Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Higher Education Governance topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Committee advances bill to change University of South Alabama trustees from district-based seats to at-large seats
Summary
Committee advanced HB459, which would convert four district-based trustee seats to at-large seats for the University of South Alabama and shorten special meeting notice from 10 days to 24 hours. Lawmakers debated whether the change removes representation for residents of legacy senate districts.
A bill that would reconfigure the University of South Alabama board of trustees and change notice requirements for special meetings advanced from the Senate education committee after debate over representation.
Rep. Pringle, presenting HB459, said the bill would convert four seats that are currently tied to 1963 state senate districts into at-large seats — one elected at the federal (U.S.) at-large level and three at-large statewide — and would ensure current trustees keep their positions. The bill also reduces special meeting notice from 10 days to 24 hours to comply with the state’s open-meetings requirements, Pringle said.
Several committee members said they understood the intent to modernize the statute but objected that removing district-based seats could deny constituents representation on the university’s board. One member described the 1963 districts as pre-Reynolds v. Sims and said the change “takes away those people in those senate districts the opportunity to be a part of this board.”
Pringle responded that the change brings the board in line with trustee composition at other universities and modernizes the geographic representation on the board.
The committee moved the bill forward. During the roll call several members voted “aye” and one member stated an abstention. A committee officer announced the bill will be placed on a final report for further consideration.
—
Details: The bill also clarifies the board’s annual meeting timing (noted in the bill as allowing the meeting to be held in June) and states current trustees will hold their positions under the new scheme.
