final version of the self-study document - Keuka College's Middle ...

Range Strategic Planning Committee participated in the June 2012 Board Retreat which focused
on strategic planning, and the newly formed College Advisory Committee (CAC), comprised of
faculty, staff, students, and alumni, attended the general session of the Fall 2012 Board of
Trustees meeting, an historic first for the College.
At each of the Board’s tri-annual meetings, the entire Faculty Liaison Committee is invited to
represent faculty concerns and initiatives to the Academic Affairs Committee. Over the last
three years, the Faculty Liaison Committee has continued a dialogue regarding faculty
compensation as well as faculty workload issues. Additionally, at each Board meeting,
representative student groups attend either a lunch or dinner meeting with the Board, providing
Trustees and students alike the opportunity to share perspectives on Keuka College. In recent
years, the Trustees have met with the members of the College Honor Society Sigma Lambda
Sigma; student mentors participating in the Achieving a College Education (ACE) program;
students from the adult degree completion programs; and international students.
The Presidential Support Specialist and Board Liaison also facilitates communication between
trustees, faculty, staff and students by maintaining records of communications and providing
documents to the Trustees from the President and others via email. Trustees utilize technology
to securely store documents in electronic format, to facilitate access by all Trustees, and thereby
streamline the communication/information sharing process.
The Board conducted assessments of their performance in 2008 and again in 2012 to identify
ways to improve Board development and effectiveness. Questions on the Board survey were
aligned with good-governance practices, as identified by the Association of Governing Boards,
with the goal of stimulating dialogue among trustees and motivating change as needed for
continued improvement. An analysis of the Board survey shows that ratings went up between
2008 and 2012 on all items regarding duties of loyalty, care, and candor. Ratings also showed an
increase in general knowledge of higher education, general knowledge of higher education
finance, and knowledge of Keuka strategies. An area identified as an ongoing need is for
continued education, “especially with the increased demands for accountability being made on
boards” (Appendix 3.7 Board of Trustees Self-Assessment Survey Spring 2012). The results of
the 2012 assessment will now be used to inform board development plans for the future.
President
As the formal leader of Keuka College, the President participates in shared governance with all
constituents of the College through meetings and regular communications with the College
community. He conducts weekly meetings with the President’s Cabinet as a group; weekly oneon-one
meetings with each Vice President; monthly meetings with the Faculty Liaison
Committee, the College Advisory Council, and also the Staff Advisory Council; bi-annual
meetings with the Chairs of the Faculty Standing Committees; monthly meetings with the faculty
as a group; weekly meetings with the Chair and Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees; monthly
meetings with the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees; tri-annual meetings with the
full Board of Trustees; and periodic meetings with the Board of Trustees subcommittees, alumni
members, student groups, athletic and advisory groups. He also attends meetings with external
constituents, such as the Chamber of Commerce and other regional organizations as needed. The
Page 7 of 19 Chapter 3: Leadership, Gov. & Admin.