Section 1. Membership
The Governor of the State and the Chancellor of the University System shall be ex officio members of all committees.
The Chancellor and Presidents shall not be voting members of any committee.
Any Trustee may attend any committee meeting.
Each committee shall act within the authority delegated to it; shall keep the Board informed of its activities; and shall submit recommendations to the Board whenever the issues or proposals before it require Board action.
Section 2. Standing Committees and Subcommittees
Following the Annual Meeting, the Chairperson of the Board shall appoint the Chairs, Vice Chairs, and members of the Executive Committee and the standing committees and subcommittees as set forth in this section. Except as otherwise noted, all members of the standing committees and subcommittees shall be members of the Board of Trustees or the University System Student Board (see Appendix 9).
a. The Executive Committee shall consist of the Chairperson and Vice Chairperson of the Board and the chairpersons of the five standing committees. In addition, the Chairperson may appoint to the Executive Committee such other members of the Board as he or she deems appropriate. The Committee shall recognize and emphasize its responsibility for the development and coordination of all long-range planning for the University System. The Committee also is authorized and empowered to act on behalf of and in the name of the Board of Trustees in all matters requiring Board action between regular Board meetings.
In addition, the Executive Committee is responsible for:
(1) The evaluation of the Chancellor, the review of the Chancellor’s evaluation of the Presidents and the Principal Administrators who report directly to the Chancellor, and the review of the presidents’ evaluations of the Principal Administrators who report directly to them.
(2) Oversight of the effective governance of USNH including: the functioning of the Board and its committees, the functioning of USNH and institutional governance mechanisms; the relationships among and coordination of those governance mechanisms; and the policies, standards and culture relating to ethics and conflict of interest.
(3) All matters relating to unionization of employees and collective bargaining.
b. The Programs and Services Committee shall coordinate policy and planning for all operations of USNH, except those explicitly delegated to the other Board committees. It shall consider all recommendations of the Chancellor and the Administrative Board affecting operations that board policy directs to this Committee. The Committee shall recommend policies and procedures for evaluating, approving, and terminating educational programs. Operations include not only educational programs, however, but also research and community and state services, as well as support functions, directly or indirectly related to USNH's mission.
In addition, this Committee shall be concerned with all matters related to the welfare of personnel staffing these programs and services, including faculty promotions, the granting of tenure, the distribution of salary increases and benefit policies for nonunionized faculty and staff on all the campuses at least once a year in an open hearing.
Besides advising the Board on all policy matters related to operations and personnel and carrying out all responsibilities with respect to operations and personnel designated by existing policy, this Committee will support the long-range planning efforts of the Board by developing a plan to elevate the status of public higher education among the General Court and the citizenry of New Hampshire. It will assist the Board in articulating its resource needs and revenue requirements to the Legislature and the public.
c. The External Affairs Committee shall coordinate policy and planning for all institutional relations of USNH with outside constituencies. It shall consider all recommendations of the Chancellor and the Administrative board affecting institutional relations that Board policy directs to this committee. Institutional relations includes matters relating to governmental affairs, alumni affairs, community relations, affiliated foundations, parent organizations, the media, and any other external constituency that affects public perception of the University System and its mission.
In addition, this Committee shall coordinate all system and campus support efforts for all proposals that the Board has determined will be presented to the General Court for action. It shall also oversee and review all campus and system efforts that affect public perception of USNH and its mission. Members of this Committee will take the lead role in advocacy efforts. It is expected, however, that the entire board of Trustees will participate in awareness and advocacy efforts on behalf of the University System.
Besides advising the Board on all policy matters related to external affairs and carrying out all responsibilities with respect to institutional relations designated by existing policy, this committee will support the long-range planning efforts of the Board by developing a plan to elevate the status of public higher education among the General Court and the citizenry of New Hampshire. It will assist the board in articulating its resource needs and revenue requirements to the Legislature and the public.
d. The Financial Affairs Committee shall coordinate policy and planning for all financial matters of USNH. It shall consider all recommendations of the Chancellor and the Administrative Board of a fiscal nature that board policy directs to this Committee. Financial Affairs includes not only the operating and capital budgets of the University System, but all expenditures, revenues, fiscal commitments, property sales and acquisitions, or other transactions that affect the financial resources of USNH.
