October 19, 2012
Board of Trustees' Meeting
The Board of Trustees and its Committees met last Thursday, Friday and Saturday in Grinnell. The following is a summary of the meeting.
1) The Board approved awarding the Bachelor of Arts degrees at mid-year to those students eligible, contingent on the successful completion of all degree requirements;
2) Colleen Osborne, SGA President, and Kelsey Scott and Sivan Philo, SGA Vice-Presidents, reported on their goals for the year which included working more transparently, conducting a student survey for feedback about the Student Government Association, revamping SGA's website, and modifying the SGA Handbook;
3) Matthew Welch, '96, reported on Alumni Council activities in his report to the Board as Council President; he reported on the work of the Council's committees and recapped the business of the Alumni Council and Volunteer Weekend which had occurred on campus the previous week;
4) The Trustees heard a progress report on the Strategic Planning process from Angela Voos, co-chair. She provided the timeline of the process to date and explained the current implementation plans which included the integration of work and strategies, a dual focus on operations and new ideas, the pairing of faculty and staff as co-leaders, and emphasized the plan as a living document;
5) Chair of the Faculty, Kathryn Kamp, made a report to the Board with regard to the strategic plan, and described faculty perspectives about and participation in it. She commended the transparency and collaborative aspects of the process and the enthusiasm for it among many faculty members;
6) Representatives from Art & Science Group, LLC, presented their research on the prospective student survey and answered questions with regard to the results, including how prospective students perceive Grinnell, what qualities our top prospective students would be most attracted to, and the challenges we face in bringing these top prospects to Grinnell;
7) The Board heard reports from the following committees: Trustees and Trustee Organization, Audit & Assessment, Academic Affairs, Student Life and Enrollment, Advancement, and Facilities;
8) Higher education consultants from PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP, presented their findings on the risk assessment of the College. They developed a list of prioritized risks and recommendations for the ongoing implementation and success of enterprise risk management;
9) The Board continued its assessment of the College's financial outlook and budget levers, and heard a summary of the ongoing community discussions around enrollment management options. Further Board analysis and discussion is planned toward a scheduled Board vote in February;
10) Members of the Board attended and participated in the Faculty Named Chair Ceremony on Friday afternoon in Herrick Chapel and attended a reception with faculty in the Bucksbaum Rotunda following it, in celebration of all faculty named chair holders, and for all faculty achievements.
Raynard S. Kington, President
Clint Korver '89, Chair, Board of Trustees
