ORIENTATION AND CONTINUING EDUCATION OF BOARD MEMBERS
March 16, 1976
Orientation - The responsibility for orientation of new Board members should
be shared by the Board and the administration with the Rector and President
involved in working out a specific program for each new member. The avail-
ability of time, the experience and interest of a new member will influence
the most appropriate activities to be included in a planned program. The
implementation of such a program should rest with the President who may
delegate this responsibility to an appropriate staff member. However, such
staff member would report back to the President who would also follow-up
with the Board members to evaluate the success of the program.
Activities expected to be most helpful include:
1. Invitation from President and Rector to a new member for
a conference (a luncheon would be appropriate and the
President and Rector can meet either together or separately).
2. Supply new member with appropriate reading materials about
the University including by-laws, appropriate publications,
copies of several minutes from Board meetings, financial
data and program descriptions. This can be done in stages
so as not to overwhelm the new member.
3. Visitation to the campuses.
4. Conferences with other staff members.
5. Visitation to committee meetings (sometimes it is profitable
if it is done before a specific committee assignment is made
to the new member) .
6. Attendance at state, regional and national meetings.
7. Give new member the opportunity to indicate his knowledge about
and impressions of the University. It is sometimes helpful if he
states his image of the University before and after an orientation
program.
8. Review with new member Master Plan for physical development
of the University.
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9. Explain the relationship of University Governance to other
governmental bodies of control.
10. Extend an invitation to the new member to attend a variety of
University functions.
11. Seek information from the new member concerning activities
that will meet his needs and interest.
12. Early in the orientation process seek the advice and suggestions
of the new member since as a new member he may have a high
degree of objectivity in looking at some of the University's
problems. Make the member feel needed!
Continuing In-Service Training - The program for in-service training should
be built on an effective comprehensive orientation program. Consequently,
it should prove helpful if present Board members would review the activities
suggested for orientation to determine to what extent some of them would be
helpful to present Board members.
There are many activities that can possibly be a part of the on-going in-service
training program. On most Boards there will be a rather wide spread of expe-
rience and understanding that relates to University Governance. Consequently,
some activities and programs will be directed at all members and other activities
will be suggested to be used on a selective basis in harmony with individual
interest and experience:
1. The Board meeting should be planned not only as an action
session, but also should be planned to provide pertinent
information. When agendas are sent out accompanied by
voluminous documents, the administration should include
a brief digest of any document of more than a few pages
that relates to decision making at that particular meeting.
2. Committee meetings can serve a very useful purpose in
deepening Board members understanding of the University's
problems and challenges. This function should be considered
in planning committee meetings.
3. Participation in state, regional and national meetings.
4. Subscription to appropriate magazines and referral of inter-
esting articles and printed materials that relate to the
University and its relationship to what is happening on
the national scene.
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5. Periodic retreats as a Board or in connection with the adminis-
tration.
6. Attendance at University functions.
7. Occasional strolls around the campuses of the University,
including informal discussions and chats with students and
faculty members.
8. A President's Newsletter to be sent regularly to Board members.
9. An in-service training program should include contacts between
the Board member and the community leadership.
10. Periodic planning sessions to keep in the forefront the University's
mission and priorities.
