The Board of Trustees is the constitutional governing body of the Mississippi State Institutions of Higher Learning. Because of changes to the legislation regarding the appointment of Board members, "after January 1, 2004, as vacancies occur, the twelve-member Board shall be appointed from each of the three Mississippi Supreme Court districts until there are four members from each Supreme Court district. The terms of office are reduced from twelve years to nine years. The terms are staggered so that all members appointed after 2012 will have a term of nine years."