116-31. Membership of the boards of trustees.

(a) Repealed by Session Laws 2016-126, 4th Ex. Sess., s. 35, effective December 19, 2016. See editor's note for applicability.

(b) Effective July 1, 1972, a separate board of trustees shall be created for each of the following institutions: North Carolina State University at Raleigh, the University of North Carolina at Asheville, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, and the University of North Carolina at Wilmington.

(c) Repealed by Session Laws 2016-126, 4th Ex. Sess., s. 35, effective December 19, 2016. See editor's note for applicability.

(d) Except as provided in G.S. 116-65, each of the 16 institutions of higher education set out in G.S. 116-2(4) shall have board of trustees composed of 13 persons chosen as follows:

(1) Eight elected by the Board of Governors.

(2) Repealed by Session Laws 2016-126, 4th Ex. Sess., s. 35, effective December 19, 2016. See editor's note for applicability.

(2a) Four members appointed by the General Assembly under G.S. 120-121, two of whom shall be appointed upon the recommendation of the President Pro Tempore of the Senate and two of whom shall be appointed upon the recommendation of the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

(3) The president of the student government ex officio.

(e) The term of office of all trustees, except the ex officio member, shall be four years, commencing on July 1 of odd-numbered years. In every odd-numbered year the Board of Governors shall elect four persons to each board of trustees and the General Assembly shall appoint one person upon the recommendation of the President Pro Tempore of the Senate and one person upon the recommendation of the Speaker of the House of Representatives to each such board.

(f) In electing boards of trustees to serve commencing July 1, 1973, the Board of Governors shall designate four persons for four-year terms and four for two-year terms. The Governor, in making appointments of trustees to serve commencing July 1, 1973, shall designate two persons for four-year terms and two for two-year terms.

(g) Any person who has served two full four-year terms in succession as a member of a board of trustees shall, for a period of one year, be ineligible for election or appointment to the same board but may be elected or appointed to the board of another institution.

(h) No member of the General Assembly or officer or employee of the State, The University of North Carolina, or any constituent institution shall be eligible for election or appointment as a trustee. No spouse of a member of the General Assembly, or of an officer or employee of a constituent institution may be a trustee of that constituent institution. Any trustee who is elected or appointed to the General Assembly or who becomes an officer or employee of the State, The University of North Carolina, or any constituent institution or whose spouse is elected or appointed to the General Assembly or becomes an officer or employee of that constituent institution shall be deemed thereupon to resign from his or her membership on the board of trustees.

(i) No person may serve simultaneously as a member of a board of trustees and as a member of the Board of Governors. Any trustee who is elected or appointed to the Board of Governors shall be deemed to resign as a trustee effective as of the date that his or her term commences as a member of the Board of Governors.

(j) Whenever any vacancy shall occur in the membership of a board of trustees among those appointed by the General Assembly, it shall be the duty of the secretary of the board to inform the General Assembly of the existence of such vacancy, and the vacancy shall be filled as provided in G.S. 120-122, and whenever any vacancy shall occur among those elected by the Board of Governors, it shall be the duty of the secretary of the board to inform the Board of Governors of the existence of the vacancy, and the Board of Governors shall elect a person to fill the unexpired term. Whenever a member shall fail, for any reason other than ill health or service in the interest of the State or nation, to be present for three successive regular meetings of a board of trustees, his or her place as a member shall be deemed vacant.