Board of Visitors
Butler University By-Laws for the Board of Visitors of the
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
Article I
The name of this group shall be "The Board of Visitors of the
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences."
- The purpose of the Board of Visitors is to advise and support
the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences in fulfilling its mission:
the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences seeks to extend knowledge
and understanding and to convey the excitement of lifelong
learning. The College offers students ways to lead creative and
thoughtful lives and to be useful and sensitive citizens of the
community, the country and the rapidly changing world. The College
affirms the essential role of liberal education and also provides
students a variety of opportunities for specialization in a major
field, preparing them for graduate or professional schools or for
more immediate career goals.
- The principal officers of the Board of Visitors will be the
Chair of the Board of Visitors and the Vice Chair of the Board of
Visitors appointed from the existing membership of the Board of
Visitors by the Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.
In the event of any vacancy in the Office of Chair of the Board,
the Vice Chair will immediately assume the office of Chair of the
Board during the remaining term of the current Chair. The Dean of
the College of LAS will then select a Vice Chair from among the
current members to complete the remaining term of the Vice Chair of
the BOV. The term of office is two years, with reappointment at the
discretion of the Dean.
Article II
Relation to the Butler University Board of Trustees
The Board of Visitors is not a legal entity. Its members have no
legal responsibility for the policies and operations of the College
of Liberal Arts and Sciences and no legal liability for any
activity of the College. The Board of Visitors has no authority to
make commitments on behalf of the college or university. The
board's role is to assist the College and to communicate its
progress to the administration and the Board of Trustees.
Article III
Appointment, Term of Office and Meetings
- Each Board of Visitors member is appointed for an initial
three-year term, with renewal at the discretion of the Dean.
Generally, appointments are limited to two consecutive terms.
Initially the board consisted of 14 members, with the plan to
appoint 14 more members in the second year. Additional appointments
will be made as appropriate. Appointments are made by the president
upon the recommendation of the Dean and Vice President of
Advancement. Nominations will be solicited from the faculty, staff,
friends, trustees and the Butler University Alumni Association, and
present and past members of the Board of Visitors as
appropriate.
- Meetings. Two full board meetings are held
each year. Board Committees meet more frequently via in-person or
virtual (email, conference call, etc.) means, pursuant to their
assignments. Background materials and agenda are provided by the
Dean to each Board member before the meeting. Formal reports from
each committee are presented at each meeting at the discretion of
the committee chair.
- Removal. Any visitor may be removed, with or
without cause by a vote of the majority of the Board of Visitors or
at the discretion of the Dean. The failure to attend at least one
meeting in any academic year shall be deemed cause for
removal.
- Vacancies. Any vacancy in the Board of
Visitors occurring during the year may be filled with a new
three-year appointment.
- Regular Meeting; Notice. Regular meetings of
the Board of Visitors shall be held at such time and place as the
Dean shall designate at least forty-five (45) days before the
scheduled date of said meeting.
- Special Meetings Notice. Special meetings of
the Board of Visitors (in-person or virtual) may be held upon the
call of the Chair of the board, the Vice Chair of the Board or the
Dean at such time as may be designated in the notice of such
meeting. Notice of time, place and purpose of any special meeting
of the Board of Visitors shall be given by the office of the Dean
by mailing or emailing a copy thereof or delivering same to each
Board of Visitor member at least two days before such meeting.
- Quorum; Adjournments of Meetings. At all
meetings of the Board of Visitors the majority of the visitors then
appointed shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of
business. In the absence of a quorum, the majority of the Visitors
present may without giving notice other than by announcement at the
meeting adjourn the meeting from time to time until quorum is
obtained. At such adjourned meetings at which a quorum is present,
any business may be transacted which might have been transacted at
the meeting as originally scheduled.
- Organization. The Chair of the Board of
Visitors shall preside at all meetings of the Board of Visitors; in
the absence of the Chair, the Vice Chair of the Board of Visitors
shall preside or in the absence of both, the Board of Visitors may
select a person to preside at the meeting from among its members
present at such meeting.
- Resignation. Any member may resign at any time
by giving notice to the Dean and Chair of the Board of Visitors.
Such resignation shall take effect any time specified therein and
unless otherwise specified therein the acceptance of such
resignation shall not be necessary to make it effective.
- Procedure. All meetings shall be governed by
the most recent revision in existence of Robert's Rules of Order or
in the alternative the procedure followed by the Board of Trustees
of Butler University.
Article IV
Commitments
- Attend two Board meetings each year-one in the fall and one in
the spring. Any additional meetings which may be necessary, may be
convened by conference call or any other electronic technology
acceptable to the members of the Board of Visitors or committee
members participating in the meeting. Committees will hold
additional in-person or virtual meetings as required. An executive
committee consisting of the Chair and Vice Chair will be
established by the Board together with additional members in
consultation with the Dean.
- Participate in university and college events.
- Each member of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Board
of Visitors will normally be expected to be an annual contributor
to the college at the Ovid Butler Society level of $1,000.00 or
more. Employers' matching gifts will be counted toward the
$1,000.00 level.
Article V
Responsibilities
- Advocate the mission, goals, and objectives of the College of
Liberal Arts and Sciences to external constituencies
- Create mutually supportive linkages between the college and
persons and organizations in the Indianapolis community and
beyond.
- Assist in identifying and acquiring resources to support the
work of the college.
- Advise the Dean on areas of opportunity and innovation.
- Contribute expertise by collaborating with the College of
Liberal Arts and Sciences as consultants, speakers or mentors.
- Report on the progress of the College of Liberal Arts and
Sciences to the Butler University Board of Trustees.
- Support students in their request for internship and career
advice.
- Convey to the community the central importance of the liberal
arts and sciences to the cultivation of successful citizens.
Article VI
Books and Records
There shall be kept at the office of the Dean correct minutes
and records of the activities and transactions of the Board of
Visitors including a minutes book which shall contain copies of
these By-Laws, a copy of the Resolution of the Board of Trustees
creating the Board of Visitors of the College of Liberal Arts and
Sciences and all minutes of previous meetings of the Board of
Visitors.
Article VII
Amendments and Consideration
The Board of Visitors shall have power to make, alter, amend,
and repeal the Bylaws of the Board of Visitors by affirmative vote
of a majority of the Board of Visitors then serving provided that
the action is proposed at a regular or special meeting of the
board, except as otherwise provided by the Bylaws. Any questions
involving the interpretation of these Bylaws shall be determined by
the Board of Visitors after, as the Board deems appropriate,
consultation with the Dean and the administration of the
University, and if such question arises in the course of any
meeting, by the Chair of the Board of Visitors. Determinations by
the Chair of the Board shall be effective only for the purposes of
the meeting.