Board Report: June 2002

Dear Friends of Union:

The College's Board of Trustees met on campus recently for its June session, and it is my privilege to send to you this report. Since this is the first of what I hope will become a regular update after each board meeting, I'd like to provide you some background on how the board operates.

The board has 33 members, of whom 23 are alumni, and two of whom are parents of recent graduates. Our bylaws call for up to eight trustees elected for life ("life trustees"); at least 16 trustees elected for terms ("term trustees"); four trustees elected by and from the alumni of the College ("alumni trustees"); two trustees elected by and from the faculty of the College ("faculty trustees"); and two trustees elected by and from the undergraduate students of the College ("student trustees"). The governor of New York and the president of the College are members, ex officio.

There also are 12 emeritus trustees (any life trustee who reaches the age of 72 may, with the board's approval, become an emeritus trustee). Emeritus trustees are free to participate in all board discussions and may serve on any committee, but they have no vote.

The Office of the Chairman, which furnishes the board with advice on long-range planning and priorities, comprises the chairman, the vice chairman, the secretary, and the general counsel.

The board holds regular meetings in February, June, and October, and the board's executive committee meets in September, December, and April. Much of our discussion takes place in committee meetings with members of the College administration, and each standing committee submits a report on its activities to every regular meeting of the board. The board members - in particular, committee heads - are in communication with each other and with the administration and faculty in a collaborative effort to continually improve Union.

The board's standing committees include:

  • the Executive Committee, which is responsible for the continuing planning, review, and evaluation of all objectives, programs, requirements, and resources of the College. Members include the Office of the Chairman, the president, and the chairman of each standing committee. This committee meets separately in between regular board meetings

  • the Committee on Academic Affairs, which oversees all matters relating to (a) the academic objectives, curricula, programs and requirements of the College, (b) the employment, promotion, and tenure of the faculty, (c) all academic activities of the College, and (d) athletics

  • the Committee on Administration and Finance, which oversees and reviews the business and financial aspects of all transactions except those specifically designated by the board to the Committee on Investment.

  • the Committee on College Relations, which oversees alumni and development activities.

  • the Committee on Facilities and Environment, which oversees the operation, planning, and construction and renovation of all buildings and the grounds of the College.

  • the Committee on Investment, which is responsible for the investment of the College's funds.

  • the Committee on Nominations, which makes nominations for all elective offices and trusteeships and oversees all matters relating to all prizes and other honors awarded by the College, including honorary degrees.

  • the Committee on Student Affairs and Admissions, which oversees all activities relating to admissions and to non-academic services to students.

Excepting the executive committee, every standing committee consists of at least five active trustees, with the chairman and the president of the College serving ex officio.

Each regular board meeting usually has a "theme," and in this past June's meeting the theme was the campus plant and environment. As part of the discussion of the long-term plan for the College's physical facilities, the trustees piled into the Union trolley and made a tour around campus, reviewing such areas as the "rebuilding in progress" at the Abbe Alumni Center on Lenox Road (this will be a beautiful facility and grounds, and ready for the next ReUnion); the Seward Place residential area; West College; and more. The trustees are especially interested in making certain that student residential life contributes as strongly as possible to the vitality of the campus community.

Our tour brought agreement that the campus looks terrific, and it is evident to the trustees that the investment in new buildings as well as building rehabilitation over the past decade has been well worth it.

In addition to this excursion, other committees met during our two-day session:

  • The Academic Affairs Committee reviewed the recommendation for tenure of an excellent faculty member and heard the details about new faculty members, including two distinguished teachers and scholars who will head the Physics and Philosophy Departments. The range of other topics included the new Web advising system, a restructuring of Graduate and Continuing Studies (now the Center for Graduate Education and Special Programs), a new intellectual property rights policy, and a change in standards for Dean's List and graduating with honors (to 3.5 and 3.3 GPA, respectively).

  • The Administration and Finance Committee heard a positive update on the College's budget and discussed several projects, including the replacement of the seating at Frank Bailey Field and the opening of the Becker Career Center. Also discussed was an analysis of the Science and Engineering Center, with an eye on more effectively organizing the existing space.

  • The College Relations Committee reported the good news that more than 5,500 alumni, parents, and friends participated in alumni events during the past year, and that the Annual Fund expects an increase in both alumni donors and total dollars.

  • The Investment Committee reviewed endowment performance and was pleased that, in a difficult investment environment, the College is running ahead of its benchmarks. As of the board meeting, the endowment performance for the year was minus .1 percent, placing us in the top 30% of peer institutions, as ranked by the national organization of college business officials, in its most recent annual report. Want to personally thank this committee, headed by alumnus Bob DeMichele, for its hard work and numerous hours spent in revamping our investment policies over the last year. The committee also discussed residential life master planning and the financial implications.

  • The Nominations Committee reviewed the biographies of a number of potential term trustees and also discussed updating the guidelines for term trustee eligibility and responsibilities.

  • The Student Affairs and Admissions Committee congratulated the Admissions Office for its excellent work in recruiting such an excellent Class of 2006 and discussed the status of the House System. An implementation committee of faculty and students has been formed, and renovation work on South College will begin later this summer.

I look forward to making future reports to you and seeing you at Homecoming in October.

Stephen J. Ciesinski '70
Chairman, Board of Trustees