Responsibilities In Your New Trustee Position
Becoming a trustee overseeing many of your school's activities and dealings can be a position you sought out of dedication to your particularly university or college. Of course, you want to do a great job and get re-elected, but in order to do that, you need to think seriously about your responsibilities in your new position and how best to carry them out. Attention to the three issues in particularly can prepare and allow you to do the kind of job you'll be very proud and satisfied with.
Understand Ethics Policy
One aspect of the position that can be overlooked when you assume your new job is how seriously the ethics policy should be regarded. You may believe that you make solid, moral decisions, it's possible that you aren't aware of various guidelines that could end up costing you your position if you don't know about them. For instance, if you are used to talking about school issues or political issues online, you could violate policy by continuing to do so after your election.
All colleges and universities have their own manual that lays out what they expect in terms of ethics. You will likely receive this manual or can seek it out. Ensure that you look through it and underline any thing you're not sure about so you can later discuss it.
Do Research
Your position, like many trustee positions across the country, is probably part-time. That means that you'll have to fit in trustee responsibilities when you're done with other work. It's easy to wait until meetings to think about some of the issues before you, but to ensure you're making grounded, solid decisions and casting votes with integrity, set time aside for finding out more and researching upcoming votes.
Schedule Free Campus Time
Being busy with work isn't an excuse to avoid the people you're serving as a new trustee. It's vital that you make yourself open and available to everyone from the maintenance staff to the deans on campus. Being on campus is often the best way to observe firsthand what's happening and to get feedback about past and current trustee decisions. Schedule free time so you can interact with everyone.
Your work as a new trustee can present a lot of unique challenges and rewards; gain necessary insight from handling the responsibilities mentioned here. Discuss your position with others serving on the college or university board, such as Katharine Hamilton, to keep learning.
