2023 Tennessee Code › Title 49 - EDUCATION (§§ 49-1-NEW — 49-50-1703) › Chapter 9 - UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE (§§ 49-9-101 — 49-9-1605) › Part 16 - INSTITUTE OF AMERICAN CIVICS (§§ 49-9-1601 — 49-9-1605) › Section 49-9-1602 - Board of fellows

(a)
The president of the University of Tennessee, in consultation with the governor, the speaker of the senate, and the speaker of the house of representatives, shall appoint initial members to serve on a board of fellows for the institute. Members of the initial board of fellows must be appointed by September 1, 2022.
(b)
The board of fellows must consist of thirteen (13) members, of which:
(1)
At least nine (9) members must be, or have been, tenured professors or administrators or professors of practice at an institution of higher education in the United States;
(2)
Two (2) members must be distinguished former elected or appointed officials in the United States, and, while serving in their former elected or appointed position, must have been affiliated with different political parties; and
(3)
Two (2) members must be members of the board of the Howard H. Baker, Jr. Center for Public Policy at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. If a member appointed under this subdivision (b)(3) vacates the member's position on the board of the Howard H. Baker, Jr. Center for Public Policy, then the member vacates the member's position on the board of fellows and must be replaced by the president of the University of Tennessee.
(c)
In order to establish staggered terms for members of the board, four (4) of the initial members must be appointed to serve a term of two (2) years; four (4) of the initial members must be appointed to serve a term of four (4) years; and five (5) of the initial members must be appointed to serve a term of six (6) years. After the initial appointments expire, the term for each member of the board appointed to succeed an initial member of the board of fellows is six (6) years. Board members may continue to serve on the board after their term expires, but only until a new member is appointed to replace the board member. Board members may be reappointed to multiple terms.
(d)
The president of the University of Tennessee may remove a member from the board of fellows for misconduct or neglect of duty.
(e)
Except as provided in subdivision (b)(3), when a member's term expires or when a vacancy on the board arises, the board of fellows shall, with the approval of the president of the University of Tennessee, and in consultation with the governor, the speaker of the senate, and the speaker of the house of representatives, appoint a new member to serve on the board. If the board appoints a new member to fill a vacancy, then the new member serves for the remainder of the unexpired term.
(f)
The president of the University of Tennessee shall designate a member of the board of fellows to serve as the chair for a term of two (2) years. At the expiration of the chair's term, the president of the University of Tennessee shall appoint another member to serve as chair. There is no limitation on the number of terms a chair may serve. If the chair resigns from the position of chair, or resigns from the board of fellows, then the president of the University of Tennessee may designate another member to serve the remainder of the former chair's two-year term.
(g)
The board of fellows shall advise the director appointed pursuant to §
49-9-1603
on matters related to the institute, including, but not limited to, staffing, curriculum, policy, and programming, in accordance with the policies and procedures of the University of Tennessee. The director retains final discretion as to all such decisions for the institute, in accordance with the policies and procedures of the University of Tennessee.
Acts 2022, ch. 963, § 1.