There is hereby created a public body corporate and politic to be known as Alabama Higher Education Equipment Loan Authority. The authority shall not be a state institution nor a department or agency of the state, but shall be an instrumentality of purely public charity performing an essential governmental function, being a distinct corporate entity. The Governor shall be the president of the authority, the State Treasurer shall be the vice president thereof, and the Director of Finance shall be the secretary thereof. The State Treasurer shall be treasurer thereof, shall act as custodian of its funds, and shall pay the principal of and interest on the bonds of the authority out of the funds hereinafter provided for. The members of the authority shall constitute all the members of the board of directors of the authority, and any two members of the board of directors shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. Should any person holding any state office named in this section cease to hold such office by reasons of death, resignation, expiration of his or her term of office, or for any other reason, then his or her successor in office shall take his or her place as a member, officer, or director, as the case may be, of the authority. No member, officer, or director of the authority shall draw any salary in addition to that now authorized by law for any service he or she may render or for any duty he or she may perform in connection with the authority. All proceedings had and done by the board of directors shall be reduced to writing by the secretary of the authority, shall be signed by at least two members of the authority, and shall be recorded in a substantially bound book and filed in the office of the secretary. Copies of proceedings, when certified by the secretary of the authority under the seal of the authority, shall be received in all courts as prima facie evidence of the matters and things therein certified.