PART THREE

GOVERNING BODIES

 

The Council of Higher Education

ARTICLE 6

  1. The Council of Higher Education is an autonomous body with juristic personality which governs all higher education, directs the activities of the institutions of higher education, within the context of duties and powers given by this law. To the Council of Higher Education are attached the Higher Education Supervisory Board and the Student Selection and Placement Center together with the relevant units responsible for planning, research, development, evaluation, budget, investment and coordination.

  2. The Council of Higher Education consists of:

    1. Seven members selected by the President of the Republic, preferably from among former Rectors and distinguished professors,
    2. Seven members selected by the Council of Ministers, from among distinguished, high-ranking civil servants, either active or retired (with the approval of the Ministry of Justice and their personal consent in the case of judges or prosecutors),
    3. One member selected by the Chief of the General Staff,
    4. Seven professors selected by the Inter-university Board from among non-members of the Board.

    The memberships of those selected and nominated according to paragraphs (2), (3), and (4) become final upon the approval of the President of the Republic. The nomination of members specified in the above paragraphs is to be made within one month; in case of membership not being approved by the President of the Republic, nomination of new candidates shall be made within two weeks, otherwise the appointment is to be made directly by the President of the Republic.

    Members selected from those holding positions in public institutions will maintain their relationship with the institution concerned.

    The term of office of Council members is four years. New elections are held to replace those who leave for any reason and on completion of a term of office. Those whose term expires are eligible for re-election..

  3. The organs of the Council of Higher Education are the General Assembly, the President and the Executive Board.

    4. The members of the General Assembly are specified in section (b) above. The General Assembly meets at least three times each semester. Meetings can also be called by the President of the Council or upon written application by at least one-third of the members.

    The President of the Republic selects the President from among the Council members for four years. The President of the Council is responsible for implementation of laws, regulations, as well as decisions of the General Assembly and the Executive Board; the President represents the Council and appoints academic personnel and other persons whose selection falls within the authority of the Council.

    The Minister of National Education, when (s)he deems necessary, participates and chairs the meetings.

    The Executive Board is composed of nine members, including the President. Two Vice-Presidents are selected from among the members of the General Assembly as members of the Board, one by the President of the Board and the other by the General Assembly. The remaining members of the Board are selected by the General Assembly as follows: two members from among those specified in Article 6, section b, sub-section 1; two from those specified in Article 6, section b, sub-sections 2 and 3; two from those specified in Article 6, section b, sub-section 4. A member of the General Assembly selected from among judges or prosecutors cannot be elected to the Executive Board.

    The President chairs meetings of the General Assembly and the Executive Board. In the absence of the President, one of the Vice-Presidents represents the President.

    The General Assembly may delegate to the Executive Board authority and responsibility vested in it by the Law on Higher Education, as it deems appropriate, with the exception of: planning, organization, direction and supervision of higher education, preparation of regulations, examination and approval of budgets prepared by governing bodies of higher education and by universities, and nomination of candidates for university rector.

    The quorum for meetings of the General Assembly is 14, while that for the Executive Board is 6. Decisions in both bodies are taken by majority of votes cast. In the event of a tie, the President’s vote counts as two.

  4. The salaries of the President and members of the Executive Board are determined by the Council of Ministers with the proviso that this amount is no more than two times the salary paid to the highest-ranking civil servant (including supplementary indicator, auxiliary payment, and compensation) in accordance with Law No. 657, the Civil Service Law. Members of the Executive Board receive no further salary from public institutions. Those receiving a retirement pension continue to receive that pension. Civil servants who serve as members of the Executive Board are considered to be on leave without pay from the institution at which they are employed and retain all of their accumulated rights as personnel.

    5. The sum to be paid to members of the General Assembly other than Executive Board members as an honorarium for attendance at meetings shall be calculated by multiplying the monthly salary coefficient for civil servants by 4,000. However, a maximum of twelve such participation honoraria can be paid in one year.

  5. Members of the Executive Board are appointed on a full-time basis. The President of the Council and Executive Board Members are not permitted to have any employment in a public or private institution except for associations founded for the public interest, foundations, and affiliated institutions where they receive no remuneration for their services and in the case of temporary assignments given them by the Council of Ministers.

    6. Members of the Executive Board who are absent for a total of one month in a year for any reason other than assignments by the Council of Ministers shall be presumed to have forfeited their membership.

  6. Apart from those members who have not resigned from their primary employment, members of the Council of Higher Education shall not be subject to the legally stipulated maximum age limit, as long as they continue to be elected and serve as members.