UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa – The Penn State Board of Trustees wants to develop a more well-rounded set of skills and clarify its Code of Conduct, and have embarked on a several-month process to achieve that goal.
The board’s Committee on Governance and Long-Range Planning on Thursday (May 5) began a conversation about the desired skill sets, experiences, expertise and professional portfolios of all of the members of the board. The committee will compile a report on those skills this July. The final report is planned for completion in September and will highlight any skill sets that might be added that could help to promote a more effective board.
The committee discussed the value of varying skill sets, gender, race and other factors in order to bring enhanced breadth of perspective and governance practices to the board.
“The governor understands the need for cultural diversity in this body,” said committee member Ben Shipley, a gubernatorial appointee to the board.
Keith Eckel, chairman of the committee, said the skill set report would be a useful tool moving forward for the board during selection process. The goal is to use the report to find and nominate new members that will bring different skills and backgrounds to the Board of Trustees when the election process starts in January 2017.
The committee will give the report to the chairs of the selection groups on Board Membership for At-Large Trustees and Business and Industry Trustees and the Office and to the governor’s office. The committee also will publish the report on the Board of Trustee’s website.
The board is also updating its “Expectation of Membership” guidelines. That document outlines how each board member can and should conduct themselves to best represent the University and the Board of Trustees.