Subcommittee backs trustee training, adopts amendment clarifying fiduciary and accreditor language

The House Higher Education Subcommittee adopted an amendment and reported favorably a bill that would require orientation and training for trustees of public colleges, including instruction on fiduciary responsibilities and business operations.

Chair Tim McGinnis said the training is intended to ensure new trustees understand statutory and ethical duties, scholarship and grant programs, and operational oversight. The amendment adds fiduciary-responsibility content and replaces a specific accreditor reference with broader language to accommodate possible future legitimate accreditors.

Representative Hamilton Grant questioned whether opening the bill to accreditors outside the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACS) could dilute accreditation standards; committee staff and the chair replied that any new accreditor would still have to satisfy federal Department of Education processes and that the bill is meant to apply to legitimately recognized accreditors.

Orrin Smith, a trustee and vice chairman of the Commission on Higher Education, suggested trustee training include reference to CHE reports so trustees can use commission research and program reviews in board decisions. Macy Webb and staff assured members the amendment would preserve accreditation quality and focus on trustee education.

The subcommittee adopted the amendment by voice roll call (7–0) and then reported the bill favorably as amended by a 7–0 vote. The chair said one remaining agenda item would be deferred to the next meeting and thanked participants.