INTRODUCTION TO BY-LAWS
March 2, 1976
Considerable time has been spent in reviewing literature relating to University
Governance along with a study of by-laws from other Universities. Dr. Wayne
Anderson, Executive Director, Association of Governing Boards of Colleges and
Universities, has been very helpful in supplying materials and data. In fact,
he has made one trip to Richmond to confer with us.
University Governing Boards throughout the country are taking a rather detailed
look at their emerging duties and responsibilities. The role of such governing
boards has tended to change in response to varying conditions and pressures.
In the past ten years, Boards tended to be concerned about internal pressures
relating to the role of students and faculties. The new trend seems to be moving
in the direction of concern about external pressures that tend to erode the author-
ity and responsibility of University Governing Boards. Not many significant
models have yet developed. There is a study going on at the present time that
is sponsored by the Ford Foundation that may shed some light on the subject.
However, the results of this study will not be available for approximately another
year.
The proposed changes in the by-laws are designed to more definitely fix respon-
sibility, clarify roles and to utilize time more effectively in the governing process
1. More responsibilities assigned to the Executive Committee.
2. Changes are proposed in the number, role and organization of
standing committees.
3. A change is proposed in the frequency of Board meetings.
4. Some areas are still rather general where it is felt that relation-
ships must evolve more or less in harmony with the development
of the President's proposed transitional organizational structure.
5. There are other minor changes that relate to the overall goals
set forth in the introductory statement.
The proposed change that the Board meet every two months rather than monthly
deserves some explanation and hopefully supporting evidence.
1. Under the present plan, three weeks after a Board meeting the
agenda for the next meeting should be mailed. This situation
causes a time problem for the administration in terms of effective
planning.
2. The proposed change is related to more effective use of committee
structure.
3. Hopefully, more time will be given to Board meetings that
are held every two months thereby providing more continuity
of effort with a greater portion of time being given to planning,
policy and information sessions.
4. Such a change in Board meeting time must be accompanied by
other techniques to keep the Board members informed and to
utilize time more effectively. For example, long descriptive
materials sent out with the Board agenda will be accompanied
by a short summary digest. A presidential letter with pertinent
facts and data will be sent to Board members on the months
that the Board does not meet -- Kiplinger Letter type.
5. The proposed change will utilize Board members time more
effectively and help to sustain a higher percentage of atten-
dance throughout Board meetings.
6. There is precedent for most any plan of Board meetings with
perhaps some preponderance of quarterly meetings.
