The Ohio University Board of Trustees' Governance Committee set forward a Statement of Expectations for vote today to the full board, one that loosened several previously proposed restrictions on the comments of individual trustees.
The new version now states trustees may comment if they make clear they are expressing their personal view, while only the chairman may still speak for the entire board. At yesterday's meeting, the committee removed a section stating the board should speak with a single voice.
Now that that part is out
I'm happy said Student Trustee Tracy Kelly.
A December draft required trustees to defer all comments on institutional concern, without exception to the president or chairman, and insisted the board must speak in one voice.
No individual trustee or group of trustees is authorized to speak for the entire board
the draft read.
Governance Committee Chairman Norman Ned Dewire said these statements act as strong guidelines for how board members should act.
There's no 'if you don't do this then this will happen to you
' like there is in Student Code of Conduct ... there are no penalties involved
Dewire said.
Kelly said she hopes the changes can help make the board more responsive.
I'm hoping it can be a catalyst for an improved relationship with the board and the constituencies
she said. We should be willing as a board to receive feedback and act on it in a meaningful way.
Will Klatt, a senior studying media studies and Student Union member, said these changes were a good step.
It still presumes a sense of arrogance because Tracy Kelly never said she was speaking for the board. If this is how they want to save face
that's fine
he said.
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