Carnegie Mellon University

Purpose and Process

The president and the Board of Trustees of Carnegie Mellon University have determined that there is great value to the university in having a well-organized system of Advisory Boards. On November 12, 1990, the Board adopted a plan for a university-wide system of Advisory Boards as described herein.

Purpose

The purpose of the Advisory Boards is to assist the university, by all appropriate means, to carry out more effectively its mission, which is:

  • To create a transformative educational experience for students focused on deep disciplinary knowledge; problem solving; leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills; and personal health and well-being.
  • To cultivate a transformative university community committed to (a) attracting and retaining diverse, world-class talent; (b) creating a collaborative environment open to the free exchange of ideas, where research, creativity, innovation, and entrepreneurship can flourish; and (c) ensuring individuals can achieve their full potential.
  • To impact society in a transformative way—regionally, nationally, and globally—by engaging with partners outside the traditional borders of the university campus.

There are many ways the Advisory Boards contribute to this mission. Important are:

  1. Assisting the colleges, schools and departments to assess strategic direction, solve problems, achieve goals, and rise to new levels of excellence through counsel;
  2. Ensuring that each college, school or department periodically conducts a self-assessment of its goals and directions by imposing a regular schedule of visits;
  3. Providing independent assessment of the unit's strategic directions and objectives to the president, the provost and the Board of Trustees;
  4. Serving as sources of information and advice to the president, provost, deans, department heads, and heads of the schools;
  5. Providing an effective means for faculty and students to contribute to the governance of the university;
  6. Helping students, faculty, administration and trustees achieve a broader, more objective perspective on university issues through contact with distinguished external advisers;
  7. Providing enhanced contacts to government, business, industry and academia;
  8. Assisting the Board of Trustees in effectively meeting its responsibility to govern the university by bringing its members to a deeper understanding of the university and its sub-units.

Process

Advisory Board Structure

Advisory Board size typically ranges between eight to 12 members. Each Advisory Board generally includes two members of the university's Board of Trustees, one of whom will co-chair the visit along with the academic co-chair. The external members are distinguished visitors from academia, business, industry, government, the arts, and other areas, with a distribution that depends on the character and needs of the college or school.

The president appoints trustee Advisory Board members based upon the trustees' areas of expertise and interest, and external members after a review of nominations by the dean. The breadth of an Advisory Board's membership reflects the Board's very broad functions.

Meetings: Schedule, Agenda, Reports

Advisory Boards are convened approximately every four to five years for one and one-half to two days. The provost and dean set the agenda for each meeting, ensuring that time is spent with the faculty, students, and professional staff, and often includes a tour of facilities. The final hours of the visit are reserved for an executive session with the president, provost and dean. Direct participation of trustees and the highest levels of administration underscore the importance of Advisory Boards to the university. 

A written report is sent to the president six to eight weeks after the visit, and he shares the Advisory Board's findings and recommendations with the provost and dean.

Follow-up

For the system to be effective, continuity and follow-up are essential. After the dean receives the written report and has had the opportunity to review it, the president, provost and dean meet to discuss the Advisory Board's recommendations and the best way to respond to them. The dean then sends a letter of response to the members of the Advisory Board, outlining the actions decided upon. After the written report and response have been distributed, an oral report of the visit is presented by the provost at a meeting of the Board of Trustees.

Implementation of the plan described in the response becomes a priority of faculty and administration. At the start of the next cycle, a progress report is given to the Advisory Board on the actions taken after the previous visit, assuring follow-up and continuity for the ongoing process.