49-7-205 - Staff.

49-7-205. Staff.

(a)  (1)  The commission is empowered to employ an executive director, define the executive director's duties and, within budgetary limitations, fix the executive director's compensation.

     (2)  The executive director shall serve at the pleasure of the commission.

     (3)  The executive director must have the educational preparation and experience that qualifies the executive director, in the commission's judgment, to understand and evaluate the problems and needs of the state's institutions of higher learning and to direct the studies of the commission.

(b)  Within budgetary limitations, and subject to the approval of the commissioner of personnel, the commission is empowered to employ other professional and staff employees that are appropriate for the efficient discharge of its duties.

(c)  The executive director and all other employees shall be reimbursed for travel expenses in accordance with the comprehensive travel regulations as promulgated by the department of finance and administration and approved by the attorney general and reporter.

(d)  (1)  Upon the request of the commission, its professional employees shall be permitted to become members of the University of Tennessee joint contributory retirement system; provided, that the commission shall pay in behalf of its professional employees the members' contributions required under § 49-3333 [repealed], and shall, in the event a professional employee of the commission retires as a member of the University of Tennessee joint contributory retirement system, reimburse the University of Tennessee, quarterly, for the employer's annuity paid to the employee in accordance with § 49-3333 [repealed].

     (2)  Any professional employee of the commission becoming a member of the University of Tennessee joint contributory retirement system as provided in subdivision (d)(1) shall make the same contributions and shall be eligible for the same benefits and enjoy the same rights as any other member of the University of Tennessee joint contributory retirement system in accordance with § 49-3333 [repealed], and the retirement policies adopted and amended from time to time by the board of trustees of the University of Tennessee.

[Acts 1967, ch. 179, § 6; 1968, ch. 565, § 1; 1976, ch. 806, § 1(77); T.C.A., §§ 49-4206, 49-4210.]