(1) Eastern Kentucky University, Morehead State University, Murray State University, Western Kentucky University, Kentucky State University, Northern Kentucky University, and the Kentucky Community and Technical College System shall each be governed by a board of regents appointed for a term set by law pursuant to Section 23 of the Constitution of Kentucky.
(a) Each board of the comprehensive universities shall consist of eight (8) members appointed by the Governor, one (1) member of the teaching faculty, one (1) member of the university nonteaching personnel, and one (1) member of the student body of the respective university or college. The members appointed by the Governor shall be subject to confirmation by the Senate. The members of the board shall select a chairperson annually.
(b) The board of the Kentucky Community and Technical College System shall consist of eight (8) members appointed by the Governor, two (2) members of the teaching faculty, two (2) members of the nonteaching personnel, and two (2) members of the student body. The members appointed by the Governor shall be subject to confirmation by the Senate.
1. No more than three (3) appointed members of the board shall reside in any one (1) judicial district of the Kentucky Supreme Court as of the date of the appointment.
2. A change in residency of a gubernatorial appointee after the date of appointment shall not affect the appointee’s ability to serve or eligibility for reappointment, except an appointee who assumes residency outside the fifty (50) United States shall become immediately ineligible to serve. The Council on Postsecondary Education shall notify the appointee of his or her ineligibility to serve.
3. In making initial appointments, the Governor shall act so as to provide equal representation of the two (2) sexes. In filling vacancies, the Governor shall act so as to provide, inasmuch as possible, equal representation of the two (2) sexes by appointing a member of the sex that is the lesser represented at the time of the appointment. If the remaining membership already has an equal number of males and females, the Governor may appoint a member of either sex.
(2) The terms of appointed members shall be for six (6) years and until their successors are appointed and qualified, unless a member is removed by the Governor pursuant to KRS § 63.080(2), (3), or (4), except the initial appointments to the board of regents for the Kentucky Community and Technical College System shall be as follows:
(a) One (1) member shall serve a one (1) year term; (b) One (1) member shall serve a two (2) year term; (c) Two (2) members shall serve three (3) year terms;
(d) One (1) member shall serve a four (4) year term;
(e) One (1) member shall serve a five (5) year term; and
(f) Two (2) members shall serve six (6) year terms.
New appointees of a board of regents shall not serve for more than two (2)
consecutive terms.
(3) The gubernatorial appointments may include one (1) graduate of the respective institution who resides outside the Commonwealth. Not more than two (2) appointed members of any board shall be residents of one (1) county. The appointments shall reflect the proportional representation of the two (2) leading political parties of the Commonwealth based on the state’s voter registration and the political affiliation of each appointee as of December 31 of the year preceding the date of his or her appointment. A particular political affiliation shall not be a prerequisite to appointment to any board generally; however, if any person is appointed to a board that does not represent either of the two (2) leading political parties of the Commonwealth, the proportional representation by political affiliation requirement shall be determined and satisfied based on the total number of members on the board less any members not affiliated with either of the two (2) leading political parties. Membership on the board shall reflect no less than proportional representation of the minority racial composition of the Commonwealth based on the total minority racial population using the most recent census or estimate data from the United States Census Bureau. If the determination of proportional minority representation does not result in a whole number of minority members, it shall be rounded up to the next whole number. Membership on the board shall not be incompatible with any state office. A change in residency after the date of appointment shall not affect a member’s ability to serve nor shall it prevent a member’s eligibility for reappointment, except a member who assumes residency outside the fifty (50) United States shall become immediately ineligible to serve. The Council on Postsecondary Education shall notify the appointee of his or her ineligibility to serve.
(4) Appointments to fill vacancies shall be made in the same manner and within the same time after the occurrence of the vacancy as regular appointments. The person appointed shall hold the position for the unexpired term only.
(5) Each member of the board shall serve for the term for which the member is appointed and until a successor is appointed and qualified, unless a member is removed by the Governor pursuant to KRS § 63.080(2), (3), or (4).
(6) (a) The faculty member of a comprehensive university shall be a teaching or research member of the faculty of his or her respective university of the rank of assistant professor or above. The faculty member shall be elected by secret ballot by all faculty members of his or her university of the rank of instructor, assistant professor, or above. The faculty member shall serve for a term of three (3) years and until his successor is elected and qualified. The faculty member shall be eligible for reelection, but he or she shall not be eligible to continue to serve as a member of the board if he or she ceases being a member of the teaching staff of the university. Elections to fill vacancies shall be for
the unexpired term in the same manner as provided for the original election.
