The following article – and its companion on Page Seven – are
based on an almost eight-hour meeting of Louisiana College trustees on Dec.
14. Because of the great interest in the college, the Baptist Message has elected
to present as complete a report as possible about the meeting – hence,
the lengths of the stories.
Note: The following article – and its companion on Page Seven – are
based on an almost eight-hour meeting of Louisiana College trustees on Dec.
14. Because of the great interest in the college, the Baptist Message has elected
to present as complete a report as possible about the meeting – hence,
the lengths of the stories.
C. Lacy Thompson, LBM Associate Editor
Louisiana College trustees spent seven-and-a-half hours earlier this month
discussing key items related to the school, including its search for a new president
and its accreditation probation.
By the end of the marathon session, trustees had:
Settled on a revised search process for a new college president.
(See Page Seven article)
Responded to the decision by Southern Baptist educator Malcolm
Yarnell to withdraw his name from consideration as president after initially
accepting the post.
Received a report on school finances from interim President John
Traylor and entered into a time of discussion with him regarding the colleges
accreditation.
Approved a change in the faculty hiring process in an effort to
respond to stated concerns by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
accrediting agency. The change reverts the school back to a previous hiring
policy.
Approved a response to a faculty vote of no confidence in the board
trustees, committing themselves to develop avenues of communication.
Received a report from their executive committee and declined to
change existing practice to allow a Baptist Message repporter to remain in the
closed-door sessions.
Details of the various actions follow.
Response to Yarnell decision
The Dec. 14 meeting was the first chance for Louisiana College trustees to
respond to the Yarnell situation.
Yarnell currently serves as an administrator and professor at Southwestern
Baptist Theological Seminary. However, he was elected president of Louisiana
College in September. He accepted the post and even made appearances at school
functions as president-elect. He also addressed messengers at the Louisiana
Baptist Convention in November, outlining his vision for the school.
However, a week later, he withdrew his name from consideration, noting that
contract negotiations had broken down with trustees and could not be resolved.
In making the decision, Yarnell cited “governance issues” with the
trustees.
Speculation began immediately as to what the issues were and where the fault
for the breakdown rested.
Trustee Chair Bill Hudson of Rayne addressed the situation at the start of
the recent board meeting.
“Theres been many rumors flying around, mostly unfounded,”
said Hudson, who was involved in the search and in the contract negotiations.
“And you, as a board of trustees have been accused of many things.”
Hudson reviewed the process followed. He noted a five-page contract was sent
to Yarnell following his election – and rejected. An 18-page counter proposal
was received from the president-elect – but was deemed unacceptable by
trustees involved in the negotiation process.
Yarnell and those trustees (all of whom had been involved in the search process)
met prior to the annual state convention to try to work out the concerns.
About 40 percent of the contract was reviewed, Hudson said. At least three
areas were identified that would have caused the school to be in violation of
its bylaws or would have bound the board to make bylaw changes, he noted.
Still, by the end of the meeting, trustees felt only one major issue remained
unresolved, Hudson continued.
“We left confident, … and we scheduled another meeting for the next
Tuesday … so we could finalize the contract. …
“I had every confidence that we had a president for Louisiana College,”
he said. “I had absolutely no idea that we would be where we are today.”
Instead, the night before the scheduled meeting, Yarnell called Hudson to withdraw.
Since that time, “very uninformed statements” have been made without
calling any of those involved and asking the facts, Hudson said.
“That is very unfortunate,” he added.
Hudson offered prayer for Yarnell and his family, reiterated his commitment
to Louisiana College and urged trustees to put the matter to rest.
However, several members of the board questioned whether those involved in
the negotiation process should not disclose more details.
John Jeffries of Chalmette said Yarnell has made public statements that cast
aspersions on the board and make it seem the school cannot even call a president
with running afoul of the accrediting agency.
Others acknowledged the use of “governance issues” in Yarnells
response had raised concerns.
Fred Malone of Clinton was involved in the negotiating process and said the
only governance issue he knew of was Yarnells concern that the board had
its own attorney.
