(a)        The Community Colleges System Office shall be a principal administrative department of State government under the direction of the State Board of Community Colleges, and shall be separate from the free public school system of the State, the State Board of Education, and the Department of Public Instruction. The State Board has authority to adopt and administer all policies, regulations, and standards which it deems necessary for the operation of the System Office.

The State Board shall elect a President of the North Carolina System of Community Colleges who shall serve as chief administrative officer of the Community Colleges System Office. The compensation of this position shall be fixed by the State Board from funds provided by the General Assembly in the Current Operations Appropriations Act.

The President shall be assisted by such professional staff members as may be deemed necessary to carry out the provisions of this Chapter, who shall be elected by the State Board on nomination of the President. The compensation of the staff members elected by the Board shall be fixed by the State Board of Community Colleges, upon recommendation of the President of the Community College System, from funds provided in the Current Operations Appropriations Act. These staff members shall include such officers as may be deemed desirable by the President and State Board. Provision shall be made for persons of high competence and strong professional experience in such areas as academic affairs, public service programs, business and financial affairs, institutional studies and long-range planning, student affairs, research, legal affairs, health affairs and institutional development, and for State and federal programs administered by the State Board. In addition, the President shall be assisted by such other employees as may be needed to carry out the provisions of this Chapter, who shall be subject to the provisions of Chapter 126 of the N.C. Gen. Stat.. The staff complement shall be established by the State Board on recommendation of the President to insure that there are persons on the staff who have the professional competence and experience to carry out the duties assigned and to insure that there are persons on the staff who are familiar with the problems and capabilities of all of the principal types of institutions represented in the system. The State Board of Community Colleges shall have all other powers, duties, and responsibilities delegated to the State Board of Education affecting the Community Colleges System Office not otherwise stated in this Chapter.

(b)        Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the President may reorganize the System Office in accordance with recommendations and plans submitted to and approved by the State Board of Community Colleges. If a reorganization is implemented pursuant to this subsection, including any movement of positions and funds between fund codes on a recurring basis, the President shall report by June 30 of the fiscal year in which the reorganization occurred to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee and the Fiscal Research Division of the General Assembly. ?(1963, c. 448, s. 23; 1971, c. 1244, s. 14; 1975, c. 699, s. 5; 1979, c. 462, s. 2; c. 896, s. 3; 1979, 2nd Sess., c. 1130, ss. 1, 2; 1981, c. 859, s. 35.2; 1983, c. 479, s. 4; c. 717, s. 26; 1983 (Reg. Sess., 1984), c. 1034, s. 164; 1985 (Reg. Sess., 1986), c. 955, ss. 19, 20; 1987, c. 564, s. 2; 1993, c. 522, s. 6; 1999-84, s. 8; 2019-235, s. 3.1.)