Governance Principles

Policy Statement

Consistent with accreditation expectations and recognized best practices, the Board shall govern using the principles outlined in Carver’s policy governance model. As such, the Board shall govern with an outward and future-focused vision, concentrating primarily on the benefits the College contributes to the community (Ends). The Board shall direct its efforts at creating and sustaining the College’s mission and vision (Ends). Furthermore, the Board will delegate the Means to achieve the Ends to the College’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO). To accomplish this, the Board shall:

1. Execute the powers designated by the Michigan Community College Act and all other applicable federal and state laws.
2. Operate in all ways mindful of its trusteeship and its fiduciary and statutory obligations to the public. It will allow no officer, individual, trustee, or committee of the board to prevent the fulfillment of this commitment.
3. Act in the best interest of the College and the community.
4. Commit to the pursuit of excellence through the use of continuous quality improvement practices.
5. Demonstrate uncompromised professionalism and ethics in the course of its work.
6. Enforce upon itself whatever discipline is needed to govern with excellence.
7. Actively engage in continuous development which will include orientation of new trustee members with the board's governance process, periodic board discussion of process improvement, regular policy review, self-assessment, review of related literature, and conference attendance.
8. Collaborate and share all information among all Board members on matters of substance related to their governance role. No trustee shall be in sole possession of information related to the Board’s governance role.
9. Strive, to the extent possible, to reach consensus on all decisions.
10. Direct, control and inspire the College’s vision through the careful establishment of the broadest organizational policies that accurately reflect the board's values and perspectives.
11. Be solely responsible for excellence in governing.
12. Engage in policy development in collaboration with the CEO.
13. Hold itself accountable by monitoring and discussing the Board's process and performance regularly. To this end, the Board will conduct an annual self- assessment, the results of which shall be used for the improvement of their work individually and collectively. Self-monitoring will include comparison of actual Board activity and conduct to activity and conduct prescribed by established Board policies and processes.
14. Determine the Ends based on the external needs of its community stakeholders. To that end, the Board will work with the CEO to adopt processes and employ practices that allow for broad input from community stakeholders to obtain input on issues related to the development and/or improvement of Ends policies.
15. Benchmark the College’s performance against other comparable institutions in order to develop or improve Ends policies.
16. Encourage and consider diverse viewpoints.
17. Only act as a whole Board thereby cultivating a sense of group responsibility. Trustees have no individual authority to govern the College or direct the CEO or staff. The Board may use the expertise of individual Trustees to enhance the work of the Board as a body, but may not use it as a substitute for their individual judgments or those of the Board as a whole.
18. Establish ‘broad’ policy that reflects the vision and values of the Board and focuses on the long term needs of the community rather than the internal operational aspects of the College.
19. Support and empower the CEO to achieve the Ends by defining their respective roles in job descriptions and delegating operational authority to the CEO.
20. Empower the CEO with full discretion for determining and executing the Means within the bounds of executive limitations as communicated by the Board. The Board will respect and support all Means decisions that conform to policy.
21. Not engage in administrative decisions related to Means.
22. Ensure the College is making adequate progress towards achieving the Ends, by reviewing timely monitoring reports and evaluating the CEO’s performance.
23. Act only through its bylaws, written policies, resolutions and in accordance with applicable laws and criterion established by its accrediting bodies.

Change Log

• 06-21-1973  Initial Approval
• 04-17-2018  Revised; referenced in former policy 1.7
• 04-28-2020  Reviewed; no change