Expectations of Board Members

Every Board member shall exercise the powers and discharge the duties of his/her office diligently, honestly, in good faith and in the best interests of the university rather than in the interests of any other person, entity or constituency.

Members of the Dalhousie University Board of Governors are expected to:

• Be accountable for their actions and those of the university
• Be aware of the operations of the university
• Be cognizant of the university’s culture, environment and its risks
• Be giving of their expertise
• Support the University fund raising activities and contribute to the university to the extent of their abilities
• Be aggressive in questioning issues and in challenging administrators and Board colleagues
• Be good listeners
• Be available, in terms of their time, to prepare for and regularly attend Board and committee meetings and help carry out the business of the Board
• Be able to subordinate themselves to the Board as a whole and stand behind Board judgments and decisions
• Support the President and be enthusiastically involved in advancing and defending the university
• Understand how they can help the Board meet its fiduciary responsibilities
• Suggest agenda items to ensure that significant policy items are discussed
• Resist the temptation to make judgments based on anecdotal and private sources of information
• Urge those with grievances to follow established policies and procedures
• Avoid conflicts of interest
• Recognize the need for confidentiality

Finally, Board members must have a sense of humour!