Report Title:

UH; BOR

Description:

Expands membership of University of Hawaii Board of Regents to 30. Requires some members to be appointed by the governor and others by the University of Hawaii Foundation. Requires a portion of the board membership to consist of nonresidents.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

1849

TWENTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2004

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 


 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

RELATING TO THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII BOARD OF REGENTS.

 

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

SECTION 1. The purpose of this Act is to increase the diversity of the University of Hawaii Board of Regents by increasing its size and requiring nonresident members, including foreign nationals. Specifically, this Act increases board membership from twelve to thirty members and requires at least ten members to be nonresidents of the State. Furthermore, this Act also limits the number of board meetings per year in order to promote the board's policy-making powers over the affairs of the University.

SECTION 2. Section 26-11, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (a) to read as follows:

"(a) The University of Hawaii shall be headed by an executive board to be known as the board of regents.

The board shall consist of [twelve] thirty members. No more than [six] fifteen of the members shall be members of the same political party and at least part of the membership of the board shall represent geographic subdivisions of the State. At least ten members shall not be residents of the State. Of the nonresident members, at least five shall be residents of foreign nations, provided that United States citizenship shall not be required of them. At least one member shall be a University of Hawaii student at the time of the initial appointment. This member may be reappointed for one additional term even though the member may no longer be a student at the time of reappointment.

The board shall have power, in accordance with the Constitution of the State and with law, to formulate policy[,] and to exercise control over the university through its executive officer, the president of the university. The board shall have exclusive jurisdiction over the internal organization and management of the university."

SECTION 3. Section 304-3, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

"§304-3 Regents; appointment; tenure; qualifications; meetings. The affairs of the university shall be under the general management and control of the board of regents consisting of [twelve] thirty members [who] of whom twelve shall be appointed and may be removed by the governor[.] and eighteen shall be appointed and may be removed by the University of Hawaii Foundation. All appointments shall be subject to confirmation by the senate. The term of each member shall be for four years; provided that the term of the student member shall be for two years. Except as otherwise provided by statute, state officers shall be eligible to appointment and membership. Every member may serve beyond the expiration date of the member's term of appointment until the member's successor has been appointed and has qualified. The board shall at its first meeting after June 30, elect a chairperson and vice-chairperson, who shall serve until adjournment of its first meeting after June 30 of the next year or thereafter until their successors are appointed and have qualified and whose election shall be immediately certified by the board to the chief election officer. The board shall appoint a secretary, who shall not be a member of the board. The president of the university shall act as executive officer of the board. The board shall meet not [less often than ten times annually,] more than once each quarter of the year, and may meet, from time to time [meet], in each of the counties of Hawaii, Maui, and Kauai.

The members of the board shall serve without pay but shall be entitled to their traveling expenses within the State when attending meetings of the board or when actually engaged in business relating to the work of the board."

SECTION 4. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 5. This Act shall take effect upon its approval and upon ratification of a constitutional amendment authorizing appointment of some members of the board of regents of the University of Hawaii by appointing authorities other than the governor.

INTRODUCED BY:

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