Section 2.1. OFFICERS.

The officers of the board shall be the chairperson, the vice chairperson, the general counsel, and the secretary.

Section 2.2. TERM OF OFFICE.

1. The term and manner of selection of the trustees of the board shall be as provided for in section 6204 of the education law.

2. A chairperson and a vice chairperson shall be appointed and shall serve as provided for in section 6204(2)(d) of the education law, provided, however, that the chairperson and vice chairperson elected by ballot from among the voting members of the board on June 25, 1979 shall serve for one year, commencing July 1, 1979 or until their successors are appointed.

3. The general counsel and the secretary shall serve at the pleasure of the board.

Section 2.3. DUTIES OF THE CHAIRPERSON.

1. The chairperson shall preside at all meetings of the board, shall be a member ex officio of all committees, and shall be entitled to vote at all meetings of the board and of all its committees. Unless otherwise provided herein or otherwise determined by the board, the chairperson shall name the members and designate the chairperson of all standing and special committees. The chairperson is hereby empowered to execute all documents, receipts, releases, or other instruments requiring the signature of an authorized representative of the board.

2. By virtue of his/her office, the chairperson is the spokesperson through whom the board announces and publicizes board actions or decisions primarily within the board's statutory fields of governance and policy-making; and within those fields he/she has the principal (but not exclusive) responsibility for board communications and board dealings with the mayor of the city, the governor of the state, the executive department of the United States, legislators, and governmental departments of the city, state, and nation.

3. In his/her capacity as chairperson he/she will receive and may answer communications addressed to the board or to himself/herself in his/her official capacity.

4. Where a board committee has in hand matters connected with a governmental department, the committee's chairperson may, for the purposes of the committee, confer with such department, after first notifying the chairperson of the board of the circumstances.

Section 2.4. DUTIES OF THE VICE CHAIRPERSON.

The vice chairperson shall preside, in the absence of the chairperson of the board, at all meetings of the board; shall be a member ex officio of all standing committees of the board; and shall be entitled to vote at all meetings of all such standing committees unless the chairperson of the board be present and voting.

Section 2.5. DUTIES OF THE GENERAL COUNSEL.

General counsel shall direct a centralized legal office rendering, with an appropriate staff under the general counsel's supervision, legal services to the board and to the City University of New York. The general counsel shall report to the chairperson of the board and to the chancellor of the university. The general counsel is authorized to verify pleadings and to sign affidavits and other documents in connection with legal proceedings in which the board and its interests are involved. The general counsel is also authorized and empowered to execute all contracts and agreements on behalf of the board.

Section 2.6. DUTIES OF THE SECRETARY.

The secretary of the board shall prepare the agenda of all meetings of the board, attend the meetings thereof and prepare the minutes of such meetings. The secretary shall have charge of all board records, files, minutes, official documents, and the seal of the board. The secretary shall cause a copy of the minutes of each meeting of the board to be forwarded promptly to its members and shall certify the same as a true copy when necessary. The secretary shall notify appropriate agencies and persons of the board's actions and shall send notices of board and committee meetings to the members of the board; shall maintain a central calendar for meetings; and shall perform related duties assigned to him/her by the chairperson of the board. The secretary is authorized and empowered to sign communications, receipts, or other instruments requiring the signature of an authorized representative of the board, and to affix the seal of the board thereto, which documents reflect or effectuate prior action adopted or authorized by the board. In the event of the illness or absence of the secretary, the chairperson of the board is authorized to designate a member of the board's staff to serve as acting secretary of the board.