Hudson echoed that the first time he heard the “governance issues”
phrase was in Yarnells e-mail.
However, in the end, trustees chose not to pursue the line of questioning.
“I just dont know that its going to serve us any further to
go into those confidential things,” Patrick Sexton of Ruston said.
Traylor report and discussion
As required each December, Traylor reviewed Louisiana College finances for
trustees during the meeting.
He reported an “unqualified” or “clean” audit and noted
the school maintains a 30-day operating reserve. He also noted that school debt
stands at $10.6 million, down $321,639 from the previous year. Meanwhile, endowment
stands at $27 million, up $1.4 million from the previous year.
“The financial statements for the fiscal year … point to a strong and
healthy financial institution, Traylor said. “LC stands committed to financial
integrity. We follow a budget control policy requiring adjustments of expenditures
in order to live within our income and seek to generate income over expenditures
in the general operating fund.”
However, Traylor also cited a pressing need for more money to provide scholarships
for students.
“I ask you to share our burden with your churches and friends and, in
every way, use your means and influence to provide our financial need,”
he said.
Traylor then offered words related to the schools accreditation. Louisiana
College recently was placed on one-year probation by the Southern Association
of Colleges and Schools accrediting agency in order to address issues of shared
governance and academic freedom.
Traylor told trustees that work is underway to address the stated concerns.
He said a Jan. 18 meeting is set with a pair of consultants to help trustees
address key matters. Use of consultants was identified by the accrediting agency
as an “immediate and urgent need.”
As the process is laid out, another accrediting team will visit in the fall
of 2005, Traylor said. The college also will have to file an accrediting response,
outlining actions taken.
The accrediting agency then will consider the matter in December – choosing
to restore the school to good standing, continue its probation or revoke its
accreditation.
Hopefully, the school will have taken the necessary steps to bring the school
back into full accrediting compliance “so everybody can recognize the worth
of a Louisiana College education,” Traylor said.
Meanwhile, Traylor urged trustees to communicate that the college continues
to be fully accredited, that all courses stand accredited, and that credits
earned never can be lost.
Yes, the school is on probation, but it has 12 months to address concerns –
and trustees, faculty and administrators all have committed themselves to take
the steps needed to do so, Traylor said.
Trustees then spent time discussing the situation.
Kent Aguillard of Eunice criticized the report of the accrediting team that
outlines the various concerns. He charged that the accrediting team that visited
the school listened to only one side of the issue and was not thorough.
“The fact of the matter is – LCs not that bad off,” he
said.
However, Aguillard issued dire warnings if the school does not get the right
person in charge immediately.
John Jeffries agreed with the assessment of the school.
“Were being forced to solve problems that are not problems,”
he maintained.
At one point, board attorney Joe Bertrand of Metairie was asked if the school
could challenge the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools about its assessment.
That could be done – and the school could win, Bertrand said. But he added
that the key task confronting the college is to get a new president and to review
the bylaws.
“I think it would be self-healing if we were to get good bylaws and a
good president,” he said.
Fred Malone of Clinton said there was a real misunderstanding by some regarding
the situation. He noted that the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
is not trying to change the mission of the college but to address the procedure
it uses to implement that mission.
The issue is not whether the association is right or wrong in all of its statements
regarding the college, Malone indicated. The issue is procedures at the school.
“We simply need to correct some procedures,” he said.
Traylor counseled acceptance of the situation as well. “I believe, in
the long run, it will suffice us better, …” he said. “Accept the
SACS report … and begin to move forward so we can bring ourselves back into
compliance.”
LBC President Philip Robertson agreed, noting the board was not looking to
fight the accrediting agency.
Faculty hiring process
One of the concerns cited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
related to a faculty hiring process approved by trustees in September.
Some review is in order.
To begin with, the Louisiana College process is clear at one point – trustees
must approve all faculty hirings.
