Trustees govern the IU body

The IU Board of Trustees made two controversial decisions this summer. First, the trustees voted to raise tuition by 5.5 percent for in-state students and 6.7 percent for out-of-state students. These raises surpassed the Indiana Commission for Higher Education’s recommendation to not raise tuition by more than 3.5 percent. Then the board approved a 12-percent pay increase for President Michael McRobbie, sparking rebuttal from Communication Workers of America, the union representing IU employees. But the trustees are in charge of much more than tuition and salary raises.

What is the board of trustees?
They are IU’s governing body.

What is a trustee?
A trustee has no legal authority. However, the nine trustees together have decision-making power over IU’s nine campuses in areas ranging from financial investments to admissions standards.

How can an individual become a trustee?
Three trustees are elected by IU’s alumni. Those with an IU degree are eligible to run. Another six trustees, including a student trustee, are appointed by the Indiana governor.

How often do the trustees meet, and for what purpose?
The board meets six times between August and June, meaning a meeting is scheduled about once every two months. The trustees meet to fulfill the responsibilities assigned to them by state law, which include:
setting tuition and fees holding public hearings on these items
approving curricula
entering into agreements with governmental units and other educational units
determining admission standards
buying, selling and leasing IU property
investing IU funds
awarding financial aid
appointing a president and other executives
hiring faculty and approving promotions and tenures
determining student, faculty and staff codes of conduct and discipline measures

What committees are in place through the board?
There are five official committees: facilities, finance and audit, academic affairs, external affairs and health affairs.

Why is the board important to IU and iu students?
“The board holds the University’s financial, physical and human assets and operations in trust for future generations,” Secretary of the IU Board of Trustees Robin Gress said.
The board’s student representative also aims to give students a voice in the decision-making process.

—Kourtney Liepelt