Administration discusses University goals

The board of trustees was presented with an update of presidential priorities and accountability developments at its annual retreat Wednesday morning.\nVictor M. H. Borden, associate vice president of University planning, institutional research and accountability, showed the trustees a revised framework of the president's responsibilities that combined many of the duties into a shorter, more cohesive document.\n"One criticism of higher education is that it tries to be everything to everyone," Borden said. "This is an attempt to par that down."\nThe revised framework emphasizes the president's duty to expand the visibility of the IU campus and improve the quality of academic programs.\nIU President Adam Herbert said the updated priorities should enhance the "culture of accountability" he has tried to create on campus. He also said he hopes it will better satisfy faculty members who have recently expressed concern that in the eyes of the public, IU is on the decline as an institution.\n"I don't think that's a view held around the country," Herbert said. "But I think it's important to develop benchmarks to have an idea of the evolving place of the Bloomington campus and its peers."\nTrustee Thomas Riley initially expressed concerns about the new goals but said he hopes they lead to a brighter future for the University.\n"We should be dynamic towards improvement," he said. "We shouldn't be dynamic towards the status quo"