However, that can create a timing problem, since faculty members often have
to be hired between scheduled trustee meetings, especially between the March
and September meeting in order to fill vacancies for a new school year.
In reality, those new faculty members could be on campus and teaching by the
time the board meets to consider them for approval or rejection.
Although there is no record of any faculty member having been hired then rejected,
the potential exists.
Indeed, prior to 1996, a full contract could be extended to a faculty member
before board approval had been given. But in 1996, the policy was changed to
require that faculty nominees had to be approved by the trustees academic
affairs committee before a contract could be offered.
In 2001, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools expressed concern
with that scenario and how it involved trustees in day-to-day college operations.
Trustees responded by reverting to the old process but with one change –
the school president and vice president of academic affairs now could offer
only a one-year contract to a prospective faculty member.
The faculty member then would be presented at the next board meeting for final
approval. If the person was rejected, the one-year contract would be honored
– but the faculty member would not be permanently hired.
The change satisfied the accrediting agency – but it did not set well
with some trustees.
In September, trustees amended the process to require approval of the academic
affairs committee – as well as the president and vice president of academic
affairs – before a one-year contract could be offered a person.
While there still remained the potential for someone to be hired then rejected
by the full board, the possibility of that happening was lessened by the involvement
of the trustee committee, leaders maintained.
Still, others warned the Southern Association of Colleges and School again
would have a problem with the hiring change. The association did have problem
with it – so, last week, trustees voted unanimously to revert to the process
adopted in 2001.
The change removes the academic affairs committee from the preliminary process
– but allows the offer of only a one-year contract before full board approval
is given. The approved motion also asks the new president and vice president
of academic affairs – when they are selected and in place – to study
the whole hiring process and make any recommendations needed.
Response to faculty resolution
With developments at Louisiana College in recent months, tension between trustees
and faculty members have run quite high at times.
With the announcement of accreditation probation, those tensions squarely were
stated by faculty members in a resolution approved on Dec. 8 by a 38 to 17 vote.
The 18-paragraph resolution sets forth clear charges against trustees –
for ignoring accreditation policies, for micromanaging college policies and
procedures, for bearing false witness against faculty members, for denying shared
governance, for undermining academic freedom and for demonstrating fiscal irresponsibility
by hiring its own attorney in a time of severe budget constraints and by alienating
proven donors. The resolution also criticizes trustees for not comprehending
the seriousness – and the consequences – of the accrediting situation.
It concludes with an expression of “no confidence” in the board as
a result of their various actions.
The resolution was discussed by members of the trustee academic affairs committee
prior to the full board meeting. That committee then brought a four-paragraph
response to trustees for consideration.
In presenting the response, Mitch Harris of Baton Rouge said that his committee
is working to facilitate structured dialogue sessions with faculty members.
The response itself notes that trustees have taken “significant”
steps to address accreditation concerns and has strived to pass policies in
good faith.
It concludes with a commitment to developing “avenues of enhanced communication”
with faculty.
Executive committee matters
During their meeting, Hudson reported executive committee decisions related
to key referred items.
He noted that the committee had decided that:
Adding the office of provost at the school is not necessary or
financially feasible at this time. If a new president feels a provost is needed
at the college, the matter can be revisited, Hudson noted.
Now is not the time to consider a pair of proposals that would
have amended school bylaws. Instead, the committee foresees an overall review
of bylaws so various changes can be made if needed.
In addition to reporting those actions, Hudson offered a resolution from Louisiana
Baptist Message trustees that asked for a reporter to be allowed to stay in
closed-door sessions under specific background rules.
The newspaper trustees approved the resolution without opposition the week
prior to the college board meeting.
It noted that some uncertainty and mistrust has been created in the minds of
some persons because of previous closed-door sessions of the school trustees.
It proposed that the presence of a Baptist Message reporter could help allay
some of that uncertainty and further the cause of the college and of Louisiana
Baptists.
The resolution proposed the presence of a reporter under specific rules –
that the reporter could take notes and report on the general topics and flow
of conversation, that no direct attribution or personal names could be used
in that reporting and that the reporter would not tape the session.
