2016 Mississippi Code
Title 57 - Planning, Research and Development
Chapter 21 - State Chemical Laboratory
§ 57-21-7. State chemist

The chief executive officer of the laboratory shall be the State Chemist.

(a) Qualifications: . The State Chemist shall be an individual who has earned the Doctor of Philosophy degree or its equivalent at a recognized university or college qualified to grant such degrees. The major field of his or her training should be preferably in traditional or applied fields of chemistry or biochemistry, but other disciplines may be acceptable if the individual has experience qualifying him or her otherwise. He or she should also have knowledge by training or experience of agricultural, industrial or health-related fields. The candidate for State Chemist must be acceptable as a faculty member in a department of the university appropriate to his or her earned doctorate degree.

(b) AppointmentThe State Chemist shall be appointed by the president of the university, with the advice and consent of the Senate, for a term of six (6) years; and the said State Chemist shall serve for said six-year term and until his successor shall have been appointed and qualified. However, it is provided that the said State Chemist may be removed from office by the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning upon the demonstration of his inability to serve due to illness, incompetence, malfeasance in office, dereliction of duty or moral turpitude. The Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning shall fix the annual salary of the State Chemist, who shall be paid from the budget of the Mississippi State Chemical Laboratory or from the budget of the university, or from both, whichever is deemed desirable by the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning.

(c) StatusThe State Chemist shall simultaneously hold an appointment as professor in a department of the university appropriate to the discipline of their doctorate degree. He or she may be granted tenure as a faculty member in accordance with the rules current at the university upon his or her appointment. As a state regulatory official, the duties of the State Chemist are service in nature. However, as time permits, the State Chemist may teach or direct research as part of his or her professional duties, and may serve in other administrative positions as deemed desirable with the consent and approval of the president of the university and the board of trustees. He or she shall receive appropriate reimbursement for such services.

(d) ResponsibilityThe State Chemist shall be responsible to and shall report to the president of the university or a designee of the president.

(e) DutiesThe State Chemist shall:

1. Serve as the chief executive officer and director of the State Chemical Laboratory.

2. Recommend the appointment, discharge, annual salaries, duties, and titles of administrative, technical and support personnel and staff of the laboratory to assist him or her in carrying out its authorized functions.

3. Prepare and submit budget requests for the laboratory to the appropriate agency, subject to approval by the president of the university and the board of trustees. The State Chemist shall present such requests before the Legislative Budget Office and legislative committees. He or she shall prepare an annual budget for operation of the laboratory from appropriated or special funds or other income available, and shall make monthly, quarterly and other reports of such income and expenditures to the appropriate agencies as required by law.

4. Maintain an inventory of laboratory equipment and report it appropriately to the proper agencies as required by law.

5. Prepare annual or biennial reports and special reports as needed of laboratory activities, programs and recommendations. Such reports shall be submitted to governmental heads and agencies as required by statutes, to the president of the university, the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning, and to the chief executive officer of each agency with which it cooperates.

6. Serve on such state or national agencies, commissions, boards, organizations or committees as required by law.

7. Conduct other business necessary and desirable for proper discharge of his or her responsibilities to the state or as may be stipulated here or elsewhere in the laws of Mississippi.