introduced: March 02, 2022

     Referred To: House State Government & Elections

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Section 16-32-2.2 of the General Laws in Chapter 16-32 entitled "University

of Rhode Island [See Title 16 Chapter 97 - The Rhode Island Board of Education Act]" is hereby

amended to read as follows:

     16-32-2.2. Appointment and removal of the board of trustees.

     (a) There is hereby established a board of trustees for the university of Rhode Island

consisting of seventeen (17) members. The governor shall appoint the members, with the advice

and consent of the senate, to serve on the board of trustees, until the expiration of their term and

their successor is appointed. In making these appointments the governor shall give due

consideration to recommendations from the president of the university of Rhode Island and at least

three (3) of those members appointed by the governor shall be residents of the state of Rhode Island,

at least one of those members shall be selected from a list of names of at least five (5) individuals

submitted by the speaker of the house of representatives, and at least one of those members shall

be selected from a list of names of at least five (5) individuals submitted by the president of the

senate. In addition, the president of the university of Rhode Island shall appoint one faculty member

and one student member who shall be a full-time student in good standing at the university and

who shall both serve in a non-voting, ex officio capacity for a single two (2) year term. The chair

of the board of education and the chair of the council on postsecondary education shall serve in a

non-voting, ex-officio capacity on the board of trustees. Six (6) of the members initially appointed

pursuant to this section shall serve terms of three (3) years; seven (7) members initially appointed

pursuant to this section shall serve terms of two (2) years, including the member appointed from

the list submitted by the speaker of the house of representatives and the member appointed from

the list submitted by the president of the senate; and, four (4) members initially appointed pursuant

to this section shall serve terms of one year. Thirteen (13) Ten (10) voting members of the board

shall constitute a quorum and the vote of a majority of those present and voting shall be required

for action.

     (b) After the initial terms of appointment have expired, the governor shall appoint nine (9)

seventeen (17) members with the advice and consent of the senate to serve as members of the board

of trustees with three (3) members appointed for a term of three (3) years; with three (3) members

appointed for a term of two (2) years, including the member appointed from the list submitted by

the speaker of the house of representatives and the member appointed from the list submitted by

the president of the senate; and with three (3) members appointed for a term of one year and shall

be eligible to be reappointed to a term of two (2) years. In making these appointments the governor

shall give due consideration to recommendations from the president of the university of Rhode

Island and at least three (3) of those members appointed by the governor shall be residents of the

state of Rhode Island, at least one of those members shall be selected from a list of names of at

least five (5) individuals submitted by the speaker of the house of representatives, and at least one

of those members shall be selected from a list of names of at least five (5) individuals submitted by

the president of the senate. Additionally, at least eight (8) members shall be selected by the governor

from a list of names of individuals submitted by the chair of the board of trustees. The remaining

eight (8) voting members shall be self-perpetuating members appointed by the board pursuant to

rules adopted by the board regarding the nomination and appointment of members and shall serve

terms as defined by the board pursuant to the adopted rules and be eligible for reappointment. In

making these appointments the board shall give due consideration to recommendations from the

president of the university of Rhode Island. All members shall be appointed for a term of three (3)

years and shall be eligible for reappointment. In addition, the president of the University of Rhode

Island shall appoint one faculty member and one student member who shall be a full-time student

in good standing at the university and who shall both serve in a non-voting, ex officio capacity for

a single two (2) year term. The chair of the board of education and the chair of the council on

postsecondary education shall serve in a non-voting, ex officio capacity on the board of trustees.

     (c) A majority of the board shall elect the chair of the board from among the seventeen (17)

voting board members pursuant to rules and regulations adopted by the board establishing the

procedure for electing a chair.

     (d) Public members of the board shall be removable by the appointing authority of the

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member for cause only, and removal solely for partisan or personal reasons unrelated to capacity

or fitness for the office shall be unlawful. No removal shall be made for any cause except after ten

(10) days' notice in writing of specific charges, with opportunity for the member to be present in

person and with counsel at a public hearing before the appointing authority, to introduce witnesses

and documentary evidence in his or her own defense, and to confront and cross-examine adversary

witnesses; and appeal shall lie to the superior court from the governor's determination.

     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO EDUCATION -- UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND

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     This act would provide that the University of Rhode Island Board of Trustees meeting

requirement for a quorum is ten (10) voting members. The act would further provide that a

seventeen (17) member board would be appointed by the governor with the advice and consent of

the senate.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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