(1) (a) There is established the board of trustees for Colorado Mesa university, referred to in this article as the "board of trustees", which shall consist of thirteen members and shall be the governing authority for Colorado Mesa university. The board of trustees shall be, and is hereby declared to be, a body corporate and, as such and by the names designated in this section, may:
Acquire and hold property for the use of Colorado Mesa university;
Be a party to all suits and contracts; and
Do all things necessary to carry out the provisions of this article in like manner asmunicipal corporations of this state, including but not limited to the power to demand, receive, hold, and use for the best interests of Colorado Mesa university such money, lands, or other property as may be donated or devised to or for the university.
(b) The board of trustees and its successors shall have perpetual succession, shall have a seal, may make bylaws and regulations for the well-ordering and governance of Colorado Mesa university, and may conduct the business of the university in a manner not repugnant to the constitution and laws of this state. The board of trustees shall elect from the appointed members a chairperson, whose duties and responsibilities shall be prescribed in the duly adopted bylaws of the board of trustees. The board of trustees shall also elect a secretary and a treasurer, who may be members of the board and whose duties and responsibilities shall be prescribed in the duly adopted bylaws of the board of trustees. The staff of Colorado Mesa university shall provide staff support for the board of trustees.
The governor shall appoint, effective July 1, 2003, with the consent of the senate,eleven members of the board of trustees. Members appointed to the board of trustees shall have the authority to act on behalf of the board of trustees prior to obtaining confirmation by the senate. The members first appointed to said board shall take office on July 1, 2003. Appointments of members to take office on July 1, 2003, shall be made so that three members of the board have terms expiring on January 1, 2005, two members of the board have terms expiring on January 1, 2006, two members of the board have terms expiring on January 1, 2007, and two members of the board have terms expiring on January 1, 2008; thereafter, the terms of the eleven appointed members of the board of trustees shall be four years. Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, the term of each member serving on the board of trustees as of May 26, 2006, shall be extended to expire on December 31 of the calendar year in which the member's appointed term would otherwise expire. Members appointed on or after January 1, 2007, shall serve terms of up to four years, expiring on December 31 of the third calendar year following the calendar year in which the member is appointed; except that of the two members appointed pursuant to House Bill 12-1324, enacted in 2012, one shall have a term that expires on January 1, 2015, and one shall have a term that expires on January 1, 2016. For terms ending on or after December 31, 2006, the governor shall appoint a succeeding member on or before March 1 immediately following the expiration of the term. Of the eleven members appointed by the governor, no more than six members shall be from the same political party. Of the eleven members appointed by the governor, at least two shall reside in Delta, Garfield, Mesa, or Montrose county. Each trustee shall hold office for the term for which the trustee has been appointed and until the trustee's successor is appointed and confirmed by the senate.
The twelfth member of the board of trustees shall be a full-time junior or seniorstudent at Colorado Mesa university, elected by the members of the student body of Colorado Mesa university. The term of the student member shall be one year, beginning July 1, 2003, and beginning July 1 each year thereafter. The student member shall be advisory, without the right to vote and without the right to attend executive sessions of the board of trustees, as provided by section 24-6-402, C.R.S. The student member shall have resided in the state of Colorado for not less than three years prior to the student's election.
The thirteenth member shall be a member of the faculty of Colorado Mesa universityelected by other members of the faculty for a term of two years, beginning July 1, 2003, and beginning July 1 every odd-numbered year thereafter. The faculty member shall be advisory, without the right to vote and without the right to attend executive sessions of the board of trustees, as provided by section 24-6-402, C.R.S.
A vacancy of an appointed member of the board of trustees shall be filled by appointment by the governor for the unexpired term. A vacancy of either of the elected members of the board of trustees shall be filled by election for the unexpired term. Each member of the board of trustees shall take an oath or affirmation in accordance with section 24-12-101.
(a) Except as otherwise provided in this subsection (6), the powers, duties, and functions formerly performed by the trustees of the state colleges in Colorado with respect to Mesa state college are hereby transferred to the board of trustees. Policies, resolutions, procedures, and agreements previously approved by the trustees of the state colleges in Colorado and applicable to Mesa state college shall remain in force and effect unless and until changed by the board of trustees.
(b) Except as otherwise provided in this subsection (6), the powers, duties, and functions formerly performed by the board of trustees of Mesa state college are hereby transferred to the board of trustees of Colorado Mesa university. Policies, resolutions, procedures, and agreements previously approved by the board of trustees of Mesa state college shall remain in force and effect unless and until changed by the board of trustees of Colorado Mesa university.
(7) In addition to those powers conferred elsewhere in this article, the board of trustees has the power to:
Appoint a president of Colorado Mesa university;
Appoint such other executive officers of the university as may be required;
Appoint faculty and employees as may be required;
Determine the compensation to be paid to the president, executive officers, faculty,and professional staff;
With the advice of the faculty, prescribe the degree programs for the university; and(f) Prescribe the student admissions qualifications.
Source: L. 2003: Entire article R&RE, p. 780, § 5, effective July 1. L. 2006: (2) amended, p. 1232, § 6, effective May 26. L. 2008: (1)(b) amended, p. 340, § 1, effective April 10. L. 2011: Entire section amended, (SB 11-265), ch. 292, p. 1359, § 3, effective August 10. L. 2012: IP(1)(a), (2), (3), and (4) amended, (HB 12-1324), ch. 192, p. 768, § 2, effective May 21. L. 2018: (5) amended, (HB 18-1138), ch. 88, p. 695, § 15, effective August 8.
Cross references: For the legislative declaration in the 2011 act amending this section, see section 1 of chapter 292, Session Laws of Colorado 2011. For the legislative declaration in HB 18-1138, see section 1 of chapter 88, Session Laws of Colorado 2018.