BoT Announcement - Your Voice is Key to Howard University’s Success

Dear Howard University Family:

I want to thank you for participating in the board town hall discussion on June 23. Your enthusiastic questions and comments around our future are a testament to your passion and love for our beloved Howard University.

Your voice is essential to Howard University’s success, and the board is committed to ensuring that student, alumni, faculty and staff perspectives are represented in advancing the future of our collective community. With this new governing structure, we intend to lift up all of our stakeholders’ voices so that, moving forward, we can co-create more effective change across the University.

To ensure the many voices of the Howard community are heard, the board is committed to the following:

  • The board will grant faculty senate, alumni association and student association presidents voting privileges at the committee level, where pivotal decisions are made surrounding the University. As members of the committee, participants are at the center of discussions and essential in the decision-making processes. It is important to note that the board has almost always concurred with committee recommendations and relies heavily on committee deliberations in its decision making.
  • The board plans to expand leadership and engagement opportunities for faculty, alumni and students. Through these programs, participants will gain the leadership qualities and experience necessary for future consideration in occupying leadership roles at the University. This is valuable for potential future nominees to Board of Trustee positions, creating a more inclusive, all-encompassing board.  By expanding this opportunity, a wider range of individuals will be considered:
    • The board will expand the Chair Leadership Academy and has appointed Trustee Danette Howard (B.A. ’97) to lead this initiative in partnership with the Office of the Provost.
    • The board will expand the Board of Visitors and has appointed Trustee Marie Johns (H ’13), who received an honorary degree in 2013, to lead this initiative in partnership with Howard administration.
  • The current board composition currently has 64% of its membership as alumni. The board is proud to have had majority alumni representation for more than 10 years. We will ensure that we continue to have at least 50% alumni representation on the board as new trustees are appointed.
  • The board also recognizes that the process for becoming a trustee needs to be clarified. We will work to provide a clear process for nominations of future trustee positions that will continue to instill trust in our leadership while attracting the best leaders to Howard.
  • The board will ensure that summaries are openly shared with the community on our website after board meetings. These can be viewed on the Office of the Secretary’s website at secretary.howard.edu.
  • The board is actively reaching out to schedule listening sessions with constituent leaders and representatives to continue our efforts to increase engagement in each area. We encourage everyone to get active with your respective constituency organizations.
  • Our next town hall will be in late August. The board will look to have proactive conversations with our constituent groups to create further engagement throughout the year.

Embracing change allows us to elevate the diverse perspectives we need at the table to advance our shared goals. We look forward to providing more information, including clarifying board nomination processes and convening additional town hall events, very soon so that we can continue to positively move forward as a community.

Thank you for your passion and dedication to Howard.

Excellence in Truth and Service, Larry Morse (B.A. ’73)

Chairman of the Board of Trustees