Oklahoma § 70-2127 - Southern Regional Education Compact

§ 70-2127. Southern Regional Education Compact

The Southern Regional Educational Compact is hereby entered into

by this state with all other states legally joining therein in

accordance with its terms in the form substantially as follows:

THE REGIONAL COMPACT

(As amended)

WHEREAS, the states who are parties hereto have during the past

several years conducted careful investigation looking toward the

establishment and maintenance of jointly owned and operated regional

educational institutions in the Southern States in the professional,

technological, scientific, literary and other fields, so as to

provide greater educational advantages and facilities for the

citizens of the several states who reside within such region; and

WHEREAS, Meharry Medical College of Nashville, Tennessee, has

proposed that its lands, buildings, equipment, and the net income

from its endowment be turned over to the Southern States, or to an

agency acting in their behalf, to be operated as a regional

institution for medical, dental and nursing education upon terms and

conditions to be hereafter agreed upon between the Southern States

and Meharry Medical College, which proposal, because of the present

financial condition of the institution, has been approved by the

said states who are parties hereto; and

WHEREAS, the said states desire to enter into a compact with

each other providing for the planning and establishment of regional

educational facilities;

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual agreements,

covenants and obligations assumed by the respective states who are

parties hereto (hereinafter referred to as "states"), the said

several states do hereby form a geographical district or region

consisting of the areas lying within the boundaries of the

contracting states which, for the purposes of this compact, shall

constitute an area for regional education supported by public funds

derived from taxation by the constituent states and derived from

other sources for the establishment, acquisition, operation and

maintenance of regional educational schools and institutions for the

benefit of citizens of the respective states residing within the

region so established as may be determined from time to time in

accordance with the terms and provisions of this compact.

Oklahoma Statutes - Title 70. Schools

The states do further hereby establish and create a joint agency

which shall be known as the Board of Control for Southern Regional

Education (hereinafter referred to as the "Board"), the members of

which Board shall consist of the Governor of each state, ex officio,

and three (3) additional citizens of each state to be appointed by

the Governor thereof, at least one (1) of whom shall be selected

from the field of education. The Governor shall continue as a

member of the Board during his tenure of office as Governor of the

State, but the members of the Board appointed by the Governor shall

hold office for a period of four (4) years except that in the

original appointments one (1) Board member so appointed by the

Governor shall be designated at the time of his appointment to serve

an initial term of two (2) years, one (1) Board member to serve an

initial term of three (3) years, and the remaining Board member to

serve the full term of four (4) years, but thereafter the successor

of each appointed Board member shall serve the full term of four (4)

years. Vacancies on the Board caused by death, resignation, refusal

or inability to serve, shall be filled by appointment by the

Governor for the unexpired portion of the term. The officers of the

Board shall be a Chairman, a Vice Chairman, a Secretary, a

Treasurer, and such additional officers as may be created by the

Board from time to time. The Board shall meet annually and officers

shall be elected to hold office until the next annual meeting. The

Board shall have the right to formulate and establish by-laws not

inconsistent with the provisions of this compact to govern its own

actions in the performance of the duties delegated to it including

the right to create and appoint an Executive Committee and a Finance

Committee with such powers and authority as the Board may delegate

to them from time to time. The Board may, within its discretion,

elect as its Chairman a person who is not a member of the Board,

provided such person resides within a signatory state, and upon such

election such person shall become a member of the Board with all the

rights and privileges of such membership.

It shall be the duty of the Board to submit plans and

recommendations to the states from time to time for their approval

and adoption by appropriate legislative action for the development,

establishment, acquisition, operation and maintenance of educational

schools and institutions within the geographical limits of the

regional area of the state, of such character and type and for such

educational purposes, professional, technological, scientific,

literary, or otherwise, as they may deem and determine to be proper,

necessary or advisable. Title to all such educational institutions

when so established by appropriate legislative actions of the states

and to all properties and facilities used in connection therewith

shall be vested in said Board as the agency of and for the use and

benefit of the said states and the citizens thereof, and all such

educational institutions shall be operated, maintained and financed

Oklahoma Statutes - Title 70. Schools

in the manner herein set out, subject to any provisions or

limitations which may be contained in the legislative acts of the

states authorizing the creation, establishment and operation of such

educational institutions.

