Article III Powers and Authorities of the Board of Trustees - Board of Trustees Bylaws
A. Statutory Authority
As enumerated in N.C.G.S., including Chapter 115D-20, other applicable statutes, and the State Board of Community Colleges Code, the Board of Trustees shall have the power and authority to, among other things:
- Elect the President of the College (the “President”) for such term and under such conditions as the Board of Trustees may fix. The election and reelection is subject to the approval of the State Board.
- Provide for the employment of personnel required for the operation of the College, upon nomination by the President, subject to standards established by the Board and the State Board.
- Purchase all land, easements, or rights-of-way which shall be necessary for the proper operation of the College, upon approval by the State Board and, if necessary, acquire land by condemnation in the same manner and under the same procedures as provided in Chapter 40A of the N.C.G.S.. For the purpose of condemnation, the determination of the Board as to the location and amount of land to be taken and the necessity therefor shall be conclusive. Additionally, pursuant to N.C.G.S. 115D-60(b), the Board has authority to sell, exchange, or lease any real property owned or held by the Board when it has been determined to be unnecessary or undesirable for College use. Such sale, exchange, or lease shall be in the same manner as is provided by law for the sale, exchange, or lease of school property by county or city boards of education. The proceeds therefrom must be used for capital outlay purposes.
- Acquire, hold title to, transfer, and dispose of all real and personal property donated to the College or purchased with funds provided by the local tax-levying authority, and to all real property purchased with funds provided by the State of North Carolina. The Board may also enter into contracts, institute, and defend legal actions and suits, and exercise such other rights and privileges as are or may be necessary for the governance, oversight, management, administration, and development of the College.
- Apply the standards and requirements for admission and graduation of students and other standards established by the State Board.
- Receive and accept donations, gifts, devises, and the like from private donors, and apply or invest any of them and apply the proceeds for the purposes and upon the terms which the donor may prescribe and which are consistent with the provisions of state law and the regulations adopted by the State Board.
- Establish or discontinue programs of instruction within the College upon the recommendation of the President and according to regulations adopted by the State Board.
- Require the execution of such studies, generation of such reports and papers, and take such steps as are necessary to execute their fiduciary responsibilities; and, ensure that the functions of the College are executed in a manner consistent with Board policies and good management practices, within resources available to the College.
- Request and adopt current expense and capital outlay budgets.
- Require surety bonds pursuant to the provisions of N.C.G.S. 115D-58.10.
- Insure College buildings and contents properly as set out in N.C.G.S. 115D-58.11.
- Procure liability insurance for Board members under authority granted in N.C.G.S. 115D- 58.12.
- Enter into guaranteed energy saving contracts and lease purchase and installment purchase contracts for real and personal property, and establish public/private partnerships, consistent with N.C.G.S. and policies adopted by the State Board.
- Establish private, non-profit corporations to support the College as set out in N.C.G.S. 115D-20(9).
- Perform such other acts and do such other things as may be necessary or proper for the exercise of the foregoing specific powers, including the adoption and enforcement of necessary bylaws and of reasonable policies for the governance, oversight, and development of the College.
B. Authority with Respect to Honorary Associate Degrees
The Board, upon recommendation of the Student Success and Academic Programs Committee, shall have the authority to award an honorary associate degree to outstanding individuals who satisfy one or more of the following criteria:
- A person who has made significant contributions, in the course of a career, in some field of scholarship, in public service, or in an artistic, literary, governmental, religious, financial, or other endeavor;
- A person who has made extraordinary contributions to the mission or life of the College.
Honorary associate degrees may not be awarded posthumously or to current employees of the College, active members of the Board, candidates for political office, or actively serving elected officials.
The Board of Trustees is committed to the award of honorary associate degrees to recipients who reflect the diversity of interests, backgrounds, and concerns reflected in the College’s community. Decisions to award honorary associate degrees will be made without regard to, and will not be based on, the political affiliations or any legally protected characteristic of recipients.
The Board of Trustees may, by majority vote, revoke honorary associate degrees at its sole discretion.
Changes approved by the Board of Trustees: May 13, 2026