BILL AS INTRODUCED H.821
2024 Page 1 of 3
1 H.821
2 Introduced by Representative Sammis of Castleton
3 Referred to Committee on
4 Date:
5 Subject: Education; Vermont State Colleges; Board of Trustees; chancellor;
6 term limit
7 Statement of purpose of bill as introduced: This bill proposes to create an
8 eight-year term limit for members of the Board of Trustees of the Vermont
9 State Colleges Corporation as well as an eight-year term limit for individuals
10 appointed to the position of chancellor of the Corporation.
11 An act relating to creating term limits for individuals holding the positions
12 of trustee and chancellor within the Vermont State Colleges Corporation
13 It is hereby enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Vermont:
14 Sec. 1. 16 V.S.A. § 2172 is amended to read:
15 § 2172. TRUSTEES; APPOINTMENT; VACANCIES
16 (a) The Corporation shall be governed by a board of 15 trustees who shall
17 be appointed or elected as follows:
18 (1) Biennially, the Governor, with the advice and consent of the Senate,
19 shall appoint trustees to serve for four-year terms expiring March 1 of the year
20 of the biennial session. Five trustees may be in office at one time under this VT LEG #373058 v.2
BILL AS INTRODUCED H.821
2024 Page 2 of 3
1 subdivision. In the event of any vacancy occurring between biennial sessions
2 in an office under this subdivision, the Governor, pursuant to 3 V.S.A. § 257,
3 shall fill the vacancy, and the term of a person so appointed shall expire on
4 March 1 in the year of the next following biennial session.
5 ***
6 (e) No member of the Board of Trustees shall serve more than
7 eight consecutive years.
8 Sec. 2. 16 V.S.A. § 2174 is amended to read:
9 § 2174. BOARD OF TRUSTEES; POWER
10 The Board of Trustees may confer such honors and degrees as are usually
11 given in colleges and universities and any other appropriate degrees and shall
12 appoint a chancellor of the Corporation and a president for each institution
13 under its control and prescribe their duties, salaries, and terms of office. No
14 individual shall serve more than eight consecutive years as chancellor of the
15 Corporation. The Board shall make bylaws and regulations for the government
16 of its meetings and each institution under its control prescribing, among other
17 things, the terms of admission, courses of instruction, educational standards,
18 rates of tuition, scholarships, and other student aids.
19 Sec. 3. TERM LIMIT TRANSITION
20 (a) Current members of the Board of Trustees of the Vermont State
21 Colleges Corporation who have already served eight or more consecutive years VT LEG #373058 v.2
BILL AS INTRODUCED H.821
2024 Page 3 of 3
1 as a trustee at the time of enactment of this act may finish their term but shall
2 not be eligible for reappointment, pursuant to 16 V.S.A. § 2172(e).
3 (b) The term of an individual serving as chancellor of the Vermont State
4 Colleges Corporation who has already served eight or more consecutive years
5 as chancellor of the Corporation shall end September 1, 2024 and the Board of
6 Trustees shall appoint a new chancellor, if applicable. Such an individual shall
7 not be eligible for reappointment as chancellor, pursuant to 16 V.S.A. § 2174.
8 Sec. 4. EFFECTIVE DATE
9 This act shall take effect on July 1, 2024.
VT LEG #373058 v.2
Statutes affected: As Introduced: 16-2172, 16-2174