A.C.A. §
24-7-301
The general administration and proper operation of the System is
vested in the Board of Trustees that consists of eleven (11) elected members
and four (4) ex-officio members. Pursuant to ACA §
24-7-301, the Board
shall adopted rules and regulations regarding the election of trustees and
vacancies.
I.
GENERAL RULES FOR
CANDIDACY AND VOTING IN TRUSTEE ELECTIONS
A. For purposes of eligibility for an active
member trustee position and voting, "active members" shall mean active members
as defined in §
24-7-202 (2) and members participating in T-DROP, if
employed by a participating employer and receiving T-DROP plan
deposits.
B. If a candidate is
employed in more than one position with a participating employer(s),
eligibility shall be determined based on his/her primary position for which
he/she receives the greater percentage of covered salary.
C. For purposes of eligibility for an
administrator trustee position or voting for that position, "administrator"
shall mean a public school superintendent, assistant superintendent, principal,
or vice-principal; a higher education president, chancellor or director; or a
community college, vocational/technical or educational cooperative director,
president, or vice president, who is employed by a participating employer OR
any employee of an education related agency participating in ATRS that is
employed in a position grade C127 or higher, including unclassified employees.
D For purposes of eligibility for a
licensed trustee position or voting for that position, "licensure" shall mean a
person employed in a position requiring state teaching licensure or an
education institution grade C117-C126 and not an administrator.
E. For purposes of eligibility for a
nonlicensed trustee position and voting for that position, "nonlicensed" shall
mean employed in a position with a participating employer that does not require
state licensure including employment of an educationally related agency in a
position Grade C116 or below. Nonlicensed shall not include any position
defined as an administrator or licensure.
F. Only members are authorized to vote in a
trustee election. Guardians, attorneys-in-fact, or others may not vote on
behalf of a member.
G. Terms not
defined in these rules shall have the meaning set forth in Arkansas Code §
24-7-202
et. seq.
H. An employee working for ATRS is not
eligible to be elected to the board, appointed to the board, or be a candidate
to be elected or appointed to the board.
II.
QUALIFICATION AND VOTER ELIGIBILITY
FOR ELECTED TRUSTEE POSITIONS
There shall be four (4) active member trustees each of whom will
represent one of the four congressional districts in Arkansas.
A.
Active Member Trustee Position Nos.
1-4 - Congressional Districts1.
Qualifications for Candidacy
i. Active member
with a minimum of five (5) years of actual service.
ii. Employed by a participating employer
located in the congressional district for which he/she is seeking
election.
iii. Employed in a
position requiring state teaching licensure or the equivalent under these
rules.
2. Eligible
Voters for Trustee Positions Nos. 1-4
Active members, regardless of credited service, employed by
participating employers located in the respective congressional districts and
who are otherwise eligible to be a candidate under subsection (IIA iii)
above.
B.
Active Administrator Trustee Positions Nos. 5 - 6
There shall be two (2) active member trustees each of whom must
be employed as administrators as defined in these rules.
1. Qualifications for candidacy:
i. Active member with a minimum of five (5)
years of actual service.
ii.
Candidates for Position No. 5 shall be licensed administrators employed as
Arkansas school superintendents by a participating employer.
iii. Position No. 6 shall be licensed
administrators employed by a participating employer.
2. Eligible Voters for Trustee Positions Nos.
5-6
Eligible voters for Position No. 5 and 6 shall be active members,
regardless of credited service, employed as licensed administrators.
C.
Nonlicensed
Trustee Position No. 71.
Qualifications for candidacy:
i. Active member
with a minimum of five (5) or more years of actual service.
ii. Employed in a position not requiring
state licensure.
2.
Eligible Voters for Trustee Position No. 7
Eligible voters for Position No. 7 shall be all active members,
regardless of credited service, who are employed by participating employers in
non- licensed positions as defined these rules.
D.
Minority Trustee Position No.
8
There shall be one (1) member trustee of a minority racial ethnic
group.
1. Qualifications for
candidacy:
i. An Active or retirant member of
ATRS
ii. Member of a minority
racial or ethnic group
2. Eligible Voters for Position No. 8
i. All active members, regardless of credited
service
ii. Retirant
members
E.
Retired Member Trustees (At - Large) - Position Nos. 9-11
There shall be three (3) retired member trustees who shall be
"retirants" under A.C.A. §
24-7-202 (25).
1. Qualifications for Candidacy
i. Retirant member of ATRS
ii. Resident of the State of
Arkansas
2. Eligible
Voters for Position Nos. 9-11
All retirants of ATRS, regardless of present employment status or
residency.
Amended: April 26, 2007
February 11, 2008
December 18, 2009
Approved by Board: October 5, 2015
Amended: February 1, 2016
Effective: February 10, 2016
