In its governance, the Board will emphasize outward vision rather than internal operations, encourage diversity in viewpoints, strategic leadership and planning rather than administrative detail, clear distinction of board and presidential roles, collective rather than individual decisions, the future rather than the past or present, and being proactive rather than reactive.
More specifically, the Board will:
1. Operate in all ways mindful of its trusteeship obligation to the public. It will allow no officer, individual, trustee or committee of the Board to prevent its fulfilling this commitment.
2. Enforce upon itself the necessary discipline to govern with excellence. Discipline will apply to matters such as attendance, policy making principles, respect of roles and speaking with one voice. The Board, not the administration, will be responsible for excellence in governing.
3. Direct, control and inspire the organization through the careful establishment of the broadest organization policies reflecting the Board’s values and perspectives. The Board’s major focus will be on results and their long term impact, not on the administrative means of attaining those results.
4. Cultivate a sense of group responsibility. The Board will be an initiator of policy, not merely a reactor to administration initiatives.
5. Monitor and discuss the Board’s process and performance regularly.
6. Seek input from various sources including staff, students, faculty, employers, and other community members.
7. Make decisions, to the extent possible, on a consensus basis.
Revision Dates: 09-18-2006.
