1.5 State Organization and Management

Under the 1974 Constitution of the State of Louisiana, the Board of Regents (BOR) was created to plan, coordinate, and have budgetary responsibility for all public higher education. The Board of Trustees for State Colleges and Universities was established as the managing board with direct jurisdiction over Nicholls State University. In 1995, the Legislature provided that the term “University of Louisiana System” would be used to describe the group of colleges and universities under the jurisdiction of the Board of Trustees. The official name of the Board is now the Board of Supervisors for the University of Louisiana System. The President of the University is appointed by the Board and is directly responsible for overseeing the University.

Copies of documents (such as the Rules of the Board of Supervisors for the University of Louisiana System) that pertain to the general governance described above are available at the Nicholls State University Library.

1.5.1 Board of Regents

The Board of Regents, a state agency created by the 1974 Louisiana Constitution, coordinates all public higher education in Louisiana. The Board began operations January 1, 1975, succeeding the Coordinating Council for Higher Education.

The 15 volunteer members of the Board of Regents are appointed by the Governor to six-year, overlapping terms, with at least one (but not more than two) Regents drawn from each of Louisiana’s six Congressional districts. In addition, the Louisiana Council of Student Body Presidents appoints one student member as its representative on the board.

Policies and decisions of the Board of Regents are administered by a full-time staff headed by the Commissioner of Higher Education.

Current members of the Board of Regents may be found at the Board’s web site. Board policies take precedence over any and all policies in this manual.

1.5.2 Board of Supervisors for the University of Louisiana System

1.5.2.1 Institutions Managed by the Board of Supervisors

The Board of Trustees for State Colleges and Universities was established as the managing board for the institutions listed in Act 313 1975 (R.S. 17:3217). In 1995, the Legislature provided that the term “University of Louisiana System” would be used to describe the group of colleges and universities under the jurisdiction of the Board of Trustees. The official name for the Board is now the Board of Supervisors for the University of Louisiana System. Currently the institutions managed by the Board of Supervisors are as follows:

• Grambling State University
• Louisiana Tech University
• McNeese State University
• Nicholls State University
• Northwestern State University
• Southeastern Louisiana University
• The University of New Orleans
• University of Louisiana at Lafayette
• University of Louisiana at Monroe

1.5.2.2 Constitutional Definition of the Board of Supervisors

According to the Louisiana Constitution, the Board of Supervisors shall exercise all power to direct, control, supervise and manage the institutions of higher learning under its control including but not limited to the following:

• select the Presidents of the System institutions;
• receive and expend or allocate for expenditure to the System institutions all monies appropriated or otherwise made available for the purpose of the Board and schools;
• purchase land and purchase or construct buildings necessary for the use of the state colleges and universities;
• determine the fees which shall be paid by students;
• formulate curricula and programs of study;
• adopt, amend and repeal rules and regulations necessary for the business of the Board, for the governance of the System colleges and universities and for the governance and discipline of students;
• lease land or other property belonging to it or to any college or university within the System, as well as, sell or exchange land or other property not needed for university purposes;
• actively seek and accept donations, bequests, or other forms of financial assistance for educational purposes.

The Rules (Bylaws, and Policies and Procedures) of the Board of Supervisors for the University of Louisiana System is the document that lists policies and procedures for the Board and all of the institutions and employees under the Board’s jurisdiction. These rules supersede the policies in this Manual.

1.5.2.3 Composition of the Board of Supervisors

The Board of Supervisors is composed of two (2) members from each congressional district and three (3) members from the state at large who are all appointed by the governor with consent of the Senate, and who shall serve overlapping terms of six (6) years (La. Const., Art. 8, Sec. 6.B.). A vacancy occurring prior to the expiration of a term shall be filled for the remainder of the unexpired term by appointment by the governor, with consent of the Senate (La. Const., Art. 8, Sec. 6.C.).

A student member on the Board, having all of the privileges and rights of other Board members, shall serve a term not to exceed one year and shall not be eligible to succeed her/himself (La. Const., Art. 8, Sec. 8.B.). The student member shall be elected to the Board by and from the membership of a council of student body presidents of the universities within the System and, at the time of the appointment, shall be a full-time student at the university at which enrolled (R.S.17:1806). The student member’s term shall begin on June 1 of each year (R.S. 17:3121.1).

At the regular meeting of the Board in December of each calendar year, the Board shall elect

a Chair and a Vice Chair from the membership of the Board. Each shall hold office for one (1) year or until a successor has been elected. An officer of the Board shall be eligible for no more than two (2) consecutive one-year terms in the same office. In filling vacancies for unexpired terms, an officer who has served more than half a term is considered to have served a full term in that office. (Revised 9/27/96)

All regular meetings of the Board shall be open to the public except when otherwise voted for the consideration of matters in an executive session. No final or binding action shall be taken in a closed or executive session.

The Board of Supervisors also employs a full–time staff whose responsibility, under the supervision of the President, is to execute and enforce all decisions, orders, rules and regulations of the Board with respect to the conduct of the System. The office of the Board is located in downtown Baton Rouge in close proximity to the State Capitol, the Louisiana Board of Regents and other state agencies.

Current Board members and system office staff list may be found at UL System website for further reference.

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