What makes an effective university board member?
In the accompanying video excerpt from our “Making UNC Governance Work” webinar, Belle Wheelan, President of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), which accredits colleges and universities in 11 Southern states, says her organization evaluates the effectiveness of university boards.
“Are you governing the institution and not trying to administer the institution?” Wheelan asks. “The board should say, ‘This is the end result that we want to see,’ and then leave the president and the administration alone to get it done.
“I tell board members all the time, ‘You have one employee, and that’s the CEO. And if you don’t like the job that the CEO is doing, then you fire the CEO.’”
It’s sometimes difficult for experienced executives on college boards to refrain from fixing the problems themselves, Wheelan says, comparing the role to that of a parent.
“It’s also tough when you’ve been appointed to that position to carry the water of the people who appoint you. And many times that happens as well, which starts blurring the lines of administration and governance,” she says.
Lou Bissette, former Chair of the UNC System Board of Governors, says he’s seen instances on the board where members thought their duty was to do the bidding of the NC General Assembly, which appoints the entire board.
But Bissette stresses that a board member’s duty is to the education institution – not to the institution that appoints them.
Wheelan acknowledges that it’s tough for a board member to look a legislator in the face and say, “I need to use my best judgement.” But it’s essential.
“You may not get reappointed, but you will leave with your integrity and you will have protected the integrity of the institution, which is indeed what we expect board members to do,” she says.
Bissette notes that among about 10 peers, the UNC System has the shortest terms for board members – four years. The University of California System has 12-year terms, and the average among the peer group is seven years.
“It does give that board member more independence,” Bissette says. “Instead of coming back up for reappointment or re-election within four years, now it’s eight.”
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