HF 1389

as introduced - 87th Legislature (2011 - 2012) Posted on 04/06/2011 08:45am

A bill for an act
relating to higher education; modifying requirements for the Board of Regents
and the selection of regents; amending Minnesota Statutes 2010, sections 137.02,
by adding a subdivision; 137.0245, subdivision 3.

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

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 137.02, is amended by adding a
subdivision to read:

new text begin Subd. 5. new text end

new text begin Regent contracts. new text end

new text begin The Board of Regents must not enter into an
employment contract or provide payment through a contract for services with an individual
who is a member of the Board of Regents.
new text end

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective the day following final enactment
for contracts entered into or renewed on or after that date.
new text end

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 137.0245, subdivision 3, is amended to read:

Subd. 3.

Duties.

(a) The advisory council shall:

(1) develop, in consultation with current and former regents and the administration
of the University of Minnesota, a statement of the selection criteria to be applied and
a description of the responsibilities and duties of a regent, and shall distribute this to
potential candidates; and

(2) for each position on the board, identify and recruit qualified candidates for the
Board of Regents, based on the background and experience of the candidates, their
potential for discharging the responsibilities of a member of the Board of Regents, and the
needs of the board. The selection criteria must not include a limitation on the number of
terms an individual may serve on the Board of Regents.

(b) The selection criteria developed under paragraph (a), clause (1), must include a
criterion that regents represent diversity in geography; gender; race; occupation, including
business and labor; and experience.

(c) The selection criterion must include an identification of the membership needs of
the board for individual skills relevant to the governance of the University of Minnesota
and the needs for certain individual characteristics. Individual characteristics relate to
qualities such as gender, race, and geographic location of residence.

new text begin (d) The selection criteria must exclude current employees of, or persons under
contract with, the Board of Regents.
new text end

Sec. 3. new text begin RESPONSIBILITIES OF INDIVIDUAL REGENTS.
new text end

new text begin The Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota is requested to amend the
policy on responsibilities of the board and individual regents last amended October 10,
2003, to include nonpartisan representation in the responsibility of individual members.
The board should amend its current policy requiring individual members "to represent all
the people of Minnesota and no particular interest, community, or constituency" to add
"no particular political party" to that list.
new text end

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective the day following final enactment.
new text end