November 18, 2013
TO:
American University Community
FROM:
Jeffrey A. Sine, Chair, Board of Trustees
SUBJECT:
Fall 2013 Board Meeting Summary
________________________________________
The American University Board of Trustees met last week for its fall session with two days of
meetings and related activities. Committee meetings were held on Thursday, November 14,
and the full board met on Friday, November 15. The two days also featured a town hall
meeting to enable the AU community to interact with trustees on issues of interest; a
breakfast with student leaders; and an open house and tour of AU’s newly renovated facility
at 4401 Connecticut Ave., NW, which is the new home of WAMU 88.5; University
Communications and Marketing; and Development and Alumni Relations.
In addition to receiving reports from the president, provost, vice presidents, campus
representatives, and from nine board committees, the trustees devoted significant time to discuss
AU’s reaccreditation self-study now undergoing final review for the Middle States Commission
on Higher Education. As our community knows, reaccreditation is a thorough self-examination
done every 10 years; the current draft report has been some two years in the making and is
available online via the self-study website (www.american.edu/middlestates/index.cfm).
The final report will be completed in early 2014 in advance of a site visit by the peer review
team in March 2014. The report must demonstrate that AU meets the standards for
accreditation, as described the Middle States Commission’s Characteristics of Excellence. The final
report will evaluate AU’s strengths and make recommendations on how to better meet our
strategic goals in the coming years. Just as the board did last week, I encourage you to review
the document and provide comment to the self-study team.
Among the topics discussed at both the full board meeting and at the town hall was that of
socially responsible investing, which is an important issue being debated on campuses
nationwide. To follow up the previous request by the board, an advisory committee on
socially responsible investing is being created through the Office of the CFO, Vice President
and Treasurer to advise the university regarding ethical, social, and environmental issues that
might influence the management of AU’s endowment. The committee will be advisory in
nature, and will have nine voting members, including four students, three faculty, one staff,
and one alumni member. Appointments will be made and the first meeting convened before
the end of the semester.
More information will be forthcoming on this latest example of the many previous efforts by
American University that strongly demonstrate AU’s commitment to being environmentally,
socially, and globally responsible. We take these issues seriously, along with the board’s
fiduciary responsibilities to provide appropriate and long term oversight of American
University.
In other business, the board received a preliminary report from AU counsel on the decision
(November 14) of the D.C. Court of Appeals regarding the appeal filed by two neighboring
communities against the D.C. Zoning Commission on the AU Campus Plan.
You may let me or the board know of any questions on these or other matters by contacting
me at aubot@american.edu. The board’s next meeting will be February 20-21, 2014.
On behalf of the entire AU Board of Trustees, I wish all a happy Thanksgiving holiday.