Board Job Description

Board Policy 103

The primary responsibility of the Board is to represent the public in determining and demanding appropriate organizational performance. To distinguish the Board's own unique responsibilities from the responsibility of the administration, faculty and staff, the Board will concentrate its efforts on the following:

  1. Serve as a link between the Institution and the public.
  2. Adopt written governing policies which, at the broadest levels, address
    1. Governance Policies specifies how the Board conceives, carries out and monitors its own task.
    2. Board-Staff Relationship details how power is delegated from the Board to the President and its proper use monitored; defining the president's role, accountability and authority; and how the president's performance will be monitored.
    3. Executive Limitations identifies the constraints on presidential authority which establish the prudence and ethics boundaries within which all presidential activity and decisions must take place.
    4. Ends defines what organizational products, impacts, benefits and outcomes will be achieved for what recipients and at what cost.
  3. Select, employ and delegate the appropriate powers and authority to the president of the Institution.
  4. Monitor and assure the president's performance in achieving the Institution's Ends.
  5. Recognize, as appropriate, individuals who have made significant contributions to the Institution in their career field or supported the Institution by deed or action. Such recognition shall, include but not be limited to:
    1. naming a physical facility or a component thereof in the name of the person or organization to be honored or recognized,
    2. granting of emeritus status, or
    3. granting of an honorary degree.
  6. Review and pass on the recommendations of the President regarding the Institution's programs of study.
  7. Levy and collect taxes on behalf of the Institution.
  8. Select and engage legal counsel and auditors for the Institution.

In addition to the above global responsibilities, the officers of the Board (Chair, Vice Chair, Treasurer, and Secretary) will have the following specific responsibilities:

  • Chair

    The Chair assures the integrity of the Board's processes and secondarily, on occasion will represent the Board to outside parties.

    1. The Chair shall ensure the Board and individual Board members act consistent with the Board's own rules and policies and those legitimately imposed upon the Board from outside the Institution.
      1. The Chair shall preside at all meetings of the Board in an efficient and effective manner and shall set the general tone for each meeting through positive leadership. The Chair shall encourage input from all Board members in order to make informed decisions.
      2. Appoint members of committees established by the Board.
      3. Ensure that deliberation during Board meetings will be fair, open, and thorough, but also efficient, timely, orderly and kept to the point.
      4. Bring forward such agenda items which require Board action that only include issues clearly belonging to the Board to decide, not the President.
      5. Approve payment of actual and necessary expenses incurred by the Treasurer of the Board in the discharge of his official duties.
    2. The authority of the Chair consists in making decisions that fall within the topics covered by Board policies on Governance Process and Board-Staff Relationship, except where the Board specifically delegates a portion of this authority to others. The Chair is authorized to use any reasonable interpretation of the provisions in these policies.
    3. The Chair has no authority to make decisions about policies created by the Board within Ends and the Executive Limitations areas. Therefore, the Chair has no authority to supervise or direct the President.
  • Vice Chair

    The Vice Chair shall be responsible for the following:

    1. Preside at meetings of the Board in the absence of the Chair.
    2. Succeed to the office of Chair if such office becomes vacant until the Board shall elect a new Chair.
  • Secretary

    The Secretary of the Board shall be responsible for the following:

    1. Attend all meetings of the Board and prepare minutes of the proceedings of all meetings of the Board and maintain the records of the Board.
    2. Be the chief election officer of the Institution with authority to delegate election duties to a member or members of the administrative staff.
    3. Perform such other duties as may be assigned by the Board or required by law.

    The Secretary has the authority to appoint a Recording Secretary to prepare the proposed minutes for all meetings, prepare agendas and notices and otherwise provide assistance. The Recording Secretary shall be the Acting Secretary if the Secretary is temporarily absent or disabled. If both the Secretary and Recording Secretary are temporarily absent or disabled, the Chair shall appoint an Acting Secretary.

  • Treasurer

    The Treasurer of the Board shall be responsible for the following:

    1. Cause to be maintained full and accurate books of account in such form as the Board shall from time to time prescribe or as may be required by law.
    2. Present to the Board a monthly and annual report in writing containing a statement of all moneys received and of all disbursement made.
    3. Approve payment of actual and necessary expenses incurred by members of the Board of Trustees and the President in the discharge of their official duties, except in the case of the Treasurer's own expenses whose expenses will be approved by the Chair of the Board.
    4. Perform such other duties as may be assigned by the Board or required by law.

    The Treasurer shall not have the direct responsibility to handle any money on behalf of the Institution.

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