SB299 Alabama 2015 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Del Marsh

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2015

Title

Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical University, composition of nominating committee and process for nominating, appointing and confirming members revised, certain duties of president transferred to board, provides further for payment of expenses, Secs. 16-49-20, 16-49-23, 16-49-28 am'd.

Summary

SB299 reshapes Alabama A&M University's Board of Trustees by changing nomination and appointment processes, shifting key duties from the president to the board, removing a conflict-of-interest removal provision, and ensuring trustees are reimbursed for actual expenses.

What This Bill Does

It rewrites the nominating committee and how trustees are nominated and confirmed, including who serves on the committee and how vacancies are filled. It transfers responsibilities over instructors, university organization, courses, and degree conferral from the university president to the Board of Trustees. It repeals a provision that allowed removing a trustee for a conflict of interest and requires trustees to be reimbursed for their actual expenses, plus mandates annual fiduciary training for trustees.

Who It Affects

• Board of Trustees, Governor, and nominating committee members (faculty, staff, student government, chamber of commerce, alumni, and community representatives) by changing who can nominate and how appointments are made.
• University community (instructors, students, faculty, and university governance bodies) because the board would take over duties related to instruction, university organization, course approval, and degree conferral, and because trustees must be reimbursed for expenses and receive fiduciary training.

Key Provisions

• Board composition: 12 members with specified residency/district requirements, three at-large members, and the Governor as ex officio president; ex officio nonvoting members include the President of the student government association and the President of the faculty senate.
• Nominating committee: includes a board member, a faculty/staff pair, student government president, Huntsville-Madison County Chamber representative, a Madison County delegate, alumni association president, and a community representative; chair is the board’s chair pro tempore; committee must ensure diversity and nominate three individuals for each vacancy.
• Appointment and confirmation process: Governor selects one nominee from three submitted by the nominating committee; Senate confirmation required; if not confirmed, the committee or Governor has defined alternatives and holdover provisions apply; vacancies follow specified retroactivity rules.
• Transfer of duties: responsibilities relating to instructors, organization, courses, and degree/conferment of degrees move from the university president to the Board of Trustees.
• Removal provisions: repeals the provision allowing removal of a trustee for a conflict of interest.
• Expenses and training: trustees receive payment of actual expenses incurred; board must conduct annual fiduciary training for trustees.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 24, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Alabama A & M University