(b) The faculty members of the Kentucky Community and Technical College System shall be represented by one (1) faculty member elected from the community colleges and one (1) faculty member elected from the technical institutions to serve three (3) year terms and until their successors are named. The faculty representative of each branch shall be elected by means of a process established by the board. The faculty members may be reelected but shall not serve more than two (2) consecutive terms. A faculty member shall be ineligible to continue to serve as a member of the board if he or she ceases to be a member of the faculty at one (1) of the institutions within the system. Elections to fill vacancies shall be for the unexpired term in the same manner as provided for the original election. These two (2) members shall collectively have one (1) vote which may be cast one-half (1/2) vote by each member.
(7) (a) The nonteaching personnel member in a comprehensive university shall be any full-time staff member excluding the president, vice presidents, academic deans, and academic department chairpersons. He or she shall represent all nonteaching university employees including, but not limited to, building facilities and clerical personnel. The member shall be elected by secret ballot by the nonteaching employees. The nonteaching personnel member shall serve a term of three (3) years and until a successor is elected and qualified. The nonteaching personnel member shall be eligible for reelection, but he or she shall not be eligible to continue to serve as a member of the board if he or she ceases being an employee of the university. Elections to fill vacancies shall be for the unexpired term in the same manner as provided for the original election.
(b) The nonteaching personnel members in the Kentucky Community and Technical College System shall be any full-time staff member excluding a president, chancellor, vice president, academic dean, academic department chair, or other administrator. They shall represent all nonteaching employees in their respective branch institutions including, but not limited to, support and clerical personnel. One (1) member shall be a representative from the community colleges and one (1) member shall be a representative from the technical institutions. They shall serve three (3) year terms and until their successors are named. These two (2) members shall collectively have one (1) vote which may be cast one-half (1/2) vote by each member. The nonteaching personnel members of each branch shall be elected by means of a process established by the board. A nonteaching personnel member may be reelected but shall not serve more than two (2) consecutive terms. A nonteaching employee shall be ineligible to continue to serve as a member of the board if that employee ceases to be a nonteaching employee at one (1) of the institutions within the system. Elections to fill vacancies shall be for the unexpired term in the same manner as provided for the original election.
(8) (a) The student member on a comprehensive university board shall serve a one
(1) year term beginning on July 1 after being elected and sworn in as student
body president and ending on the following June 30. If the student member does not maintain the position as student body president or the status as a full- time student at any time during that academic year, a special election shall be held to select a full-time student member. The elected student member shall serve for the remainder of the unexpired term.
(b) Two (2) full-time student members shall be elected to the board of regents for the Kentucky Community and Technical College System. One (1) shall represent students of the community colleges and one (1) shall represent the technical institutions. The student members shall be elected by means of a process established by the board. The student members shall serve one (1) year terms beginning on July 1 after being elected and sworn in as a student member of the board and ending on the following June 30. If the student member does not maintain the status as a full-time student, a special election shall be held to fill the vacancy for the remainder of the unexpired term. The two (2) members shall collectively have one (1) vote which may be cast one- half (1/2) vote by each member.
(9) All appointed and elected persons shall be required to attend and complete an orientation and education program prescribed by the council under KRS
164.020(25), as a condition of their service and eligibility for appointment or election to a second term.
(10) Board members may be removed by the Governor under the following circumstances:
(a) For cause, pursuant to KRS § 63.080(2); or
(b) Pursuant to KRS § 63.080(3) or (4).
(11) The inability of the board or boards of the comprehensive universities or Kentucky Community and Technical College System to hold quarterly meetings, to elect a chairperson annually, to establish a quorum, to adopt an annual budget, to set tuition rates, to conduct an annual evaluation of the president of the university or system, to carry out its primary function to periodically evaluate the university’s or system’s progress in implementing its mission, goals, and objectives to conform to the strategic agenda, or to otherwise perform its duties under KRS § 164.350 shall be cause for the Governor to remove all appointed members of the board or boards and replace the entire appointed membership pursuant to KRS § 63.080(4).
Effective: March 21, 2017
History: Amended 2017 Ky. Acts ch. 101, sec. 6, effective March 21, 2017. — Amended 2016 Ky. Acts ch. 136, sec. 4, effective July 15, 2016. — Amended 2010
Ky. Acts ch. 41, sec. 1, effective July 15, 2010. — Amended 2008 Ky. Acts ch. 113, sec. 10, effective July 15, 2008. — Amended 2003 Ky. Acts ch. 26, sec. 2, effective March 10, 2003; and ch. 56, sec 2, effective June 24, 2003. — Amended 2001 Ky. Acts ch. 12, sec. 1, effective June 21, 2001. — Amended 1997 (1st Extra. Sess.) Ky. Acts ch. 1, sec. 97, effective May 30, 1997. — Amended 1994 Ky. Acts ch. 41, sec. 1, effective July 15, 1994. – Created 1992 Ky. Acts ch. 10, sec. 5, effective July 1,
1992.