10 Regent Code, Decree, and Endeavors

As a member of the Board representing all the citizens of Oklahoma concerned with the College, the following code, decree and endeavors are adopted:

Regent Code

1. That the educational development of the persons attending MSC is entrusted to my care;
2. That my duty to those persons will be discharged in a fair and impartial manner;
3. That it is my responsibility to communicate the services and the needs of MSC to the general public; and
4. Since the legal authority of the Board is established by state statute, which thereby determines the degree of local autonomy, I, as a Regent, recognize my personal obligation to the state, and I will not surrender these responsibilities to any other person, group, or organization.

Regent Decree

1. Board Meetings: Do not conduct board meetings without the President.
2. Administrative Responsibility: Do not have more than one administrative person, the President, directly responsible to the Board.
3. Faculty/Staff: Do not solicit or encourage faculty/staff complaints.
4. Advocacy: Do not become an advocate for someone seeking a job at the College.
5. Personal Investigations: Do not conduct personal investigations into institutional operations and student issues.
6. Regent’s Role: Act as an advocate for the College.
7. Board Authorization: Do not speak for the Board or College without Board authorization.
8. Questions: Refer questions pertaining to College operations to the President.
9. Standing Committees: Avoid numerous Board standing committees.
10. Written Policies: Insist upon written policies.

Regent Endeavors

1. Devote the time, study, and thought necessary to render creditable service as a Regent;
2. Communicate with fellow Regents in a spirit of harmony and cooperation in spite of differences of opinion which might arise;
3. Base decisions on all available facts, rejecting partisan bias, and thereafter support and uphold the final decision of the Board;
4. Respect the position of Regent as a high-ranking position, appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Senate, and recognize that decisions can be made only by a quorum of the Board in a regular or called meeting;
5. Stand firm against special interest groups or individuals who might attempt to benefit themselves in a manner not in the best interest of the total College community;
6. Examine the academic, non-academic, and business affairs of the College;
7. Accept that the basic function of the Board is to establish policy, and the President and his/her employees are charged by the Board to operate the College within the scope of Board policy, OSRHE policy, and the laws of the state of Oklahoma; and
8. Encourage active cooperation by citizens, organizations, and the media in focusing attention on the services offered by the College.

Regent Continuing Education Requirements

• 70 O.S. § 3228 requires that each regent appointed on or after January 1, 2021, take a minimum of 15 clock hours of continuing education within the first 2 years of their appointment. Failure to meet this requirement disqualifies the regent from being reappointed to any board of regents within the state system of higher education.
• At least 2 of the 15 hours must be in ethics.