A proposal to have three subcommittees of the Board of Higher Education, to deal with issues for the three types of colleges in the University System, is not popular with some of the Board members.
One subcommittee would handle issues at the two research universities; one would deal with four year schools; and the third would work on the two year schools. The proposal came from discussion at the Governor’s Higher Education governance task force – where one proposal would create separate boards to oversee the different tiers of campuses.
Board member Dan Traynor said the Board is a Constitutionally-created entity – and that fact needs to be taken into account in any kind of governance discussion.
"This board, in total, is the Board of Higher Education, in total," Traynor said. "Not a subcommittee. Not three, not four of us -- it takes all of us to take action."
Traynor said that's pursuant to the state Constitution.
"I think we need to respect that," Traynor said.
Traynor also said the structure can only be changed by a vote of the people.
"I don't think that we should implement any change just because it was a topic of discussion at a task force," Traynor said.
The Board did not take further action.