This Committee shall exercise the fiduciary responsibilities of the Board of Trustees requiring of the Chancellor such studies, reports, information, and recommendations as it may deem necessary for the proper and effective exercise of its responsibilities. It shall review an annual financial audit for each fiscal year.
Besides advising the Board on all policy matters related to financial affairs and carrying out all responsibilities with respect to USNH finance designated by existing policy, this Committee will support the long-range planning efforts of the Board by identifying financial resources available to meet the needs of USNH programs and services.
e. The Finance Committee on Investments, established by state law, RSA 187-A:17, +is a subcommittee of the Financial Affairs Committee. The Committee is composed of the Governor of the State of New Hampshire or his/her designee; at least two other members of the Board selected by the Board chairperson; and the Vice Chancellor for Financial Affairs (Treasurer) of the University System. The Committee is responsible for the investment of funds of the University System in accordance with policies approved by the Board of Trustees.
f. The Government Security Committee is composed of three members of the Board who, in accordance with the Federal Industrial Security Manual for Safeguarding Classified Information, shall have full and exclusive authority to act for the Board of Trustees in all matters involving the security of classified information which may come into the possession of the institutions of the University System as a result of their work on federal research projects and programs.
g. The Audit Committee shall be responsible for the selection of external auditors; review of the results of the annual audit at least once a year with the external auditors; oversight of USNH's conflict of interest policies and related procedures; coordination of the efforts of USNH Internal Audit, including review and acceptance of Internal Audit's budget, the annual audit plan and the results of completed audits in accordance with established USNH policy and RSA 187-A:25-a. The committee shall be composed of the Governor, ex officio, and at least three other Board members none of whom shall be employees of USNH and each of whom shall possess general accounting, business and financial knowledge. At least one of the members shall have expertise in finance or accounting. The chair of the financial affairs committee may be a member of the audit committee but may not be its chair. The committee shall meet at least three times each fiscal year and shall provide reports of all its meetings to the Board of Trustees.
h. The Student Affairs Committee shall communicate to the Board of Trustees ("Board") of the University System of New Hampshire (USNH), the views and interests of students of all USNH institutions on issues relating to the constitutional and statutory responsibilities of the Board. In representing students, the Committee shall combine the opinions of students with good sound research to develop the best proposals and recommendations for the Board. The Committee shall examine and review policies and services which lead to successful admission, retention and graduation of students at USNH campuses.
The Committee might review issues and policies related to student life, advocate for students on items pertaining to student affairs and activities, including athletics, and serve as an initial entry point for examining emerging student issues, regionally or nationally based.
Topics shall include issues related to identifying and addressing the current and future needs of students and exploring factors affecting student success in and out of the classroom, the integration of students into campus life, and the forces affecting the opportunity for all students to succeed in higher education in New Hampshire.
The Committee shall meet at least three times each fiscal year and shall provide reports of all of its meetings to the Board of Trustees.
Section 3. Affiliated Committees, Councils and Boards
Trustee appointments to committees, councils, boards, etc., that are under the aegis of the USNH Board but not part of the Board shall be made by the Board Chairperson for a specified term. Besides participating in the affairs of these committees, councils, boards, etc., the appointed trustees shall report back to the appropriate Board committees on the endeavors of these groups at least once a year and more frequently if that is appropriate.
Section 4. Special Committees
Special committees of the Board may be created to study matters specifically delegated to them. Such committees shall be appointed by the Chairperson of the Board and shall have such powers as may be assigned at the time of their formation, and shall cease to exist when their functions have been discharged. The Chairperson may also appoint non-trustees to such committees.
Section 5. Referral to Committees
All matters presented to the Board of Trustees, except matters of routine business, which come within the sphere of interest or activity of any standing committee shall be submitted to the appropriate committee for study and report subject to the discretion of the Chairman of the Board. Any matter affecting the government or policy of the University System or any of its divisions not coming within the sphere of interest or activity of any standing committee shall be referred to a special committee or to the Executive Committee for study or report in advance of action thereon by the Board; subject to the discretion of the Chairman of the Board; provided, however, that the Board may proceed to consider any such matter without referring it to a committee if immediate consideration seems advisable.