Governance changes on the horizon
New model opens possibility of student representation on the Board
February 20, 2007
Angela Wiebe
The possibility of a student representative on Trinity Western University’s Board of Governors may not be too far off in the future, as the board seeks to conclude a review of its governance structure by early fall 2007.
Most recently, the board met with TWU president Dr. Jonathan Raymond, members of the President’s Cabinet, and representatives from the student, staff, and faculty associations, for a training workshop on Carver Policy Governance.
According to its website, the Carver model is “designed to empower boards of directors to fulfill their obligation of accountability for the organizations they govern.”
For Raymond, who helped implement this model at his former school, William and Catherine Booth College, “[it] helps set the vision and direction for the future [of TWU].”
“It’s a huge paradigm shift,” Raymond added. Rather than having to gather “10,000 approvals,” he said, the university will be free to operate within the broad policy framework defined by the board.
Whether the board will adopt this new model of governance, however, is still undecided. So far, the board has formed a Governance Committee, and undergone training sessions in Atlanta, Georgia in September and in Richmond on Feb. 1-2. Still to come is a private coaching session at the board’s April meeting and a legal check regarding policy changes. Depending on the outcome of the legal check, Raymond expects the board to make a final decision by this summer.
And whether that decision involves the addition of student, staff, and faculty representation is also unknown.
“Personally, I have no problem with student representation,” Raymond said, “[but], it’s not my decision. Either way, I’m not going to create any barriers to it.”
But, he added, it would be difficult for a representative of the school to lobby the board on a certain issue, under the Carver governance model.
“The written language of the board is interpreted by the president,” he said. “You can’t bring complaints to the board.”
While the two students who attended the workshop – TWU Student Association president Norman Van Eeden Petersman and Vice President of Academics Kerala Levitt – are unsure as to whether their invitation to the meeting will lead to more student input in the future, they remain hopeful.
“I think the barriers to having students on the board are reduced when taking on the Carver model,” Van Eeden Petersman said. “To me it would make sense to have a student on the board because the largest question is why not?”
“I hope it’s not a one-time opportunity,” Levitt added.
Both students were also excited to implement aspects of the governance model within TWUSA, such as the defining of expectations and limitations for each role within the association.
“TWUSA has struggled with job descriptions,” Levitt noted. “We want [elected and appointed representatives] to take more ownership of their positions.”
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