Bill
Bill > SB494
summary
Introduced
01/13/2026
01/13/2026
In Committee
03/04/2026
03/04/2026
Crossed Over
03/14/2026
03/14/2026
Passed
Dead
Introduced Session
2026 Regular Regular Session
Bill Summary
Public institutions of higher education; governing boards; membership and duties; work groups. Revises the membership and duties of the governing board of each public institution of higher education by, among other things, increasing from four years to six years the terms of each member of the governing board and requiring the governing board of each public institution of higher education to adopt policies defining and implementing shared governance among the components of the institution's organizational structure. The bill also directs the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia to convene work groups for the purpose of developing model shared governance policies, in accordance with the provisions of the bill, and for the purpose of studying and making recommendations on (i) a process by which (a) the governing board of any public institution of higher education, the Governor, or the General Assembly or a committee thereof with relevant oversight responsibility, upon determining that the Office of General Counsel or other legal counsel of a public institution of higher education is not acting in the best interests of the institution, including due to a conflict of interest, failure to defend the lawful authority of the institution, or failure to comply with state law, may request the Attorney General to review the adequacy of such legal representation and (b) upon a determination by the Attorney General or the General Assembly or a committee thereof that such institution is not receiving adequate legal representation, the governing board may request additional representation or approve alternate counsel as necessary to protect the interests of the institution, and (ii) policies for requiring any individual member of a governing board to recuse himself from or not participate in any vote or decision of the governing board on any matter in which he has a personal or pecuniary interest or any partisan or ideological interest that would compromise his ability to vote or act objectively and in accordance with the primary board duties.
AI Summary
This bill modifies the membership and duties of governing boards for public higher education institutions in Virginia by extending the term limits for board members from four to six years and requiring these boards to establish policies for shared governance, which involves collaboration among the institution's various components like the board, faculty, staff, and students. Additionally, the bill mandates that the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) will create work groups to develop model shared governance policies and to study and recommend processes for reviewing the performance of institutional legal counsel, including when the Attorney General might be involved if an institution is not receiving adequate legal representation. The work groups will also examine policies for board members to recuse themselves from decisions where they have a personal, financial, partisan, or ideological conflict of interest that could compromise their objectivity. The bill also includes provisions for training new board members and continuing education for existing members on governance and ethical responsibilities, and it clarifies the powers of governing board executive committees.
Committee Categories
Education, Health and Social Services
Sponsors (2)
Last Action
Conference report agreed to by House (62-Y 35-N 0-A) (on 03/14/2026)
Official Document
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