By Dr.
Harriet K. Switzer, Secretary to the Board of Trustees
1. Who are the Trustees of Washington
University?
The Board of Trustees is made up of
approximately 50 men and women
from
the corporate, professional, educational, governmental, and
volunteer sectors of the St. Louis
community and major cities
nationwide and abroad. In addition,
Emeritus Trustees are invited
to attend meetings and serve on
committees of the Board.
2. What are the responsibilities of a
Board of Trustees?
The Board of Trustees is legally
responsible for the institution
whose assets it holds in TRUST. Trustees must assure themselves
that the institution is heading in
the right direction and is
well-managed. In short, they must fulfill their
responsibilities,
legal and moral, as TRUSTEES. The Trustees of Washington University:
a. Appoint
the Chancellor;
b. Review and approve or disapprove annual
budgets;
c. Review and approve or disapprove major
capital expenditures;
d. Make final decision on awards of tenure
and degrees, and on
new degree programs;
e. Oversee the management of the
endowment;
f. Oversee and participate in development
programs;
g. In addition, the Trustees take an
interest in and are
supportive of the
University's people and its programs.
Board members exercise a policy and
oversight role in contrast to
the implementation and operational
role of the administration, staff
and faculty. Board members try to concentrate on
questions that
look to the future implications of
current policies and practices. Who
will implement the policies and
precisely how this will be done is
a question that should be left to
the institution's chief
administrators. Board members are interested and informed,
but are
careful to refrain from interfering
in the management and operation
of the University.
3. How are these responsibilities carried
out?
The basic work of the Board takes
place through the work of committees.
Washington
University has the following standing Trustee committees:
a. Executive
b. Audit
c. Buildings and Grounds*
d. Compensation
e. Development
f. Educational Policy*
g. Hilltop Finance*
h. Medical
Finance
i. University
Finance
j. Honorary
Degree*
k. Investments*
l. Nominating
m. Real
Estate
n. Research-Graduate
Affairs*
o. Undergraduate
Life*
* These are the committees past student
representatives to the Board have
most often attended.
4. How often does the Board meet?
The Board meets quarterly in
October, December, March, and May.
The Executive Committee (15 members)
meets every month the Board
does not meet, except for August.
5. Do student representatives attend Board
committee meetings?
Yes. Student representatives may, with the approval of the committee
chair and the committee staff
person, attend meetings of standing
committees of the Board, excluding
the Executive, Compensation
and Nominating Committees.
6. Have there always been student
representatives on Washington
University's Board of Trustees?
No.
This policy was initiated for undergraduates in 1970 and for
graduate students in 1993 and
1996. While the student
representatives are not voting
members of the Board, it is a
distinct
honor to be chosen as well as an opportunity to contribute
to the work of the Board and to
learn, first-hand, about the
responsibilities of the chief
policy-making body of the
University.
7. Are there other representatives to the
Board of Trustees?
Yes. There are two faculty and two alumni representatives.
8. What are the responsibilities of the
student representatives to
the Board of Trustees?
a. Attend
meetings of the Board.
b. Meet
with Chancellor and Student Life reporters after
Board meeting.
c. Deliver
an annual report to the Board in May.
d. When
appropriate express to the Board your own views on
issues and, if possible,
an estimate of the views of other
students.
e. Maintain
confidentiality.
f. Serve
as a liason to keep channels of communication open
between the Chancellor
and students.