Iowa Board of Regents

1.2 Board of Regents Committees

A. Appointment and Authority of Committees and Subcommittees

  1. The Board of Regents has Committees-of-the-Whole and Standing Committees, as identified in subsections C and D. Committee appointments and designation of committee chairs are made by the Board President, subject to ratification by the Board of Regents.
  2. The President of the Board or a majority of the Board members may establish a time-limited ad hoc committee or a task force to undertake a specific mission. Ad hoc committee or task force appointments and designation of chairs are made by the Board President, subject to ratification by the Board.
  3. The President of the Board may establish subcommittees, make appointments to subcommittees and designate chairs. Subcommittees may be standing, ad hoc, or a task force, as determined by the Board President. Subcommittees shall report as determined by the Board President. All actions taken by the Board President with regard to the establishment of a subcommittee are subject to Board ratification.
  4. Standing Committees and subcommittees of the Board are considered advisory and/or working groups of the Board
  5. A member of the Board of Regents serving as Board President, President Pro Tem, or Chair of the Investment and Finance Committee shall not be eligible for appointment to the University of Iowa Strategic Initiatives Fund Board of Directors during the term of their appointment as President, President Pro Tem, or Chair of the Investment and Finance Committee.

B. General Committee Responsibilities

Each committee, within its designated area of jurisdiction, is responsible for the following activities:

  1. Preparing an annual committee plan that defines the scope of the committee work, establishes benchmarks, and identifies performance indicators of committee progress.
  2. Gathering information on issues and policies pertinent to the committee’s work, which may include directing the work and considering the reports of special and inter-institutional committees of the Board of Regents.

C. Establishment and Operation of Committees and Subcommittees

  1. Standing Committees shall consist of at least three Voting Members who shall be appointed from the membership of the Board of Regents. A Committee Chair and Vice Chair shall be selected from the Voting Members by the President of the Board of Regents. Standing Committees may also be comprised of non-voting Ex-Officio Members appointed from the Board Office, the Institutions, or other appropriate organizations as determined by the President of the Board of Regents.
  2. Standing Committees operate in an advisory capacity to the Board of Regents. Each Standing Committee shall operate, to the greatest extent practicable, in accordance with the provisions of Iowa Code Chapter 21 -- the Iowa Open Meetings Act. Standing Committees shall follow Roberts Rules of Order.
  3. The Chair of the Standing Committee is responsible for establishing the committee's docket in consultation with the Executive Director of the Board of Regents.
  4. Standing Committees are responsible for evaluating all items presented for their consideration and formulating recommendations, including recommended action, for the Board of Regents. Standing Committees shall regularly report to the Board of Regents regarding the Standing Committees' work and recommendations on any action items.
  5. Standing Committees may 1) recommend that the Board of Regents take certain action on an item (with or without proposed amendments), 2) table and item, or 3) refer an item back to the institution for reconsideration. All committee actions shall be docketed for review by the Board of Regents at the immediately following Board meeting, with all votes documented in writing.

The following Standing Committees are established by this Policy:

Academic Affairs. Primary responsibilities of this committee include the following:

  1. Providing oversight and policy recommendations for the universities related to:
    1. academic affairs and student achievement
    2. intercollegiate athletics
    3. faculty activities
    4. university admissions standards and processes
    5. new, revised, suspended or closed academic programs
  2. Monitoring and developing appropriate responses to state, regional and national policy initiatives regarding higher and special education
  3. Establishing positive, collaborative relationships with other education sectors
  4. Ensuring University, college and department accreditation 
  5. Ensure  innovative programs and program delivery to meet the needs of the state with excellence
  6. Receiving progress updates and evaluation reports on delivery of academic programming and student success benchmarks
  7. Addressing diversity and inclusion in academic policies, procedures and programs


Free Speech and Student Affairs. Primary responsibilities of this committee include:

  1. Receiving and reviewing complaints filed under Board Policy Manual Chapter 4.2 - Freedom of Expression
  2. Receiving and reviewing campus safety and security reports
  3. Providing oversight and policy recommendations for the universities related to:
    1. Free expression on college and university campuses

    2. Student life and development; including, but not limited to, financial aid and career development

    3. Campus safety and security

    4. Campus diversity and inclusion

  4. Biannually:
    1. Reviewing First Amendment training and all free speech policies and procedures to assure cross-institutional consistency and compliance with the law and identify areas for improvement

    2. Surveying all university, faculty, staff and students on First Amendment matters in the context of the campus environment

  5. Monitoring state, regional, and national strategies and best practices in all areas under the committee's jurisdiction and providing guidance to the universities in implementation of identified strategies
     

Governance, Evaluation and Human Resources.  The committee is primarily responsible for:

