GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 1989

S	1 

SENATE RESOLUTION 191

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Sponsors: Senator Murphy.
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Referred to:  Higher Education.
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February 16, 1989

A SENATE RESOLUTION TO ESTABLISH THE PROCEDURE FOR NOMINATING AND ELECTING MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF GOVERNORS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA.
Be it resolved by the Senate:
Section 1.  The following procedures for nominating and electing members of the Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina are adopted:
I.  COMMITTEE RESPONSIBILITIES.
1.  It is the duty of the Senate Committee on Higher Education (hereinafter referred to as the "Senate Committee" ) to choose nominees for each opening in each category of seats on the Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina to which the Senate is to elect members.
2.  The Senate Committee shall receive suggestions of proposed candidates for nomination for election to the University Board of Governors through February 21, 1989.  In order for a person to have standing to be considered as a candidate for nomination by the Senate Committee, that person must be formally proposed as a candidate for nomination by a member of the Senate Committee.
3.  On or after February 21, 1989, the Senate Committee shall meet and receive from members of the Committee formal proposals of candidates for nomination.  A committee member may propose candidates for nomination only for the categories available for election by the Senate.  In this 1989 Session, the Senate will elect:
(a) one woman for a four-year term;
(b) one member of a minority race for a four-year term; and
(c) two at-large members for four-year terms.
4.  The Senate Committee shall screen the proposed candidates for nomination as to their qualifications and background and may interview each one to make sure that suitable persons are nominated for each category.  The Committee shall ascertain that each candidate for nomination is willing and able to serve and has no statutory disability.
5.  There is no limit on the number of persons a Senator may propose as candidates for nomination.  An individual cannot be a candidate for nomination or be nominated in more than one category.  When the proposing process is closed, the Senate Committee shall list all proposed candidates for nomination by category and shall vote on each candidate proposed for nomination and listed on the Senate ballot.  A vote of a majority of those members of the Senate Committee present and voting shall constitute one a nominee.
II. ELECTIONS IN THE SENATE.
1.  A ballot shall be prepared under the supervision of the Chairman of the Senate Committee for the use of the Senate.
2.  The ballot shall list only the names of those nominees proposed by the Senate Committee who have consented to run and for whom the Senate is entitled to vote.  Their names shall be arranged (a) by category and (b) within each category, alphabetically by surname.
3.  The Senate shall hold its election at the beginning of the daily session on February 28, 1989.  Before the voting begins, the President of the Senate shall explain the voting rules, which are:
(i)	No nomination shall be received from the floor.
(ii)	In order to be chosen, a nominee must receive the votes of a majority of all members present and voting for his category.
(iii)	Each member present and voting shall vote for as many nominees as there are positions to be filled in each category, and any ballot not so marked shall be deemed void as to that category.
(iv)	When a member for a category containing a single position is to be chosen and no nominee receives a majority of the votes cast for all the nominees in that category, a runoff shall be conducted between the person receiving the highest and the person receiving the second highest number of votes cast.
(v)	When fewer than two nominees in the four-year at-large category receive the votes of a majority of all members present and voting for positions in that category, a runoff to fill the open position or positions shall be conducted among the nominees receiving the highest number of votes cast, and the number of nominees eligible to be voted on in the runoff shall be at least one greater than the number of positions to be filled.
(vi)	If there is a tie for the last position between two nominees who are eligible for the next runoff, both nominees shall be included in the next runoff balloting, even though there would be more than two nominees per available position on the Board of Governors.
(vii)	When more than two nominees in the four-year at-large category receive the votes of a majority of all members present and voting for positions in that category, then the two nominees receiving the highest number of votes shall be deemed to have been chosen.
4.  The Senators shall proceed to mark their ballots for the following: 
One person in the minority race category for a four-year term;
One woman for a four-year term; and
Two persons in the at-large category for four-year terms.
Every ballot shall be signed by the Senator casting it, and no unsigned ballots shall be counted.
5.  The Chairman of the Senate Committee shall be responsible for canvassing the vote and declaring the results.   All ballots shall be retained by the Principal Clerk as part of the permanent records of the Senate and shall be open for immediate public inspection.
6.  When the Chairman of the Senate Committee has determined that the Senate has chosen one member of the Board of Governors from the minority race category for a term of four years, one woman for a term of four years, and two members of the Board of Governors from the at-large category for terms of four years, the President of the Senate shall declare those four persons to have been elected.
7.  The results of the election in the Senate shall then be sent by Special Messenger to the House of Representatives.
III.  NOTIFICATION OF ELECTION RESULTS.
When the election process is complete, the Chairman of the Senate Committee shall notify the Secretary of the Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina of the names of the persons elected by the Senate and the category in which and term for which each of them was elected.
Sec. 2.  This resolution is effective upon adoption.