Venue for suits and actions involving state institutions of higher education

(a) Notwithstanding the provisions of §14-2-2 of this code, any civil action in which the governing board of any state institution of higher education, any state institution of higher education, or any department or office of any of those entities, or any officer, employee, agent, intern or resident of any of those entities, acting within the scope of his or her employment, is made a party defendant, shall be brought in the circuit court of any county wherein the cause of action arose, unless otherwise agreed by the parties. (b) The exclusive venue provisions of this section are not applicable to: (1) An action involving an entity or person named in subsection (a) of this section as garnishee or suggestee; and (2) A proceeding for injunctive or mandamus relief involving the taking, title, or collection for or prevention of damage to real property, and where general laws or court rules provide that proper venue is in the county in which the real property affected is situate. (c) This section applies only to proceedings not prohibited by the constitutional immunity of the state from suit under section thirty-five, article VI of the Constitution of the State.