The Office of Legal Counsel has as its primary function the responsibility of providing professional advice and legal services to the Board. As lawyers for the Board, the attorneys in the Office serve as legal advisors to the organization acting through its duly authorized constituents including the Board's Executive Secretary and the presidents and administrators of the five institutions in the OSU/A&M System. In the performance of these services, the lawyers in the Office of Legal Counsel should exercise independent professional judgment and render candid advice and, in doing so, may refer not only to the law, but to other considerations such as moral, economic, social, and political factors that may be relevant.

The General Counsel reports directly to the Board and is responsible, under the general administrative supervision of the Executive Secretary, for directing all legal work on behalf of the Board and the institutions and their constituent agencies. This responsibility includes the management of the Office of Legal Counsel and supervision of its legal and support staff and the selection and coordination of all outside legal counsel in delivering the services required of that Office.

Counsel shall be free at any time to consult directly with the Chair of the Board, the Chair of Board Committees, and Executive Secretary of the Board, and the presidents and administrators of the institutions; and to require from any office or officer of the institutions such information and records as shall be necessary for the performance of his/her duties.

Approved June 20, 1997