(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) 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) 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. 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.
(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 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.
History of Section.
P.L. 2019, ch. 88, art. 9, § 5; P.L. 2020, ch. 79, art. 2, § 8.