North Carolina § 116-301 - Committee on Free Expression.

§ 116-301. Committee on Free Expression.

The chair of the Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina System shall designate a standing or special committee of the Board of Governors to act as the Committee on Free Expression. All employees of The University of North Carolina System and all State agencies shall cooperate with the Committee on Free Expression by providing information requested by the Committee. The Committee on Free Expression shall report to the public, the Board of Governors, the Governor, and the General Assembly by September 1 of every year. The report shall include all of the following: A description of any barriers to or disruptions of free expression within the constituent institutions. A description of the administrative handling and discipline relating to these disruptions or barriers. A description of substantial difficulties, controversies, or successes in maintaining a posture of administrative and institutional neutrality with regard to political or social issues. Any assessments, criticisms, commendations, or recommendations the Committee sees fit to include. The requirement of reporting to the public may be met by publishing the report on The University of North Carolina System's Web site. History (2017-196, s. 1; 2018-5, s. 10.3.) Editor's Note. - Session Laws 2017-196, s. 3, made this section effective June 30, 2017, and further provides: "The initial annual report of the Committee on Free Expression is due by September 1, 2018." Session Laws 2018-5, s. 1.1, provides: "This act shall be known as the 'Current Operations Appropriations Act of 2018.'" Session Laws 2018-5, s. 39.7, is a severability clause. Effect of Amendments. - Session Laws 2018-5, s. 10.3, effective July 1, 2018, rewrote subsection (a), which read "The Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina System shall establish the Committee on Free Expression and appoint 11 individuals from among its membership to the Committee. The members of the Committee on Free Expression shall elect a chair from the members of the Committee. Each member of the Committee on Free Expression shall serve on the Committee at the pleasure of the Board of Governors. Each member's term shall be equal to the remainder of the member's respective term on the Board of Governors. In the event of a vacancy on the Committee, the Board of Governors shall appoint a replacement from among its membership."