  1. Creating an evaluation structure for the institutional heads and Executive Director that addresses the following:
    1. Strategic plan progress
    2. Goals
    3. Performance
    4. Professional growth (aligned with goals and performance)
  2. Planning professional development (Board, institutional heads, and Executive Director)
  3. Formulate strategic plan direction
  4. Perform Board self-evaluation
  5. Providing oversight and policy recommendations for the institutions in all areas related to human resources; including, but not limited to:
    1. Compensation plans and benefits
    2. Employee and labor relations
    3. Recruitment and retention
  6. Reviewing and making recommendations to the Board of Regents on human resources policy and program changes (including pilot programs) as provided in Chapter 2.1 of this Policy Manual.
  7. Receiving and reviewing all human resources reports required to be submitted to the Board of Regents as provided in Iowa law, Chapter 2.1 of this Policy Manual, or as otherwise requested by the Board of Regents through the Board Office
  8. Reviewing and making recommendations to the Board of Regents on all Board Policy Manual and Administrative Code revisions

 

Investment and Finance Committee. This committee is primarily responsible for:

  1. Ensuring the preservation of principal, sufficient liquidity for anticipated needs, and maintenance of purchasing power of investable assets
  2. Monitoring institutional investment and treasury management practices and performance
  3. Reviewing investment reports
  4. Ensuring compliance with Board investment policy
  5. Developing the broad investment strategy to be followed and the general limitations on the discretion granted to internal and external investment managers
  6. Making recommendations to the Regents on the hiring, retention, and review of investment advisors and managers
  7. Appropriation Requests
  8. Tuition proposals
  9. TIER/CQI
  10. Budget Management
     

Property and Facilities Committee. This committee is primarily responsible for:

  1. Receiving, reviewing and making recommendations to the Board regarding institutional requests for approval of:
    1. The purchase and sale of property including any necessary financing
    2. The disposal, transfer and sale of buildings; and
    3. Leases and easements
    4. Naming of campus facilities
  2. Receiving, reviewing and commenting upon institutional long-range development plans for the campus in total or specific areas and master plans for specific campus enterprises, such as residence systems, student service facilities and utilities. Receiving and making recommendations to the Board on all institutional capital register items.
  3. Receiving the Facilities Governance Report and the Institutional Roads program and special reports regarding property and facilities, including those on the status of major capital projects and annual capital plans, and Five Year Building Programs, including capital appropriations requests.
  4. Monitoring institutional design guidelines and space standards and developing Board standards, as appropriate.
  5. Evaluating the financing for construction, and operation and maintenance of capital projects.
  6. Examining current processes or bidding and award of construction contracts and possible alternative construction delivery systems.
  7. Monitoring capital issues including fire and environmental safety and deferred maintenance deficiencies and energy conservation opportunities.
  8. Reviewing and making recommendations regarding the duties of the Board, Board Office and institutions for capital improvement projects.
  9. Fostering institutional cooperation and coordination among the institutions in facilities management.
     

D. Establishment and Operation of Committees-of-the-Whole

  1. Committees-of-the-Whole shall consist of all nine members of the Board of Regents
  2. A Committee-of-the-Whole may take final action on any item presented to it for consideration provided a quorum of the members of the Board of Regents is present as required by Iowa law an this Policy Manual
  3. Committees-of-the-Whole shall operate in accordance with Iowa Code Chapter 21 - the Iowa Open Meetings Act, and shall follow Roberts Rules of Order
  4. The Chair of the Committee-of-the-Whole is responsible for establishing the committee's docket in consultation with the Executive Director of the Board of Regents


The following Committees-of-the-Whole are established by this policy:
 

Audit/Compliance. This committee is primarily responsible for:

  1. Receiving and reviewing information about internal and external audit functions related to the operation of all Regent institutions
  2. Evaluating the annual audit plans proposed by internal auditors, with emphasis on financial control systems, mitigation of major risks, operational efficiencies, and compliance matters
  3. Reviewing all reports prepared by internal auditors of the Regent institutions
  4. Assuring continued evaluation, improvement, and adherence to all Board and institutional policies, procedures, and practices
  5. Facilitating an open avenue of communication among the independent auditors, state auditors, financial and senior management, internal auditors, the Committee, and the Board of Regents

 

University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics Committee. This committee is primarily responsible for:

  1. Providing strategic direction and focus to the UIHC
  2. Fostering cooperation and coordination with open communication and input from multiple constituencies
  3. Evaluating and providing an appropriate level of oversight of the UIHC
  4. Monitoring planning, opportunities, and achievements
  5. Reviewing, monitoring, and recommending long-range capital plans
  6. Assessing recommendations related to the UIHC

 

 

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