Board of Trustees

The Articles of Incorporation of Eastern Mennonite University establish a Board of Trustees as the governing board of the corporation. The Eastern Mennonite University Bylaws further describe the roles and responsibilities of the trustees, the president, and the faculty of the university.

The board carries primary responsibility for fiduciary oversight of the university, and its duties are outlined in Article IV of the bylaws. Article 4.1 specifies that, “all corporate actions, powers and business of EMU shall be exercised by, and under the authority of, the Board of Trustees.” This same article further describes the general powers of the board in the following terms: “The board makes policies that determine the direction of the university and ensures that financial resources are adequate to support a sound educational program.” More detailed duties of the board are delineated in Article 4.2.

The Articles of Incorporation and the Eastern Mennonite University Bylaws are available from the president's office.

The President's Cabinet

Article 5.4.b of the bylaws spells out the administrative functions of the president or those to whom s/he delegates. The president is to “endeavor to carry out the purpose and mission of the corporation as set by the Board of Trustees.” The specific responsibilities outlined in the bylaws include preparing and executing the annual budget (once approved by the trustees), auditing the financial records, employing and discharging all personnel, signing employment contracts, chairing the faculty (or delegating the chair role), serving as the official medium of communication between the faculty and the trustees and the students and trustees, submitting an annual report on the work and condition of the institution, presenting measures necessary or expedient concerning matters for which the board is responsible, and discharging “all such other duties as pertain to the office of chief executive officer of a corporation and university president and such additional duties as may be assigned by the Board of Trustees”

In carrying out her/his responsibilities, the president convenes a President's Cabinet consisting of persons to whom s/he delegates key responsibilities.

The Academic Division

The president delegates responsibility for oversight of the university's academic programs to the provost, who provides leadership for the academic division. The EMU Organizational Chart illustrates the programs and offices that make up the academic division and whose heads report to the provost. Academic leadership is further provided by the dean's of the university's three schools and the dean of students. The provost convenes a Provost's Council, made up of the provost, associate provost, deans, and vice presidents for finance and institutional effectiveness. This council meets regularly to provide leadership for the academic division. The Provost's Council works closely with the Faculty Senate, and the provost sits on the Senate.

Article 7.2 of the bylaws delegates primary responsibility for the content, quality and effectiveness of the curriculum to the faculty. More specifically, these duties include determining criteria for admission of students, the nature of the curriculum, and requirements for degrees; recommending academic policies and candidates for degrees; and advising on student life matters. In order to carry out these responsibilities the faculty organizes the Academic Council (see Faculty Shared Governance Guidelines), constituted of members of the faculty, which make curricular and unit academic policy decisions.

University-wide academic policies are the responsibility of the Faculty Senate with input from the Faculty Assembly (a meeting of the entire university faculty). The organization, duties and operation of the faculty is further described in the Constitution of the Faculty.