Proposed Revision to 201.7 - By-laws

BY-LAWS
OF THE MONTANA BOARD OF REGENTS
OF HIGHER EDUCATION

ARTICLE I.  Name

 

            The legal name of the board is The Board of Regents of Higher Education.

ARTICLE II.  Objectives

            The objectives of the board are to supervise, coordinate, manage and control the Montana University System and to supervise and coordinate other public educational institutions assigned by law.

ARTICLE III.  Membership

            The board consists of seven members appointed by the governor pursuant to 2-15-1508, MCA and confirmed by the Senate.  Not more than four may be from one congressional district and not more than four may be affiliated with the same political party.  One of the members of the board shall be a student appointed by the governor who is registered full-time at a unit of higher education under jurisdiction of the board.  The length of the term of the student member shall be not less than one year and not more than four years.  The student membership shall not be subject to the congressional district nor the political party constraint mentioned above.  Appointed members' terms are seven years.  Vacancies shall be filled for the remainder of the unfilled term.

ARTICLE IV.  Officers

            The officers of the board consist of a chairman, vice-chairman and secretary.  The chairman and vice-chairman shall be elected from the appointed membership of the board for a period of two years or to the expiration of his or her term on the board, whichever comes first.  In the absence of the chairman, the vice-chairman will preside.  If the office of chairman or vice-chairman is vacated prior to the expiration of the term, the board will hold an election to fill the vacated office.  The newly elected officer will serve for the remainder of the term.  The commissioner of higher education will serve as secretary to the board.

ARTICLE V.  Meetings

            The board shall meet not less than quarterly.

            Other meetings may be called by the governor, the chairman of the board, the secretary or on the request of four appointed members.

            The secretary shall notify each member by mail of scheduled meetings at least seven days in advance.

ARTICLE VI.  Quorum

            A majority of the appointed members of the board shall constitute a quorum.

ARTICLE VII.  Committees

            All committees shall be appointed by thechairman.  Standing committees shall be as follows:

                        1.  Administrative and Budget

                        2.  Budget Academic and Student Affairs

                        3.  Academic Affairs

            Special committees may be appointed from time to time by order of the board.

            The commissioner of higher education is an ex-officio, non-voting member of all committees.

ARTICLE VIII.  Executive Sessions

            The board by vote, and consistent with the appropriate constitutional and statutory provisions, may go into executive session at any time.  No public record shall be kept of executive session   business.

ARTICLE IX.  Order of Business

            The following shall be the regular order of business unless varied by the chair:

                        1.  Roll call

                        2.  Minutes of preceding minutes

                        3.  Report of committees

                        4.  Report of special committees

                        5.  Unfinished business

                        6.  New business

                        7.  Adjournment

ARTICLE X.  Communications

            All official communications, reports and recommendations from representatives of the legislative and executive branches of state government, institutions, faculty members, employees and students, shall come to the attention of the board through the commissioner of higher education.

ARTICLE XI.  Parliamentary Law

            On questions of parliamentary law, Robert's Rules of Order shall prevail, except with respect to (1) introduction of motions, wherein Mason's rules will be applied, and (2) reconsideration of questions, wherein these by-laws shall be applied.

ARTICLE XII.  Reconsideration of Questions

            No question decided by a vote of the Board may be raised again, either in identical form or in a manner that raises substantially the same issue as previously decided, except under the following circumstances:

                        1.   More than six months have passed since the last vote on the question; or

                        2.   The question is raised by a Board member who was recorded as voting on the prevailing side on the last vote on the question.

ARTICLE XIII.  Amendments

            These by-laws may be added to or amended by a majority vote at any meeting of the board provided a quorum is present.

            Any by-law may be suspended for one particular meeting by the unanimous consent of all appointed members present.

 

History:

                By-laws; Item 35-007-R0682, June 28, 1982 as revised September 14, 1984 and June 14, 1990.

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