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COLLEGE PRESIDENT SUCCESSION

PURPOSE:
The purpose of this policy is to establish a process for transitioning leadership of the college when necessary and to delegate the responsibilities and authority of the presidency in the event of a resignation, an unplanned departure, or a brief temporary incapacitation of the current president.

SECTION ONE: EMPLOYMENT CONTRACT
1.01 Nothing in this policy supersedes the terms of the Employment Contract between the Angelina County Junior College District and the president.   The Employment Contract includes provisions addressing a disability of any type during which the president is unable to perform job duties for any period greater than 90 days. The current Employment Contract shall be on file in the Angelina College Office of Human Resources. 

SECTION TWO: INCAPACITATION LESS THAN 90 DAYS
2.01 The president shall authorize college personnel in writing as necessary to ensure continuity of operations and leadership for any anticipated incapacitation lasting less than 90 days (e.g., medical procedure, travel in area without communication services, etc.).  In the event the president is incapacitated unexpectedly but the incapacitation is expected to last for less than 90 days, each Executive Council member shall ensure the continuity of services and programs within the scope of his/her delegated authority during the period of incapacitation.  

2.02 In the event an urgent issue that requires decisions or actions outside the delegated authority of any Executive Council member arises during the president’s incapacitation under this section, the vice president of Business Affairs and the vice president of Academic Affairs shall jointly exercise the authority to (a) agree on the best course of action and take the required decision or action, and (b) as soon as practicable inform the president and the President of the Board about the circumstances and their decision or action. 

SECTION THREE: PLANNED RESIGNATION
3.01 Pursuant to the employment contract, the college president shall provide written notice of a planned resignation from the presidency to the President of the Board of Trustees at least 60 days prior to the college president’s last day of service, not including use of accrued vacation leave.  At the next regular meeting of the Board of Trustees after the college president submits a resignation notice, the Board will select a qualified member of the Executive Council to serve as the interim president.  

3.02 The selected interim president’s appointment will commence at 5 p.m. on the last day of service of the current president and last until 7:59 a.m. the day the new president takes office.  Selection of a qualified interim president will be based solely on the discretion of the Board of Trustees.  The current president will inform and brief the selected interim president on any current or anticipated issues or substantive decisions taken during the sixty-day notice period.

SECTION FOUR: UNPLANNED DEPARTURE
4.01 If the current president’s departure from the presidency is unplanned, the Board of Trustees will act to appoint an interim president from among the qualified Executive Council members as soon as practicable pursuant to the Texas Open Meetings Act.  During the period after the president’s unplanned departure from the presidency and the Board’s appointment of an interim president, the provisions of Section III of this policy addressing continuity of operations shall apply.  The Board will appoint the interim president to serve until 7:59 a.m. the day the new president takes office.  Selection of a qualified interim president will be based solely on the discretion of the Board of Trustees.

SECTION FIVE: SCOPE OF INTERIM PRESIDENT
5.01 The interim president will have the responsibilities and exercise the authority of the presidency during the interim term.  The interim president will perform all duties and functions of the presidency as required by law, as generally accepted in higher education practice, and as noted in Board policies.  The interim president or designee will take appropriate steps to communicate to employees, students, and external stakeholders the status of the presidency and appropriate details about the Board’s search process for a new president.

SECTION SIX: INABILITY TO CONTINUE INTERIM APPOINTMENT
6.01 In the event that the interim president is unable to continue to serve as interim president for any reason before the regular appointment of a new president, the interim president will notify the President of the Board of Trustees in writing and provide a reasonable date when he/she will resign from the interim presidency.  As soon as practicable pursuant to the Texas Open Meetings Act, the Board will appoint a new interim president from the other qualified Executive Council members or appoint a qualified interim president from outside of the Angelina College employee group.  

SECTION SEVEN: OPERATION OF THE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT
7.01 The President shall ensure the Office of the President operates in a manner that ensures the Executive Council members and the Manager of the President’s Office are knowledgeable and current on (a) current issues or projects of the President, (b) any reporting and compliance requirements of the presidency, and (c) the current internal and external operating environment of the College. In addition, the Manager of the President’s Office shall be made aware of and have access to supporting documentation and the requirements of recurring actions/reports that are generally handled by the president.

The President of the College is responsible for reviewing and updating this policy. Policy reviews are made in accordance with the Office of Institutional Effectiveness Policy Tracking document.

Document History:

Adopted by Board of Trustees: 12/2023