Determine, control, supervise and manage the financial, business and education policies and affairs of Fairmont State College;

Develop a master plan for the institution; except the administratively linked community and technical colleges shall develop their master plans subject to the provisions of the West Virginia Code. The ultimate responsibility for developing and updating the master plans at the institutional level resides with the institutional board of governors, but the ultimate responsibility for approving the final version of the institutional master plans, including periodic updates, resides with the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission. Each master plan shall include, but not be limited to, the following:

• A detailed demonstration of how the master plan will be used to meet the goals and objectives of the institutional compact.

• A well-developed set of goals outlining missions, degree offerings, resource requirements, physical plant needs, personnel needs, enrollment levels and other planning determinates and projections necessary in such a plan to assure that the needs of the institution=s area of responsibility for a quality system of higher education are addressed.

• Documentation of the involvement of the commission, institutional constituency groups, clientele of the institution and the general public in the development of all segments of the institutional master plan.
  The plan shall be established for periods of not less than three nor more than six years and shall be revised periodically as necessary, including the addition or deletion of degree programs as, in the discretion of the governing board, may be necessary.

Prescribe for the institution, in accordance with its master plan and the compact, specific functions and responsibilities to meet the higher education needs of its area of responsibility and to avoid unnecessary duplication;

Direct the preparation of a budget request, such request to relate directly to missions, goals and projections as found in the institutional master plan and the institutional compact;

Consider, revise and submit to the Higher Education Policy Commission a budget request on behalf of Fairmont State College;

Review, at least every five years, all academic programs offered at the institution. The review shall address the viability, adequacy and necessity of the programs in relation to the institutional master plan, the institutional compact and the education and workforce needs of its responsibility district. As a part of the review, the governing board shall require the institution to conduct periodic studies of its graduates and their employers to determine placement patterns and the effectiveness of the education experience. Where appropriate, these studies should coincide with the studies required of many academic disciplines by their accrediting bodies.

The governing board also shall ensure that the sequence and availability of academic programs and courses offered by the institution are such that students have the maximum opportunity to complete programs in the time frame normally associated with program completion. The governing board also is responsible to see that the needs of nontraditional college-age students are appropriately addressed and, to the extent it is possible for the governing board to control, to assure core course work completed at the institution is transferable to any other state institution of higher education for credit with the grade earned.

Subject to the provisions in State Code, the governing board has the exclusive authority to approve the teacher education programs offered in the institution. In order to permit graduates of teacher education programs to receive a degree from a nationally accredited program and in order to prevent expensive duplication of program accreditation, the chancellor may select and utilize one nationally recognized teacher education program accreditation standard as the appropriate standard for program evaluation.

Utilize faculty, students and classified staff in institutional-level planning and decision making when those groups are affected.

Administer a system for the management of personnel matters, including, but not limited to, personnel classification, compensation, and discipline for employees of the institution, subject to the provisions of state and federal law: Provided, That the chancellor may promulgate a new uniform rule for the purpose of standardizing, as much as possible, the administration of personnel matters among the institutions of higher education.

Administer a system for the hearing of employee grievances and appeals therefrom as prescribed by article twenty-nine, chapter eighteen of West Virginia Code so that aggrieved parties may be assured of timely and objective review: Provided, That after the first day of July, 2000, the procedure established in article twenty-nine, chapter eighteen of West Virginia Code shall be the exclusive mechanism for hearing employee grievances and appeals.

Solicit and utilize or expend voluntary support, including financial contributions and support services, for the institution;

Appoint a president or other administrative head for the institution subject to the provisions of section six, article one-b, chapter 18 of West Virginia Code;

Conduct written performance evaluation of the College president pursuant to section six, article one-b of chapter 18 of West Virginia Code;

Submit to the commission no later than the first day of November of each year an annual report of the performance of the institution during the previous fiscal year as compared to stated goals in its master plan and institutional compact;

Enter into contracts or consortium agreements with the public schools, private schools or private industry to provide technical, vocational, college preparatory, remedial and customized training courses at locations either on campus or at off-campus locations in the institution=s responsibility district. To accomplish this goal, the board is permitted to share resources among the various groups in the community.

Delegate, with prescribed standards and limitations, its power and control over the business affairs of the institution to the president or other administrative head of the institution in any case where it considers the delegation necessary and prudent in order to enable the institution to function in a proper and expeditious manner and to meet the requirements of its institutional compact. If the governing board elects to delegate any of its power and control, it shall notify the chancellor. Any such delegation of power and control may be rescinded by the governing board or the chancellor at any time, in whole or in part.

Unless changed by the chancellor, the governing board shall continue to abide by existing rules setting forth standards for acceptance of advanced placement credit for the institution. Individual departments at the institution may, upon approval of the faculty senate, require higher scores designated by the governing board when the credit is to be used toward meeting a requirement of the core curriculum for a major in that department.

The governing board, or its designee, shall consult, cooperate and work with the state treasurer and the state auditor to update as necessary and maintain an efficient and cost-effective system for the financial management and expenditure of special revenue and appropriated state funds at the institution that ensures that properly submitted requests for payment be paid on or before due date, but in any event, within fifteen days of receipt in the state auditor's office.

The governing board in consultation with the chancellor and the secretary of the department of administration shall develop, update as necessary and maintain a plan to administer a consistent method of conducting personnel transactions, including, but not limited to, hiring, dismissal, promotions and transfers at the institution. Each such personnel transaction shall be accompanied by the appropriate standardized system or forms which will be submitted to the governing board and the department of finance and administration.

Notwithstanding any other provision of West Virginia Code to the contrary, the governing board shall have the authority to transfer funds from any account specifically appropriated for their use to any corresponding line item in a general revenue account at the institution as long as such transferred funds are used for the purposes appropriated. The governing boards also shall have the authority to transfer funds from appropriated special revenue accounts for capital improvements under their jurisdiction to special revenue accounts at the institution as long as such transferred funds are used for the purposes appropriated; and

Notwithstanding any other provision of West Virginia Code to the contrary, the governing board may acquire legal services as are considered necessary, including representation of the governing board, its institution, employees and officers before any court or administrative body. The counsel may be employed either on a salaried basis or on a reasonable fee basis. In addition, the governing board may, but is not required to, call upon the attorney general for legal assistance and representation as provided by law.