Board of Trustees

Download a printable PDF of Section I

Approved: November 16, 2001
Section I: Board Procedures
Subsection: A. Board of Trustees: Authority

A. The Board of Trustees: Authority

  1. Powers and Duties
    The Board of Trustees of Western Illinois University is a body corporate and politic of the State of Illinois created to operate, manage, control, and maintain Western Illinois University. It shall have all the powers and duties specified in 110 Illinois Compiled Statutes 690/35 et seq., as may be amended from time to time. The Board of Trustees shall be referred to in these regulations as the "Board of Trustees" or the "Board," and Western Illinois University shall be referred to as "Western Illinois University" or the "University."

    Although the Board is responsible for assuring that its policies and regulations are followed, it shall not participate in the details of institutional management delegated to the University administration. Members of the Board, as representatives of the State and its citizens, may exercise official Board authority only when the Board is in session or when trustees are acting on behalf of the Board pursuant of its direction. Committees of the Board may be created from time to time to function only as fact-finding, deliberating, and advisory bodies that may present proposals to the Board for approval.

    The Board of Trustees is charged by law with full responsibility for governing the University. Although the Board properly and necessarily delegates authority to designated officers, it cannot divest itself of its ultimate legal responsibility.
  2. Adoption, Amendment, and Repeal of Board Regulations
    Board Regulations are general statements of policy or procedure adopted by the Board concerning the conduct and operation of the Board or the University.
    1. Board Regulations may be adopted, amended, or repealed at any regular meeting of the Board by a majority vote of the voting membership of the Board. Requests for the adoption, amendment, or repeal of Board Regulations shall be submitted to the President, who shall notify the Board's Chairperson of such requests. The President shall report such requests with recommendations for action to the Board. Except as specified in paragraphs c. and d. below, the adoption, amendment, or repeal of Board Regulations shall occur only after a proposal for adoption, amendment, or repeal has been presented to the Board for first reading by the President.
      Board Regulations should be automatically revised to place them in compliance with State of Illinois Statutes. Such revisions will be brought to the Board for information, but will not require Board action.
    2. Board action on the proposal shall not be taken earlier than the next regular meeting following first reading. During the interim between first reading and Board action, the President shall publicly post to the University community for comment the proposed revisions. Up to ten days prior to the Board meeting at which action is to be taken, members of the faculty, staff, and student body may submit their views and comments in writing to the President for distribution to the Board together with the President's recommendation for action on the proposal.
    3. The President is authorized to make nonsubstantive amendments to the Board Regulations as may be necessary for such purposes as name or title changes, correcting typographical errors and cross-references, and updating citations.
    4. When justified by timing considerations or the nature of the subject matter, proposals for adoption, amendment, or repeal of Board Regulations may be acted upon by the Board at the time of first reading.
    5. Interpretations of Board Regulations shall be issued in writing by the President upon request of Board members or upon the President's own initiative.