There is created the State Commission on Higher Education. The commission shall consist of fifteen members appointed by the Governor. The membership must consist of one at-large member to serve as chairman, one representative from each of the congressional districts, three members appointed from the State at large, three representatives of the public colleges and universities, and one representative of the independent colleges and universities of South Carolina.

The membership of the Commission on Higher Education must be as follows:

(1) Ten members, seven to represent each of the congressional districts of this State appointed by the Governor upon the recommendation of a majority of the senators and a majority of the members of the House of Representatives comprising the legislative delegation from the district and three members appointed from the State at large upon the advice and consent of the Senate. Each representative of a congressional district must be a resident of the congressional district he represents. In order to qualify for appointment, the representatives from the congressional districts and those appointed at large must have experience in at least one of the following areas: business, the education of future leaders and teachers, management, or policy. A member representing the congressional districts or appointed at large must not have been, during the succeeding five years, a member of a governing body of a public institution of higher learning in this State and must not be employed or have immediate family members employed by any of the public colleges and universities of this State. These members must be appointed for terms of four years and shall not serve on the commission for more than two consecutive terms. However, the initial term of office for a member appointed from an even-numbered congressional district shall be two years.

If the boundaries of the congressional districts are changed, members serving on the commission shall continue to serve until the expiration of their current terms, but successors to members whose terms expire must be appointed from the newly defined congressional districts. If a congressional district is added, the commission must be enlarged to include a representative from that district.

(2) Three members to serve ex officio to represent the public colleges and universities appointed by the Governor with the advice and consent of the Senate. It shall not be a conflict of interest for any voting ex officio member to vote on matters pertaining to their individual college or university. One member must be serving on the board of trustees of one of the public senior research institutions, one member must be serving on the board of trustees of one of the four-year public institutions of higher learning, and one member must be a member of one of the local area technical education commissions or the State Board for Technical and Comprehensive Education to represent the State Board for Technical and Comprehensive Education. These members must be appointed to serve terms of two years with terms to rotate among the institutions.

(3) One ex officio member to represent the independent colleges and universities by the Governor upon the advice and consent of the Senate. The individual appointed must be serving as a member of the Advisory Council of Private College Presidents. This member must be appointed for a term of two years and shall serve as a nonvoting member.

(4) One at-large member to serve as chairman appointed by the Governor with the advice and consent of the Senate. This member must be appointed for a term of four years and may be reappointed for one additional term; however, he may serve only one term as chairman.

The Governor, by his appointments, shall assure that various economic interests and minority groups, especially women and blacks, are fairly represented on the commission and shall attempt to assure that the graduates of no one public or private college or technical college are dominant on the commission. Vacancies must be filled in the manner of the original appointment for the unexpired portion of the term. All members of the commission shall serve until their successors are appointed and qualify.