Blueprint for Reform: University Governance is a comprehensive policy guide for state legislators and university trustees highlighting the critical need for greater transparency, accountability, and responsiveness within public university governing boards. It underscores how current governance structures often fail to adequately serve the public’s interest and provides actionable strategies to correct these shortcomings. By addressing governance deficiencies, the blueprint seeks to ensure that public universities are better aligned with their mission of serving students, taxpayers, and the broader community effectively.
Key Recommendations:
- Accessibility of Contact Information: Universities should make staff and board members’ email addresses easily accessible online.
- Public Availability of Mailing Addresses: Board members’ office or university mailing addresses should be publicly available.
- Recording and Posting of Meetings: All publicly held meetings, including committee and subcommittee sessions, should be recorded and posted online.
- Advance Public Notices: Meeting notices should be made publicly available at least one week in advance.
- Timely Availability of Meeting Minutes: Meeting minutes should be publicly available as soon as they are approved.
- Roll-Call Voting and Online Publication: Votes should be conducted by roll call and provided online in the meeting minutes.
- Orientation and Ongoing Training: Comprehensive orientation and ongoing training programs should be provided for board members.
- Public Comment Periods: Time should be allotted during full board meetings to hear public comments.
These recommendations aim to foster a culture of openness and accountability, ensuring that university governance aligns with the interests and expectations of the public they serve.