After presentation of the resolution, Aguillard affirmed the request, noting
that he felt the newspaper did a good job of “no spin” reporting.
He moved the request be granted.
However, others raised concerns.
Jeffries noted there is a long history associated with the use of executive
session. “And I dont think we can see what the ultimate consequences
may be (in granting the request),” he said.
In turn, Bill McCullin of Pineville noted that Louisiana Baptists had placed
the trustees on the board and that they needed an avenue of communication with
them.
Louisiana Baptists see the actions of the board but do not know why they have
been taken, he said. Granting the request would be a way of getting that information
to them.
However, the board attorney noted that granting the request could raise some
concerns regarding client-attorney privilege as exercised in executive sessions.
Newly-elected LBC Executive Director David Hankins was present for portions
of the trustee meeting and was asked for his perspective from working at the
national level with the Southern Baptist Convention.
Hankins said he would recommended that trustees reserve the right to hold executive
sessions as they see fit – but use them judiciously.
He noted that trustees place certain limitations on themselves when they enter
an executive session, especially about discussing what happens. By granting
the Baptist Message request, trustees would be allowing a reporter to have a
freedom that trustees themselves curtail, he said.
During discussion, Hudson acknowledged the trustee board inadvertently had
used executive sessions for too much business at times, saying they should be
reserved only for particular reasons.
Still, several trustees spoke against granting the stated request – and
Aguillard said he had assumed the request simply was a routine matter made by
the newspaper.
Mitch Harris of Baton Rouge also said he saw the request as “an outside
attempt to meddle in board business.”
Ed Tarpley of Pineville then moved that the trustee chair appoint a small ad
hoc committee to review board guidelines related to the matter. “Its
too complex for us to deal with here in a very short time,” he said.
However, trustees voted 15 to 13 against that idea.
They then rejected Aguillards original motion without a single vote of
support.
LBC President Philip Robertson of Deville then offered a motion addressing
the matter. It read: “In a spirit of openness and desire for Louisiana
Baptists to be informed, we, the board of trustees, agree to limit executive
sessions only when necessary but reserve the right of all other LBC boards to
enter into executive session.”
Robertson urged adoption of the motion, echoing the idea that trustees “have
been a little too eager to go into executive session (at times).”
Louisiana Baptists have a right to know – but some things need to be done
in private, he noted, adding that even the Baptist Message board retains that
right.
However, Mark Sparks of Denham Springs spoke against Robertsons proposal,
saying he could not remember a single time that trustees have misused an executive
session.
Trustees then voted 15 to 14 against the motion.
Final matters
In two final matters related to the recent board meeting:
Trustees easily rejected a request by John Jeffries of Chalmette
to have the executive committee adopt a statement for release to all Louisiana
Baptists regarding recent and ongoing events. As a possilbe model for such a
statement, Jeffries read a four-page statement exploring the essence of a Christ-centered,
liberal arts education and defending the direction of trustees.
“We do not need to be silent,” he said.
However, others voiced discomfort with issuing statements for the whole board
and statements that could be viewed as inflammatory by others. Also, it was
noted that the board chair is empowered to speak for trustees and that response
should be offered only when needed.
Received comments from David Stokes, president of the LC Student
Government Association and student representative on the presidential search
committee.
Stokes affirmed that students and trustees are one in the body of Christ and
not enemies as various issues are resolved. “Were all together. …
We are as one. … At the end of the day, we have no choice but to stay together.”
He compared the situation to a ship – trustees are the navigation map,
the administration in the captain, faculty are the sailors and students are
the water.
In other words, they all need one another, Stokes said.
He said the student body affirms the trustees and are behind them – even
when the two groups do not agree.
“Please, … lets put our differences aside,” Stokes said.
“Lets find what we agree on. … We are all in it together, and we
have to move … with the same force and the same energy in the same direction.”
During the meeting, trustee leaders reported that work was underway to conduct
dialogue sessions with students.