Trustees voice strong support for president following annual review
By Jon Strunk : June 14th, 2010
With its annual assessment of the president finished, The University of Toledo Board of Trustees emphasized complete support for the president in an announcement to the UT community June 14.
Board Chair Olivia Summons said the trustees are “100 percent behind” UT President Lloyd Jacobs, his handling of the University’s sustainability during the last four years, and the ongoing development of local, regional, national and international partnerships.
“The University of Toledo is on the right strategic path and we are there in very large part due to the leadership of Lloyd Jacobs,” Summons said. “This board is grateful to Dr. Jacobs for his innovative thinking and recognition that UT has the potential to be more than we are today.”
Summons said she and incoming Board Chair Bill Fall told the president the trustees remain committed to a resolution passed Jan. 25 calling for the president to: “accelerate fundamental, transformational and sustainable change to elevate the stature of undergraduate and nonprofessional graduate programs during fiscal years 2010 and 2011 to create a vibrant institution thriving into the 21st century.”
Fall, who previously has served as chair of the Board’s Finance Committee, praised Jacobs for the University’s financial management and oversight, saying the trustees have “great confidence” in UT’s fiduciary strength, even in this time of difficult and challenging budget constraints.
Summons said it is important for Jacobs to continue assembling a strong senior leadership team, pointing to upcoming searches for a provost and deans in the colleges of Arts and Sciences and Law, the Judith Herb College of Education and the School of Solar and Advanced Renewable Energy.
Both Summons and Fall pointed to the need for improved communication with stakeholders inside and outside the University and asked Jacobs to examine current communication methods and consider enhancements.
Summons also said it is important for Jacobs to recognize that some feel he has a perceived allegiance to the Health Science Campus.
“While I believe the president has done an excellent job balancing issues across all campuses, it’s important to acknowledge that this impression exists and seek to alleviate these concerns,” she said.
Summons also thanked Faculty Senate for submitting to the Board for consideration an evaluation of the president. Jacobs’ evaluation, conducted by faculty members who returned surveys, included comments on his performance, many of which were critical.
“Change is never easy and that always creates some anxiety,” Summons said. “The comments the faculty gave us and those that came in from the Board’s survey were discussed with the president. Although the Board did not concur with all the comments, we did incorporate the constructive suggestions into our discussions with the president.”
“Looking back to where we were four years ago, the Board is pleased by where UT is today,” Summons said. “Whether the measure is student enrollment, community partnerships, external research funding, patient-care quality or an increasingly international reputation, this institution is on the right track and the leadership of President Jacobs is a primary reason why,” she said.
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7 comments:
Some have wondered about the low participation on this evaluation. As it turns out, the decision on the part of my colleagues to not fill out the "survey" turns out to be right. I was told it would not matter. But I argued that 360 evaluations are important. Boy was I wrong. I like the suggestion that someone ask Jacobs at his next town hall meeting, if he would support us or his administration if we or they got evaluations as bad as his was. If there is to be a no confidence vote, it should be of the Board.
Someone send this evaluation to the Governor.
Has the Board of Trustees released the results of its Presidential Performance Survey as yet? If not, why not?
Why am I not surprised? Faculty and staff--again--mean nothing to the Powers That Be.
This comes as no surprise--really, what else could we expect? This way, they have it all--they did the "survey," so we can't complain about that--and then ignored it and did what they were going to do anyway.
so surprised...oh wait, no I am not! All I can say is at least faculty got to submit comments, the staff, as per usual, is left out of the conversation...
"'Looking back to where we were four years ago, the Board is pleased by where UT is today,” Summons said. “Whether the measure is student enrollment, community partnerships, external research funding, patient-care quality or an increasingly international reputation, this institution is on the right track and the leadership of President Jacobs is a primary reason why,' she said."
Fine and dandy (if you buy all that). But looking forward to where UT will be 4 years into the future--and how much that "... leadership of President Jacobs [will be] a primary reason why" is equally important--if not more so. Won't his "longevity" and its bonuses have expired by then? Why should he stick around to deal with his legacy? He can leave his mess for those of us who are left to clean up.
You alls effectiveness is just getting sad now
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