INDEX

Introduction
Table of Contents

Policies in Process

Preliminaries

Policies

1. Legal Authority and Governance

2. University-wide

3. Presidential Area

4. Academic Affairs

5. Business Affairs

6. Student Life

7. University Advancement

8. Administrative Services

Delegation to the President

Policy Statement

The intention of the Board of Trustees of Marywood University is to concentrate its efforts on governance through strategic direction and major policy making. It therefore affirms its expectation that the President as chief executive officer be responsible for the efficient operation of the institution while maintaining the integrity of Board policy.

The Board of Trustees delegates to that person now holding or subsequently appointed to the position of President of the University the authority to exercise all of the powers and duties required for the effective management of the University. Although accountability to the Board rests with the President alone, that person may designate other University employees to exercise specific powers and duties delegated to the President.

It is expected that the President will use good faith and judgment in bringing to the Board's attention any new areas of major institutional policy or strategic direction that may arise.

1. Delegation of authority extends to interpreting and implementing Board policy, and to establishing subsidiary policies and regulations for the proper governance of the University. Exclusions from delegation of authority include matters of major policy or strategic direction, those which are vested in or imposed upon the Board itself by law, and those powers and duties stated in Board policies that the Board shall expressly reserve for itself.
   
   
2. The President may not perform, allow, or cause to be performed any act which is unlawful or insufficient to meet commonly accepted business or professional ethics or a "prudent person" test, in violation of enactments of regulatory bodies, requirements of funding sources, or explicit Board restraints on executive authority.
   
   
3. The Board may, by extending its policies, "undelegate" areas of the President's authority, but it will respect the President's choices so long as the delegation continues. This does not prevent the Board from obtaining information about activities in delegated areas.
   
   
4. Only the Board by its majority vote has authority over the President of the University. Information may be requested by an individual trustee or committee, but if such request, in the President's judgment, requires a material amount of staff time, it may be refused.
   
   
5. Should it be deemed necessary to violate a Board policy, the President will inform the Board. Informing is simply to guarantee no violation is intentional, not to request approval after the fact. Board response, either approving or disapproving, does not exempt the President from subsequent Board judgment of the action.

Related Policies and Committees

Bylaws - Bylaws of the University

History of the Policy

01/23/99 - Adopted by the Board of Trustees and placed in Board of Trustees Manual