The Undergraduate Senate passed a resolution yesterday supporting the four former members of the board of trustees who have resigned in recent months, in addition to a bill calling on the board to amend its bylaws in accordance with the recommendations by the Ad-Hoc University-Wide Committee on Reformation of University Governance.
Former trustees Leonard Jaskol, George Collins, Paul Wolff and Leslie Bains resigned in the weeks following President Benjamin Ladner's removal, voicing their frustrations over divisions within the board.
"The Board is deeply divided and has become far less able to carry out its fiduciary duties," Jaskol said in his resignation letter. "Disagreements are inevitable but a return to civility, cohesiveness and effectiveness does not appear likely."
Students have criticized the remaining board members because of the large severance package awarded to Ladner, and have demanded to be a part of the board's future activities, as well as its restructuring and search for a new president.
The resolution backing those trustees who have resigned from the board, sponsored by Class of 2008 Senator Patrick McGill and approved with only one senator voting against it, supports the statements already made by these former members and encourages them to "continue speaking out against any further neglect of the fiduciary obligations by the board of trustees."
In a separate piece of board-related legislation, the Senate voted to approve all recommendations made by its ad-hoc committee to amend the board's bylaws.
The ad-hoc committee, which is entirely separate from the board of trustee's ad-hoc committee formed during the investigation into former President Ladner's finances, consisted of representatives from the undergraduate Student Government, the Washington College of Law Student Bar Association and the Graduate Leadership Council.
Included in the committee report were recommendations for the addition of three students and three faculty as voting members on the board, the elimination of the president as a voting member on the board, an increase in the number of annual board meetings from three to four with attendance requirements for trustees and an annual, formalized audit that must be presented to the board for its review.
The report also calls on the board's chair to hold at least one open town hall meeting every year so students and trustees can better communicate with one another.
The SG organized the first town hall forum with the board last Thursday, which about 200 students attended. SG President Kyle Taylor said the event was necessary because it showed the board how "discontent the students and the campus are with their actions."
The Senate approved the committee's recommendations unanimously in the legislation authored by At-Large Senator William Haun. The Senate now formally adds its name to the various campus organizations calling for reform of the board.
President Taylor, who maintains regular contact with the former trustees, said both pieces of approved legislation parallel the opinion of most students he's spoken with on campus.
Eagle Contributing Writer Kendra Garstka added to this report.
