Governing the Ungovernable? Utah State's Board of Trustees Blazes New Trail

The highest governing board at Utah State University is garnering some national attention of late by the way it is redirecting itself from a largely ceremonial body to one that is rolling up its sleeves and tackling policies and strategies.


Utah State's new approach to governing was showcased earlier this month in Washington D.C. before the annual meeting of the American Council on Education. Kermit L. Hall, president of Utah State, joined three other panelists, including Richard Chait, Harvard University Graduate School of Education professor. Their topic: Reshaping the Role of Boards of Trustees.

Utah State's test run of a new governing model for its board of trustees occurred in January when they met for their regular monthly meeting. Instead of listening and responding to agenda items, board members broke into smaller groups composed of staff, faculty and administrative members, and talked about pressing issues, such as university allocations in light of severe budget cuts.

Issues were laid out on the table, and trustee members, with expertise in business, law and public policy, assisted in developing strategies dealing with shrinking state revenues and growing demands for resources.

"We are getting to the point now where we can talk about and give input on various pressing matters such as retention, reorganization of the university, fund raising and development," said Gayle McKeachnie, Utah State Board of Trustees chairperson.

McKeachnie, who has been on the board for seven years, said the old board model consisted of general committees in areas such as academics and business.

"We used to listen to reports and approve them," he said. "Now we are talking about issues and giving input on decisions about the future of the university."

After attending monthly meetings over several years, McKeachnie said that he and other board members were sensing that they were primarily a rubber-stamp body.

"We liked the university but we didn't want to rock the boat," he said. "We wanted to help more but didn't quite know how."

Under Hall's urging, Chait was brought to the university to assist in revamping the function of the board.

"They gave us a vision of how to better help the university," McKeachnie said.

Because the board has been challenged to focus on problems rather than performing perfunctory administrative duties, members are involved as leaders rather than managers, he said.

While managers make an organization run smoothly and efficiently, leaders set the vision and direction, he added.

"We're still new to this, but our goal is to put the board of trustees in a position that adds value in those areas of the university that really count," he said.

McKeachine said this new model of governing only works with leaders who are willing to have outside people weigh in on the decisions before they are made. Hall is one such leader, he said. It is a participatory style of leadership that encourages and values input from a marketplace of ideas.

"The emphasis is more about tapping brains than filling seats," he said.

Hall responded that it's a two-way street and complimented McKeachine's openness to new ideas and ways of doing business.

"Gayle's leadership of the trustees has made it possible to take risks and seek rewards in the governance of Utah State University," he said. "Our goal has been to encourage the trustees to be more a part of the institution, especially in setting its strategic future. Gayle has made all of the difference."

Contacts: Gayle McKeachnie, 435-789-4908; Kermit L. Hall, 435-797-7172
Writer: John DeVilbiss, 435-797-1358