2670-Business Advisory Council The Avery County Board of Education will receive assistance from a business advisory council in the performance of its duty to provide career and technical education instruction, activities, and services. In accordance with the requirements of state law, the business advisory council will serve the board by identifying economic and workforce development trends related to the training and educational needs of the community and advocating for strong, local career and technical education programs, including career pathway development that provides work-based learning opportunities for students and prepares students for post-secondary educational certifications and credentialing for high-demand careers.
Composition of the Council
The business advisory council will have nine members, including the superintendent or designee, the career and technical education program director, the president of the local community college or designee, and a principal assigned by the superintendent. The career and technical education program director will be a nonvoting member on the council and will serve as secretary to the council. The majority of members on the council will be business, industry, and workforce and economic development stakeholders, and community members (“business and industry representatives”), such as: local business and industry owners; representatives from local manufacturing centers and factories; human resource directors employed at businesses and industries in the community; representatives from community-based organizations; representatives from economic and workforce development organizations; parents of students enrolled in career and technical education courses; or a representative or manager of the local apprenticeship coalition.
Appointment of Business and Industry Representatives
Initial Appointment of Business and Industry Representatives
The board will make the initial appointments of business and industry representatives for terms beginning January 1, 2018. The board will divide the initial appointments into four groups as equal in size as practicable and will designate appointments in group one to serve four-year terms, in group two to serve three-year terms, in group three to serve two-year terms, and in group four to serve one-year terms.
Subsequent Appointment of Business and Industry Representatives
Reasons for Appointment
As terms expire for business and industry representatives initially appointed by the board, the council will appoint subsequent members to the council for four-year terms. Any vacancy of a business and industry representative seat will be filled by the remaining members of the council to serve until the end of that seat’s term.
At any time the council may decide, by two-thirds majority vote, to add one or more seats to the council. The council will appoint a business and industry representative to the vacant, newly created seat(s). When increasing the council size, the council may adjust the length of the initial term of a newly created seat in order to keep as equal as practicable the number of members whose terms expire each year.
Appointment Process
Any individual interested in serving on the council should contact the career and technical education program director and submit a statement of interest. School system employees, board members, and council members are encouraged to recommend individuals who they believe would be positive additions to the council. The superintendent or designee shall make an effort to recruit a diverse field of qualified candidates.
When a business and industry representative’s seat is set to expire or is vacant, a committee of at least two council members appointed by the council chair shall interview the candidates. The committee shall provide all council members with the candidate’s statement of interest, the interview information, and the committee’s appointment recommendations. The council members shall review the materials provided by the committee and, by majority vote, choose a candidate to fill each seat that is set for expiration or is vacant.
When appointing new members, the council should choose candidates who are concerned with the best interests of the students and the local economy and who are willing to devote the time and effort required of council membership. Ideal candidates will have a particular knowledge or expertise or a unique perspective relevant to economic and workforce development trends related to the training and educational needs of the community. Candidates also should be advocates for strong, local career and technical education programs. Preference will be given to candidates who reside within the school administrative unit. Membership on the council must reasonably reflect the education, business, and community makeup of the school administrative unit.
Operation of the Council
The business advisory council will operate in accordance with G.S. 115C-170. The superintendent shall provide the council with a meeting space and shall assign necessary administrative staff to assist the council. The council shall report back to the board annually on its recommendations for the school system’s career and technical education instruction, activities, and services. Meetings of the council are subject to the requirements of the open meetings law in Article 33C of Chapter 143 of the General Statutes.
Legal References: G.S. 115C-47(30), -55, -172; 143 art. 33C
Cross References: Compliance with the Open Meetings Law (policy 2320)
Adopted: 2017-12-19 Revised: 2019-02-12