As a member of the Alabama Community College System (ACCS), Athens State University operates under the authority and jurisdiction of the nine-member Alabama State Board of Education (ASBE). The members of the Alabama State Board of Education serve as trustees for the ACCS. The membership of the ASBE consists of the governor as the ex-officio president of the board and eight board members elected from eight single-member districts. In addition to the president of the board, the other officer of the ASBE is the vice-president who is chosen annually from the eight members. To be eligible to serve on the ASBE, members must not have been engaged as professional educators within five years of seeking election and must not be employees of the board.

The Chancellor serves as the Chief Executive Officer of the Postsecondary Education Department of the ASBE. The ASBE delegates decision-making authority to the Chancellor concerning matters related to supervision of the Alabama Community College System.

The ASBE meets regularly throughout the year to review and approve issues related to the University’s educational programs and policies, and to approve requests for financial resources. Minutes of the ASBE demonstrate that the board is an active policy-making body and is responsible for ensuring that financial resources are adequate for the institution.

State law prohibits members of the ASBE and the Chancellor from having any contractual, employment, personal, or familial financial interest in Athens State University. Biographies of the Chancellor and board members demonstrate that they meet eligibility requirements and have no personal interest in Athens State University.