Board of Trustee nominations

EOU Board of Trustees seeks nominations for new members

January 28, 2016

LA GRANDE, Ore. – Three seats on Eastern Oregon University’s Board of Trustees are opening at the end of June when the faculty, student and staff positions are set to expire.

The board is now actively recruiting and seeking nominations and applications from individuals in these groups connected to the university, the region and students it serves.

“We’ve had wonderful representation among our current trustees,” said Board Chair David Nelson of Pendleton. “Ray Brown, Pat Hinton and Elsie Praeger-Goller were excellent additions to the board during our first two years and they’ve done a tremendous job.”

“Having trustees who are passionate about EOU and excited about its future is so important to our success,” Nelson added. “We’re really looking forward to identifying and working with new board members.”

Meetings with the Associated Students of EOU (ASEOU), Faculty Senate and University Council are also underway to discuss the recruitment process and encourage assistance with identifying potential candidates.

Faculty, students and staff serve two-year appointments as trustees, while EOU’s president and 11 community positions serve four-year terms. Total board membership is 15, and service is voluntary and ultimately appointed by the governor. Faculty, students and staff have the same duties as all trustees and do not “represent” these respective constituencies.

Nominations and applications will be accepted until February 19 and EOU’s Governance Committee will vet names before making formal recommendations to the governor’s office at the end of March. The state senate is expected to confirm the nominations in May and new trustees begin their official tenure in July 2016.

The board assumed governance of the university July 1, 2015 and is responsible for safeguarding EOU’s independence, assuring the quality of its services and guiding its future success.

Meetings of the full board occur in person at least five times per year and there are three subcommittees that meet more frequently or as needed by phone, video or in person. EOU covers transportation and lodging costs for trustees.

For more information about EOU’s board and the nomination and application process visit eou.edu/governance or contact Tim Seydel at 541-962-3740, tseydel@eou.edu; or Chris Burford at 541-962-4101, cburford@eou.edu.