Although the Board of Trustees is likely the most powerful and influential body in the entire University, many students remain unaware of its very existence, let alone its role and connection to the Tufts community.
Analogous to a corporation and its administration, the trustees work as a governing board with President John DiBiaggio presiding as chairman. They work to mold the most pressing needs of the community into an agenda by relying on the President to effectively carry out their plans.
"Although the Board has an important role in the governance of the University, they are very respectful of the President's authority as the agent who carries out their agendas. There is a fine line that the trustees do not cross - they do not take on too much power," said Linda Dixon, direct liaison between the trustees and the University at large.
Currently, 37 trustees sit on the Board, which meets three times a year and is divided into smaller committees that convene more frequently.
There are two main avenues that lead to becoming a Trustee. The entire Alumni Association elects ten alumni trustees as well as four new candidates for trusteeship every two years. Of these candidates, two are elected. These staggered elections provide a consistent cycle of new trustees, and thus new ideas for the school.
After extensive meetings with potential candidates, the remaining 27 members of the Board elect a trustee. The Board calls attention to individuals who might fit the necessary criteria and contribute constructively to the school. In addition, it maintains a diverse group and the tenets implicit in Tufts' mission statement.
Many current trustees formerly served on smaller boards at both Tufts institutions and outside organizations, where they demonstrated their capabilities as volunteers and advisors. And there's one other prerequisite - a certain financial generosity. "The trustee would like to see a history of strong support, and when trustees become affiliated with Tufts, we would expect them to be generous to the school - within their means," Dixon said.
While trustees often make large financial gifts and secure "naming rights" for new buildings like Dowling Hall and the Gantcher Center, Dixon stressed that this is not the prevailing factor in choosing a new trustee. "A common misconception is that we look only for people who have a vast amount of money to contribute. We look for people of distinction in their field who could help the University through services as well," Dixon said.
Dixon explained that the trustees frequently re-evaluate Tufts' goals and values to keep their vision statement fresh and pertinent to the University's needs. "We sit down and discuss what is necessary to keep ourselves on track - this is the kind of place we want Tufts to be, we want the world to perceive us this way," Dixon said.
These discussions occur when the trustees convene to learn about the issues facing the community, the recent accomplishments of the faculty, and student talent. In November, February and May, the Board holds weekend events that include dinners, luncheons, and presentations designed to accomplish the above goals in a relaxed and interactive manner.
The Board makes an effort to visit all of the Tufts campuses. This November's retreat will take place at the Tufts School of Nutrition at the Human Nutrition Research Center. A tour of the school, separate committee meetings, and a reception to meet the faculty will take place. In addition, the trustees will begin discussions about the search for a new President.
Although the trustees certainly strive to maintain Tufts as a small, intimate university with room for growth in teaching and research, some students feel disconnected from the trustees. Despite efforts like the up-coming meetings at the Nutrition School, there is still a gap between students and trustees.
"I think the trustees are a little out of touch with students and what we want to see happen and what we need in order for us to have a good experience here," junior Emily Schaffer said.
"Their agenda is different from the student agenda, and I think that they don't completely see that making students happy during their time at Tufts would definitely help to provide a good endowment and source of support after they have graduated," Schaffer said.
An anonymous senior agreed with Schaffer. He too feels isolated from the trustee process. "I don't really know how to get in touch with the trustees. Where are they, and how can I talk to them? It would be great if during Matriculation, or at other points during my time here, the trustees could have time to talk specifically to students and find out what they are concerned about," the anonymous student said.
Students emphasized the idea that a communication gap exists. "I don't even know what trustees really are - that alone should tell them something," sophomore Natasha Agrawal said.
When asked how to rectify the problem, Agrawal could not pinpoint a concrete solution. "I'm not sure exactly how they could become more connected to the students. Meetings wouldn't work well, since many students would feel too busy to attend. But, maybe more advertising or a general exchange of information would help," she said.
Disagreeing with Agrawal about the possibility of a solution, sophomore Liv Eales observed that students would become more connected to the trustees if relevant student concerns were the focus of trustee meetings.
"People are probably not interested generally because they feel that what the trustees do doesn't affect them," she said.
She mentioned her take on their duties and how these relate to students. "They mostly take care of stuff that we are not involved in so I can understand why many people just don't care that much. But in the case of the new presidential search, I think that students would be very interested in playing a role in that decision," Eales said.
