January 16-17, 2003

AMENDMENT OF POLICY 204.3

Policy 204.3 - Commissioner of Higher Education; Duties

Board policy:

             The Commissioner of Higher Education shall be the chief executive officer of the Montana University System.  The Commissioner of Higher Education is responsible to the Board of Regents.  The duties of the Commissioner shall be as follows:

             1.  Execute, administer, and assure the implementation of the policies, decisions and rules of the Board of Regents.  The Commissioner shall have broad delegated authority to carry out the duties and responsibilities enumerated herein, including the authority to interpret and secure implementation of Board policy and to establish administrative regulations and policy for the proper governance of the system.

             2.  Supervise and direct unit presidents with regard to the execution, administration, interpretation, and implementation of Board policy in regard to system issues.  The Commissioner shall give guidance and direction as needed in general campus execution and administration of Board policy. 

             3.  Advise the Board concerning the selection and removal of unit presidents.

             4.  Prepare, with the assistance of each campus administration, and present to the Board a suggested budget for the Montana University System as well as an allocation of state appropriations to the units of the university system.  All budget requests approved by the Board requiring approval by the Governor or Legislature shall be presented to the Governor and to the Legislature by the Commissioner except when otherwise specifically authorized by the Board or the Commissioner.

             5.  Sign, on behalf of the Board, contracts and documents which have been authorized by the Board except when otherwise delegated by the Board.

             6.  Act as the person through whom matters shall be presented to the Board and to committees of the Board, including reports, recommendations and suggestions from units, their faculty members, employees, students and agents of the executive and legislative branches of state government.

             7.  Act as the official representative of the Board and the university system to the legislature and its committees except when otherwise specifically authorized by the Board or Commissioner. However, the Board does not intend to prohibit the Presidents or any other employee of the University System from conveying to the legislature and its committees information or opinions regarding University System matters.

             8.  Act as the person through whom policies of the Board shall be announced.  The presidents of the units shall not make any announcements of the Board's policies until authorized to do so by the Commissioner.

             9.  Select, remove and, with the concurrence of the Board, fix the compensation of personnel as may be necessary for the Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education.

             10. Act as coordinating officer for all inter‑unit councils and committees.

             11. Act as the official designee of the Board to perform any duty or hold any office required by state or federal law not otherwise assigned by the Board. 

            12. Perform any other duties requested by the Board or impliedly necessary to carry out the above noted tasks.