(a) The Board of Regents created by Section 31a, Article 6, Oklahoma Constitution, shall be known as the Board of Regents for the Oklahoma Agricultural and Mechanical Colleges. It shall consist of nine (9) members, one of whom shall be the President of the State Board of Agriculture, the remaining eight members to be appointed by the Governor, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. Provided, that persons now serving on such Board shall be members of and shall continue to serve on the Board for the terms for which they were appointed.

(b) Appointments shall be to numbered positions on the Board, and the terms of members of the Board shall be, as follows:

(1) Position No. 1. Effective April 5, 1990, the term of office of one member shall expire on the 4th day of April, 1998, and each eight (8) years thereafter, and the member shall be, and shall have been for not less than five (5) years prior to appointment, a resident and elector of this state.

(2) Position No. 2. Effective April 5, 1991, the term of office of one member shall expire on the 4th day of April, 1999, and each eight (8) years thereafter, and the member shall be, and shall have been for not less than five (5) years prior to appointment, a resident and elector of the Second Congressional District.

(3) Position No. 3. Effective April 5, 1992, the term of office of one member shall expire on the 4th day of April, 2000, and each eight (8) years thereafter, and the member shall be, and shall have been for not less than five (5) years prior to appointment, a resident and elector of this state.

(4) Position No. 4. Effective April 5, 1993, the term of office of one member shall expire on the 4th day of April, 2001, and each eight (8) years thereafter, and the member shall be, and shall have been for not less than five (5) years prior to appointment, a resident and elector of the First Congressional District.

(5) Position No. 5. Effective April 5, 1994, the term of office of one member shall expire on the 4th day of April, 2002, and each eight (8) years thereafter, and the member shall be, and shall have been for not less than five (5) years prior to appointment, a resident and elector of the Fifth Congressional District.

(6) Position No. 6. Effective April 5, 1995, the term of office of one member shall expire on the 4th day of April, 2003, and each eight (8) years thereafter, and the member shall be, and shall have been for not less than five (5) years prior to appointment, a resident and elector of this state.

(7) Position No. 7. Effective April 5, 1996, the term of office of one member shall expire on the 4th day of April, 2004, and each eight (8) years thereafter, and the member shall be, and shall have been for not less than five (5) years prior to appointment, a resident and elector of the Third Congressional District.

(8) Position No. 8. Effective April 5, 1997, the term of office of one member shall expire on the 4th day of April, 2005, and each eight (8) years thereafter, and the member shall be, and shall have been for not less than five (5) years prior to appointment, a resident and elector of the Fourth Congressional District.

(9) Position No. 9. This position shall be occupied by the President of the State Board of Agriculture.

However, when congressional districts are redrawn, each member appointed prior to July 1 of the year in which such modification becomes effective shall complete the current term of office and appointments made after July 1 of the year in which such modification becomes effective shall be based on the redrawn districts. Any member whose named congressional district has been removed due to redistricting shall be appointed from the state at large.

(c) A majority of the members appointed by the Governor shall be farmers, who are actually engaged in farming and/or livestock growing as their principal business or occupation in earning a livelihood; and no state, national or county officer shall be appointed as a member of the Board until two (2) years after tenure as such officer has ceased.

(d) No member of the Board of Regents shall be employed upon any work to be performed in connection with any of the Agricultural Colleges or Oklahoma State University of Agriculture and Applied Science, nor shall any member of said Board enter into any contract or business dealings with any of said Agricultural Colleges, in the way of buying, selling or exchanging livestock, or any other business transactions involving a financial consideration.

(e) Members of the Board shall be removable only for cause, as provided by law for this removal of officers not subject to impeachment.

(f) Vacancies on the Board shall be filled by the Governor, for the unexpired term, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate.

Added by Laws 1965, c. 396, § 409, eff. July 1, 1965. Amended by Laws 1989, c. 281, § 11, operative July 1, 1989; Laws 2002, c. 375, § 20, eff. Nov. 5, 2002; Laws 2003, c. 229, § 6, emerg. eff. May 20, 2003.