February 28, 2003 Feature
Story
Governing
the Ungovernable? Utah State's Board of Trustees Blazes New
Trail
 The
highest governing board at Utah State University is garnering
some national attention of late by the way it is redirecting
itself from a largely ceremonial body to one that is rolling
up its sleeves and tackling policies and strategies.
Utah State's new approach to governing was showcased earlier
this month in Washington D.C. before the annual meeting of the
American Council on Education. Kermit L. Hall, president of
Utah State, joined three other panelists, including Richard
Chait, Harvard University Graduate School of Education professor.
Their topic: Reshaping the Role of Boards of Trustees.
Utah State's test run of a new governing model for its board
of trustees occurred in January when they met for their regular
monthly meeting. Instead of listening and responding to agenda
items, board members broke into smaller groups composed of staff,
faculty and administrative members, and talked about pressing
issues, such as university allocations in light of severe budget
cuts.
Issues were laid out on the table, and trustee members, with
expertise in business, law and public policy, assisted in developing
strategies dealing with shrinking state revenues and growing
demands for resources.
"We are getting to the point now where we can talk about
and give input on various pressing matters such as retention,
reorganization of the university, fund raising and development,"
said Gayle McKeachnie, Utah State Board of Trustees chairperson.
 McKeachnie,
who has been on the board for seven years, said the old board
model consisted of general committees in areas such as academics
and business.
"We used to listen to reports and approve them," he
said. "Now we are talking about issues and giving input
on decisions about the future of the university."
After attending monthly meetings over several years, McKeachnie
said that he and other board members were sensing that they
were primarily a rubber-stamp body.
"We liked the university but we didn't want to rock the
boat," he said. "We wanted to help more but didn't
quite know how."
Under Hall's urging, Chait was brought to the university to
assist in revamping the function of the board.
"They gave us a vision of how to better help the university,"
McKeachnie said.
Because the board has been challenged to focus on problems rather
than performing perfunctory administrative duties, members are
involved as leaders rather than managers, he said.
While managers make an organization run smoothly and efficiently,
leaders set the vision and direction, he added.
"We're still new to this, but our goal is to put the board
of trustees in a position that adds value in those areas of
the university that really count," he said.
McKeachine said this new model of governing only works with
leaders who are willing to have outside people weigh in on the
decisions before they are made. Hall is one such leader, he
said. It is a participatory style of leadership that encourages
and values input from a marketplace of ideas.
"The emphasis is more about tapping brains than filling
seats," he said.
Hall responded that it's a two-way street and complimented McKeachine's
openness to new ideas and ways of doing business.
"Gayle's leadership of the trustees has made it possible
to take risks and seek rewards in the governance of Utah State
University," he said. "Our goal has been to encourage
the trustees to be more a part of the institution, especially
in setting its strategic future. Gayle has made all of the difference."
Contacts:
Gayle McKeachnie, 435-789-4908; Kermit L. Hall, 435-797-7172
Writer: John DeVilbiss, 435-797-1358
utah
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