The Governor is hereby authorized and directed to enter the Western Regional Education Compact on behalf of the State of South Dakota with all other states legally joining therein in substantially the following form:

WESTERN REGIONAL EDUCATION COMPACT

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Entered into by and between the States and Territories signatory hereto, to provide acceptable and efficient educational facilities to meet the needs of the Western Region of the United States of America.

ARTICLE I

Whereas, the future of this Nation and of the Western States is dependent upon the quality of the education of its youth; and

Whereas, many of the Western States individually do not have sufficient numbers of potential students to warrant the establishment and maintenance within their borders of adequate facilities in all of the essential fields of technical, professional, and graduate training, nor do all the states have the financial ability to furnish within their borders institutions capable of providing acceptable standards of training in all of the fields mentioned above; and

Whereas, it is believed that the Western States, or groups of such states within the Region, cooperatively can provide acceptable and efficient educational facilities to meet the needs of the Region and of the students thereof:

Now, therefore, the States of Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming, and the Territories of Alaska and Hawaii do hereby Covenant and agree as follows:

ARTICLE II

Each of the compacting states and territories pledges to each of the other compacting states and territories faithful cooperation in carrying out all the purposes of this Compact.

ARTICLE III

The compacting states and territories hereby create the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education, hereinafter called the Commission. Said Commission shall be a body corporate of each compacting state and territory and an agency thereof. The Commission shall have all the powers and duties set forth herein, including the power to sue and be sued, and such additional powers as may be conferred upon it by subsequent action of the respective legislatures of the compacting states and territories.

ARTICLE IV

The Commission shall consist of three resident members from each compacting state or territory. At all times one Commissioner from each compacting state or territory shall be an educator engaged in the field of higher education in the state or territory from which he is appointed.

The Commissioners from each state and territory shall be appointed by the Governor thereof as provided by law in such state or territory. Any Commissioner may be removed or suspended from office as provided by the law of the state or territory from which he shall have been appointed.

The terms of each Commissioner shall be four years: Provided, however, that the first three Commissioners shall be appointed as follows; one for two years, one for three years, and one for four years. Each Commissioner shall hold office until his successor shall be appointed and qualified. If any office becomes vacant for any reason, the Governor shall appoint a Commissioner to fill the office for the remainder of the unexpired term.

ARTICLE V

Any business transacted at any meeting of the Commission must be by affirmative vote of a majority of the whole number of compacting states and territories.

One or more Commissioners from a majority of the compacting states and territories shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.