In addition to the power and authority heretofore granted, the

Board shall have the power to enter into such agreements or

arrangements with any of the states and with educational

institutions or agencies, as may be required in the judgment of the

Board, to provide adequate services and facilities for the graduate,

professional, and technical education for the benefit of the

citizens of the respective states residing within the region, and

such additional and general power and authority as may be vested in

the Board from time to time by legislative enactment of the said

states.

Any two (2) or more states who are parties of this compact shall

have the right to enter into supplemental agreements providing for

the establishment, financing and operation of regional educational

institutions for the benefit of citizens residing within an area

which constitutes a portion of the general region herein created,

such institutions to be financed exclusively by such states and to

be controlled exclusively by the members of the Board representing

such states provided such agreement is submitted to and approved by

the Board prior to the establishment of such institutions.

Each state agrees that, when authorized by the Legislature, it

will from time to time make available and pay over to said Board

such funds as may be required for the establishment, acquisition,

operation and maintenance of such regional educational institutions

as may be authorized by the states under the terms of this compact,

the contribution of each state at all times to be in the proportion

that its population bears to the total combined population of the

states who are parties hereto as shown from time to time by the most

recent official published report of the Bureau of the Census of the

United States of America; or upon such other basis as may be agreed

upon.

This compact shall not take effect or be binding upon any state

unless and until it shall be approved by proper legislative action

of as many as six (6) or more of the states whose Governors have

subscribed hereto within a period of eighteen (18) months from the

date hereof. When and if six (6) or more states shall have given

legislative approval to this compact within said eighteen (18)

months' period, it shall be and become binding upon such six (6) or

more states sixty (60) days after the date of legislative approval

by the sixth state and the Governors of such six (6) or more states

shall forthwith name the members of the Board from their states as

hereinabove set out, and the Board shall then meet on call of the

Governor of any state approving this compact, at which time the

Board shall elect officers, adopt by-laws, appoint committees and

Oklahoma Statutes - Title 70. Schools

otherwise fully organize. Other states whose names are subscribed

hereto shall thereafter become parties hereto upon approval of this

compact by legislative action within two (2) years from the date

hereof, upon such conditions as may be agreed upon at the time.

Provided, however, that with respect to any state whose constitution

may require amendment in order to permit legislative approval of the

compact, such state or states shall become parties hereto upon

approval of this compact by legislative action within seven (7)

years from the date hereof, upon such conditions as may be agreed

upon at the time.

After becoming effective this compact shall thereafter continue

without limitation of time; provided, however, that it may be

terminated at any time by unanimous action of the states and

provided further that any state may withdraw from this compact if

such withdrawal is approved by its Legislature, such withdrawal to

become effective two (2) years after written notice thereof to the

Board accompanied by a certified copy of the requisite legislative

action, but such withdrawal shall not relieve the withdrawing state

from its obligations hereunder accruing up to the effective date of

such withdrawal. Any state so withdrawing shall ipso facto cease to

have any claim to or ownership of any of the property held or vested

in the Board or to any of the funds of the Board held under the

terms of this compact.

If any state shall at any time become in default in the

performance of any of its obligations assumed herein or with respect

to any obligation imposed upon said state as authorized by and in

compliance with the terms and provisions of this compact, all

rights, privileges and benefits of such defaulting state, its

members on the Board and its citizens shall ipso facto be and become

suspended from and after the date of such default. Unless such

default shall be remedied and made good within a period of one (1)

year immediately following the date of such default this compact may

be terminated with respect to such defaulting state by an

affirmative vote of three-fourths (3/4) of the members of the Board

(exclusive of the members representing the state in default), from

and after which time such state shall cease to be a party to this

compact and shall have no further claim to or ownership of any of

the property held by or vested in the Board or to any of the funds

of the Board held under the terms of this compact, but such

termination shall in no manner release such defaulting state from

any accrued obligation or otherwise affect this compact or the

rights, duties, privileges or obligations of the remaining states

thereunder.

Added by Laws 1985, c. 198, § 1.