Governance task force seeks comment

A 13-member task force appointed Oct. 3 to produce a draft policy statement on university governance is seeking comment from the campus. The group was asked for a report by the first week of November by President Donald Zacharias.

Dean of Education Bill Graves, named to chair the Task Force on University Governance, said all members of the group have agreed to meet with departments and units to discuss university governance. He invited faculty and staff to contact them.

Other members include Harvey Lewis, dean of the College of Business and Industry; Walter Taylor, head of the Department of Agricultural Education and Experimental Statistics; Jan Chambers, Distinguished Professor of Veterinary Medicine; Marion Couvillion, assistant professor of communication; Lou D'Abramo, professor of wildlife and fisheries; Dan Embree, associate professor of English; Melissa Mixon, Cooperative Extension leader and human nutrition specialist; Charles Sparrow, professor of chemical engineering; Debbie Baker, associate director of student support services; Tom Lindsay, assistant director of telecommunications; Bryan Nesbit of Jackson, a senior banking and finance major; and Meredith McCollum of Marietta, Ga., a sophomore communication major.

Zacharias said at a recent general faculty meeting that the group would be asked to undertake a broad review of the university's decision-making processes with participation from all segments of the institution.

Zacharias asked the committee to review university governance and recommend improvements in the following areas:

• The current decision-making processes available to the university with regard to budgeting and major expenditures of university funds and selection, evaluation, and retention of administrators, faculty, and professional and support staff.
• The roles of students, faculty, professional and support staff, and administrators in the decision-making process with regard to curriculum, instructional methods, course content, degree requirements, research, service, and any aspects of student life that relate directly to the academic process and strategic and long-range planning.
• The existing array of committees, councils, and other groups that have decision-making or advisory roles in the current university structure, in terms of their appropriate roles in meeting the governance needs of the university.
• The kinds of communication channels in use at the university.

The task force also was asked to study recommendations offered by various campus units during the past few weeks, along with a proposed amendment to the faculty charter proposed by the Holland Faculty Senate dealing with the faculty's role in overall university governance.

The task force will be asked to work quickly in an effort to complete its assignment so that there will be time for the university community to review its report before the end of the semester, Zacharias said.

"I hope we will arrive at a comprehensive statement that will provide guidance for everyone who works at Mississippi State, one that will lead us to an agreement on fundamental principles. That statement will then form the foundation for appropriately detailed policies and procedures that further delineate the responsibilities and prerogatives of all employees, while addressing accountability, performance evaluation, and employee recognition and reward," the president said.

Graves, Lewis and Taylor were named by Zacharias to fill administrative slots on the task force. Chambers, Couvillion, D'Abramo, Embree, and Sparrow were appointed by Embree, faculty senate chair. Baker and Lindsay were recommended by Professional and Support Staff Advisory Council Chair Linda Gentry, and Nesbit and McCollum were appointed by Student Association President Nesbit.

This World Wide Web version of MSU Memo was modified and updated by Chris Brown.
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Last modified: Friday, 14-Jun-2002 15:59:10 CDT.
URL: http://msuinfo.ur.msstate.edu/msu_memo/1995/10-16-95/comment.htm
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