§ 353. State university trustees. 1. The state university shall be governed, and all of its corporate powers exercised, by a board of trustees. Such board shall consist of eighteen members, fifteen of whom shall be appointed by the governor with the advice and consent of the senate, one of whom shall be the president of the student assembly of the state university, ex-officio and voting, one of whom shall be the president of the university faculty senate, ex-officio and non-voting, and one of whom shall be the president of the faculty council of community colleges, ex-officio and non-voting. Such ex-officio members shall be subject to every provision of any general, special, or local law, ordinance, charter, code, rule, or regulation applying to the voting members of such board with respect to the discharge of their duties, including, but not limited to, those provisions setting forth codes of ethics, disclosure requirements, and prohibiting business and professional activities. One member of the board shall be designated by the governor as chairperson and one as vice-chairperson. Of the members first appointed, two shall be appointed for a term which shall expire on June thirtieth, nineteen hundred fifty-two; one for a term which shall expire on June thirtieth, nineteen hundred fifty-three; two for a term which shall expire on June thirtieth, nineteen hundred fifty-four; one for a term which shall expire on June thirtieth, nineteen hundred fifty-five; two for a term which shall expire on June thirtieth, nineteen hundred fifty-six; one for a term which shall expire on June thirtieth, nineteen hundred fifty-seven; two for a term which shall expire on June thirtieth, nineteen hundred fifty-eight; one for a term which shall expire on June thirtieth, nineteen hundred fifty-nine; two for a term which shall expire on June thirtieth, nineteen hundred sixty; and one for a term which shall expire on June thirtieth, nineteen hundred sixty-one. Vacancies shall be filled for the unexpired term in the same manner as original appointments. The term of office of each trustee appointed on or after April first, nineteen hundred eighty-six shall be seven years, except those of the student member and the faculty members. Trustees shall receive no compensation for their services but shall be reimbursed for their expenses actually and necessarily incurred by them in the performance of their duties under this article.

Ask a legal question, get an answer ASAP!
Click here to chat with a lawyer about your rights.

2. a. The board may provide for regular meetings, and the chairman, or the vice-chairman, or any eight members by petition, may at any time call a special meeting of the board of trustees and fix the time and place therefor; and at least seven days notice of every meeting shall be mailed to the usual address of each trustee, unless such notice be waived by a majority of the board. Resolutions for the consideration of the board of trustees must be mailed to the usual address of each trustee no less than seven days prior to a meeting, unless the chair shall make available in writing on the day of the meeting the facts which necessitate an immediate vote. Eight trustees attending shall be a quorum for the transaction of business and, unless a greater number is required by the by-laws, the act of a majority of the members present at any meeting shall be the act of the board. The board shall hold at least two public hearings each year. One public hearing shall be held during the spring semester and one public hearing shall be held in the fall semester. The purpose of such hearings shall be to receive testimony and statements from concerned individuals about university issues. The board shall fix the time, place, duration and format of each hearing. At least three members of the board shall attend each hearing. At least thirty days notice of the hearing shall be given by the chairman of the board to all members of the board, to all presidents of state operated campuses, to the chair of faculty-senate bodies of state operated campuses, to all student government presidents of state operated campuses, to the certified or recognized employee organizations representing employees of the state university and to the media. Such notice shall contain the time and place of the public hearing.

b. The agenda for any such meeting of the board of trustees shall be electronically available on the state university of New York website three days prior to the meetings unless an executive committee meeting has been called in which an agenda must be available twenty-four hours in advance, and shall be considered a public record. A summary of resolutions and board actions for any such meeting of the board of trustees shall be electronically available on the state university of New York website no later than seven days after the meeting and shall be considered a public record. The approved minutes, attendance, voting record and either transcripts or video record for any such meeting must be posted no later than seven days following their approval by the board or executive committee. Information posted on the state university of New York website regarding board of trustee meetings shall remain on the site as archived data for a minimum of ten years.

c. Any such meeting of the board of trustees shall be conducted in accordance with Article 7 of the public officers law.

3. The board shall appoint its own officers and staff, prescribe the duties of such employees, and fix their compensation within the appropriations prescribed therefor. Other than those positions included in § 169 of the executive law, the board shall fix the compensation and benefits of employees in positions in the professional service in the state university which are designated, stipulated or excluded from negotiating units as managerial or confidential as defined pursuant to Article 14 of the civil service law.

4. a. The board may elect an executive committee of not less than five members, who, in intervals between meetings of the board may transact such business of the state university as the board may from time to time authorize, except to grant degrees or to make removals from office. The student member of the board shall be a member of such committee. A majority of the whole of the executive committee, but in any event not less than four members, attending shall be a quorum for the transaction of business and the act of a majority of the members of the executive committee present at any meeting thereof shall be the act of such committee.

b. The agenda for any meeting of any committee and subcommittee of the board of trustees shall be available electronically on the state university of New York website three days prior to the meeting unless an executive committee meeting has been called, in which case an agenda must be available twenty-four hours in advance, and shall be considered a public record. A summary of resolutions and actions by the committee or subcommittee for any such meeting shall be electronically available on the state university of New York website no later than seven days after the meeting and shall be considered a public record. The approved minutes, attendance, voting record, and either transcripts or video record, for any such meeting must be posted no later than seven days following the approval by the board, committee or subcommittee. Information posted on the state university of New York website regarding such meetings shall remain on the site as archived data for a minimum of ten years.

c. Any such meeting of a committee or subcommittee of the board of trustees shall be conducted in accordance with Article 7 of the public officers law.