Dec. 5, 2002
EDITORIAL
Alumni Trustees: A Valuable Resource
A Recent Alumni Trustee Reflects on Her Term
By Kristen
Betts
Across the United States, close to half of all independent four-year
single campuses affiliated with the Association of Governing Boards
of Colleges and Universities (AGB) include alumni representatives as
voting board members. Among institutions that include voting alumni
representatives are many of the nation’s best known private colleges
and universities.
As a “recent alumni trustee” at The George Washington University,
I believe that including alumni representatives as voting members is
of great value to those who serve the board, the University, and the
higher education community. Alumni trustees are “stakeholders”
who deeply care about the future of their institution. More specifically,
recent alumni trustees bring to board meetings a unique perspective
of the institution — as recent students and active alumni. Alumni
trustees and recent alumni trustees also are excellent resources since
they provide great insight to other board members who may not have attended
the institution.
As I begin my final year as a recent alumni trustee or, as I prefer,
a “young” alumni trustee, I look back on my service as having
greatly enhanced my understanding and appreciation of GW. It has fostered
a deep passion for the University and provided me with the opportunity
to get more involved with campus life. Moreover, I have witnessed firsthand
the
ongoing commitment of the board, the president, and administration to
its constituents and the community.
At The George Washington University, there are six alumni trustees and
three recent alumni trustees. Alumni trustees serve for a maximum of
two three-year terms, whereas recent alumni trustees serve for only
one three-year term. All alumni trustees must have earned a degree from
GW and recent alumni trustees must have earned a degree within the past
five years.
Nominations for alumni trustees and recent alumni trustees are submitted
in the fall semester from the University’s nine schools and are
presented to the GW Alumni Association (GWAA). The GWAA then selects
the candidates and presents these nominations to the University’s
Board of Trustees for review.
The experience garnered from serving as a recent alumni trustee is immeasurable.
During my tenure, I have been able to work closely with board members,
including the chair. I have also had the privilege of working with the
administration, deans, faculty, and students. While a recent AGB publication
stated that 450 college and university presidents leave their jobs each
year, I have had the honor of working with a president who so passionately
cares about the institution that he has signed an additional five-year
contract after already serving 14 years. As I complete my final year
as a recent alumni trustee, I reflect on several key items that I often
share with individuals who ask me about serving on GW’s board.
• The highest level of respect is shared by board members and the
administration for one another, the University, the Foggy Bottom community,
and the District of Columbia.
• The board is composed of dynamic men and women who represent
all aspects of the University: business executives, lawyers, doctors,
educators, ambassadors, former professional athletes, artists, politicians,
and researchers.
• The time trustees spend serving the board goes well beyond attending
board meetings. In addition to supporting the University at institutional
functions, sporting events, and student engagements, trustees meet with
various sub-committees during the year. Just this past academic year,
several trustees served on GW’s Committee for Academic Excellence
and met every Friday for two hours beginning in August 2001 and ending
in May 2002. These trustees embraced the opportunity to work directly
with the administration and the faculty, and continued to serve on other
committees and sub-committees.
• The exchange of ideas and dialogue between the administration
and trustees during committee meetings is very open and productive.
This synergistic relationship has resulted in the development and implementation
of several campus projects including state-of-the-art classrooms and
dormitories, successful fund-raising campaigns, and leading data management
strategies.
• Through outstanding leadership and a monumental vision, the University
celebrated the opening of a $96-million, state-of-the-art hospital in
August 2002. This was a collaborative effort by the administration,
the Board of Trustees, Universal Health Services, the Foggy Bottom community,
and the District of Columbia.
• In addition to donating time and expertise, trustees also donate
valuable resources in the forms of various gifts. Some of the philanthropic
gifts that I have witnessed during board meetings (sometimes unbeknownst
to the administration before the presentations) have included multi-million
dollar donations, galleries, and art work.
It has truly been an honor and a privilege to serve as a recent alumni
trustee at GW. As my term ends in May 2003, I reflect fondly on my experiences
and I look forward to finding new ways to continue serving GW.
GW Trustee Kristen S. Betts received her doctorate in higher education
administration from GW’s Graduate School of Education and Human
Development in 1998. She received her BA and MA from the College of
William and Mary. Betts is president of Research Strategies International,
a research consulting company, in Washington, DC.
Send feedback to: bygeorge@gwu.edu
