Re-Imagining the Relationship Between Board of Trustees and University Faculty Senate: An Interim Report and Request From its Chair

John S. Nichols, Professor Emeritus and Chair, Special Committee on University Governance, has just posted a short interim report on the progress of the committee he chairs, that is meant to "study the Board’s structure, functions, practices and responsibilities as they relate to the Board’s interactions with the University community and to make recommendations for improving communication."

The Committee, at the moment is "specifically interested in hearing suggestions for improving the Board’s communication and interaction with the University community."  Please participate. 

The short report follows.  I thank the Special Committee for its work to date and look forward to closely engaging with the results of its work as eventually reported to the Senate and university communities.  



 

July 11, 2012

Penn State University Community:

In the aftermath of the events of last November, the University Faculty Senate had extensive discussions about the role of the Board of Trustees in those events and many expressed concerns about insufficient communication between the Board and various University constituencies.  In response, then Senate Chair Dan Hagen appointed the Special Committee on University Governance, a diverse group of faculty, students, staff and alumni, to study the Board’s structure, functions, practices and responsibilities as they relate to the Board’s interactions with the University community and to make recommendations for improving communication. 

The membership and charge of the Special Committee are posted at
http://www.senate.psu.edu/about_senate/committees/univ-gov/cmt_charge.pdf 

The purpose of this letter is to briefly report on the progress of the Special Committee and to renew its invitation to any entity or individual in the University community to communicate directly with the Special Committee regarding any information or suggestions within this charge.

The Special Committee continues to assess how the Board of Trustees has previously interacted with constituencies within the University community and how the Board’s current structures and practices affect those interactions.  We are specifically interested in hearing suggestions for improving the Board’s communication and interaction with the University community.  Our purpose is not to rehash the past but rather to look forward and make constructive recommendations for improving the flow of information and governance of Penn State.  Your feedback will help the Special Committee gain a better understanding of the key issues related to the Board of Trustees and to be better prepared to make thoughtful recommendations.  Please send any comments to senate@psu.edu.

The Special Committee already has consulted with numerous constituent groups and is continuing those consultations.  A summary of those and other activities of the Special Committee are posted at http://senate.psu.edu/about_senate/committees/univ-gov/scug_progress.pdf.
               
Further, the chair of the Special Committee has met with representatives of the Freeh Group, and the full committee anticipates meeting with them after the Freeh report is released.
               
Thank you very much for your help and support for the work of the Special Committee.

Sincerely,
John S. Nichols, Professor Emeritus and Chair, Special Committee on University Governance

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Special Committee on University Governance

Progress Report

July 11, 2012

--The Special Committee met on the following dates: March 15 (charge meeting), March 29, April 12, April 24, April 26, May 10, May 24, June 19, June 28, and July 10. Additional dates are scheduled, and the Committee will continue meeting until its work is complete.

--The Committee held meetings with the Chair and Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees, Chair of the Governance and Long-Term Planning Committee, other current and former Trustees, and the Director of the Board of Trustees. Future meetings with the Board leadership are anticipated.

--The Chair of the Special Committee met with the Officers and Chairs of the University Faculty Senate and requested input from each of the Senate committees.

--Two-member teams of the Special Committee have interviewed numerous constituent groups, including Campus Advisory Board Chairs, Alumni Association leadership, University Staff Advisory Council, Presidential Commissions (Commission on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Equity, Commission on Racial/Ethnic Diversity, Commission for Women), staff from selected academic and administrative units, Campus Faculty Governance Leaders.

--The Special Committee has invited further comment specifically related to its charge from entities or individuals in the University community.

--The chair of the Special Committee met with representatives of the Freeh Group, and the full Committee anticipates meeting with them after the Freeh report is released.

--With the able assistance of Committee resource person Peter Moran, Interim Assistant Dean for Policy and Planning, Penn State Altoona, the Special Committee has reviewed the professional and academic literature on higher education governance. See, for example, Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges, Policies, Practices, and Composition of Governing Boards of Public Colleges, Universities, and Systems, 2010; American Association of University Professors, Evaluation of Shared Governance; and Aims C. McGuinness, “Models of Postsecondary Coordination and Governance in the States, State Notes (Education Commission of the States), February 2003.

--The demographics, composition, and method of selection of the Penn State Board of Trustees have been benchmarked with national data collected in a 2010 survey of public and private university governing boards. The quantitative benchmarking data are being supplemented with qualitative case studies of a few other universities or non-profit institutions.

--The Special Committee is continuing its work and hopes to file its report to the Senate prior to the beginning of the academic year.

Board of Trustees Home Page

Karen Peetz Presentation to University Faculty Senate March 2012

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Progress Report   July