By Associated Press
Montgomery, AL – Interim two-year college Chancellor Thomas Corts has proposed a policy that stops school presidents from hiring state legislators without first getting his approval. Corts told the state Board of Education Thursday that some college presidents may feel pressured to hire lawmakers and relatives of system officials. The Birmingham News has reported that 43 legislators, or their relatives or businesses, have received payments from the two-year system since 2002. That's nearly a third of the 140 members of the House of Representatives and Senate. The state school board fired Chancellor Roy Johnson in July after revelations about jobs and contracts given to his family. Board members are also considering a policy that would require the chancellor and other system administrators each year to report anything of value greater than 25-dollars they receive. On another issue, the board is considering naming buildings at Bevill State Community College in Fayette and Hamilton after Democratic Senator Roger Bedford of Russellville. Several board members said they will not support naming the buildings after Bedford, making it unlikely it will pass later this month.