A. The Southwest Virginia Public Education Consortium is hereby established and shall be referred to in this chapter as the Consortium. For the purposes of this chapter and the work of the Consortium, “Southwest Virginia” shall include the Counties of Bland, Buchanan, Carroll, Dickenson, Grayson, Lee, Russell, Scott, Smyth, Tazewell, Washington, Wise, and Wythe, and the Cities of Bristol, Galax, and Norton. The governing board of the Consortium shall consist of the school superintendents of the named localities; the chancellor or his designee of the University of Virginia’s College at Wise; the presidents or their designees of Emory and Henry College, Virginia Intermont College, Bluefield College, Mountain Empire Community College, Virginia Highlands Community College, Southwest Virginia Community College, and Wytheville Community College; and the Director of the Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center. The region’s legislators shall serve as nonvoting, advisory members of the board.
B. Members of the board shall be reimbursed for their actual expenses incurred in the performance of their duties in the work of the Consortium, except that legislative members shall be reimbursed pursuant to § 30-19.16. The board shall elect a chairman and a vice-chairman from among its members.