HF 1602

as introduced - 87th Legislature (2011 - 2012) Posted on 04/28/2011 09:56am

A bill for an act
relating to higher education; modifying certain requirements for University of
Minnesota regents; amending Minnesota Statutes 2010, sections 137.0245,
subdivision 3; 137.0246, subdivision 2; proposing coding for new law in
Minnesota Statutes, chapter 137.

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

Section 1.

new text begin [137.0235] DESIGNATED MEMBERS ON BOARD OF REGENTS.
new text end

new text begin In electing members of the Board of Regents pursuant to the Minnesota Constitution,
article XIII, section 3, and Territorial Laws 1851, chapter 3, section 5, the Board of
Regents of the university must have at least one member, who at the time of election to the
board, meets the qualifications under this section. At least one member must be a person
who is a member of the faculty at the University of Minnesota and at least one other
member must be a person who represents labor as a member of a labor union. Regents
elected under this section may represent the state at large or a congressional district under
section 137.024. Upon expiration of the term or in the event of a vacancy in the office,
each position must be filled by a person having the same qualifications.
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 new text begin requirements of sections 137.023 to 137.024,
the new text end 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.

Sec. 3.

Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 137.0246, subdivision 2, is amended to read:

Subd. 2.

Regent nomination joint committee.

(a) The joint legislative committee
consists of the members of the higher education budget and policy divisions in each house
of the legislature. The chairs of the divisions from each body shall be cochairs of the
joint legislative committee. A majority of the members from each house is a quorum of
the joint committee.

(b) By February 28 of each odd-numbered year, or at a date agreed to by concurrent
resolution, the joint legislative committee shall meet to consider the advisory council's
recommendations for regent of the University of Minnesota for possible presentation to a
joint convention of the legislature.

(c) The joint committee may recommend to the joint convention candidates
recommended by the advisory council and the other candidates nominated by the joint
committee. A candidate other than those recommended by the advisory council may be
nominated for consideration by the joint committee only if the nomination receives the
support of at least three house of representatives members of the committee and two senate
members of the committee. A candidate must receive a majority vote of members from the
house of representatives and from the senate on the joint committee to be recommended to
the joint convention. The joint committee may recommend no more than one candidate
for each vacancy. In recommending nominees, the joint committee must consider the
new text begin requirements of sections 137.023 to 137.024, the new text end needs of the board of regents new text begin , new text end and the
balance of the board membership with respect to gender, racial, and ethnic composition.