§ 16-53-2. Composition of board of trustees. (a) The board of trustees shall be composed of fifteen (15) members appointed by the governor in staggered terms; all the members shall serve until their successors are appointed and qualified, except as otherwise provided for in subsection (b) of this section. In the month of March, the governor shall appoint members to succeed the members whose term will then next expire for a term of three (3) years commencing on the first day of July then next following and until the successor is named and qualified. A member shall be eligible to succeed himself or herself. A vacancy other than by expiration shall be filled in the same manner as an original appointment but only for the unexpired portion of the term.

(b) The fifteen (15) members of the board of trustees shall be limited to nine (9) consecutive years of service and shall consist of:

(1) Nine (9) individuals who are representative of the private employment sector in the following manner:

(i) Five (5) of whom shall be representative of business, industry, and agriculture including:

(A) Two (2) members who are representatives of general business concerns;

(B) One member who is a representative of small business concerns;

(C) One member who is a private sector member of the governor's workforce board, or the Rhode Island workforce investment board, or state job training coordinating council (established pursuant to section 122 of the Job Training Partnership Act, 29 U.S.C. § 1532); and

(D) One member who is a representative of the CTE trust established pursuant to this chapter;

(ii) Two (2) members who are representatives of labor organizations, one of whom must be a career and technical teacher; and

(iii) Two (2) members from trade associations representing employers in the state.

(2) Five (5) individuals who are representative of secondary and postsecondary educational institutions including:

(i) One member who is a representative of the Rhode Island association of school superintendents;

(ii) One member who is a representative or the director of career and technical education programs and/or facilities;

(iii) The commissioner of elementary and secondary education, or his/her designee:

(iv) The commissioner of higher education, or his/her designee: and

(v) One member who is a representative of adult education and skills training.

(3) The secretary of commerce or his/her designee shall be the fifteenth (15th) member ex officio.

(c) In selecting individuals to serve on the state board, due consideration shall be given to the appointment of individuals who serve on a private industry council under the Job Training Partnership Act (established pursuant to 29 U.S.C. § 1512), or on councils established under other related federal acts.

(d) Members of the board of trustees may not represent more than one of the above-specified categories, and there shall be appropriate representation of both sexes, racial, and ethnic minorities, and the various geographic regions of the state.

(e) The state shall certify the establishment and membership of the state board of trustees at least ninety (90) days prior to the beginning of each planning period described in § 113(a)(1) of United States Public Law 98-524, 20 U.S.C. § 2323(a)(1).

History of Section. (P.L. 1972, ch. 284, § 1; P.L. 1977, ch. 189, § 1; P.L. 1986, ch. 244, § 1; P.L. 1988, ch. 84, § 58; P.L. 1999, ch. 83, § 34; P.L. 1999, ch. 130, § 34; P.L. 2001, ch. 86, § 49; P.L. 2014, ch. 410, § 2.)