Adapted from an EDS announcement
Episcopal Divinity School’s trustees announce decisions reached during their spring meeting, May 20-21:
The board has approved several initiatives, some of which will begin immediately and others that will extend for some time into the future. These include:
- Extending the appointment of the interim president and dean by one additional year, while the board and the school undertake a number of other steps.
- Regarding the presidency, the board and the interim president and dean will participate in a mentored process to strengthen their partnership for greater effectiveness. We will also develop, for the first time, a standing protocol of best practices for regular assessment of the president and dean, which we will use with the interim president and dean to build our effectiveness in conducting such assessments.
- To prepare for the future, we will initiate a year-long, EDS community-wide process to address the sustainability and direction of EDS. To lead this effort, we will create a task force of trustees, faculty, administrators, and students with a charge to involve the entire community in the discussion of these issues and to bring recommendations to the board for action in May, 2016.
- The board will develop, adopt, and implement a systematic statement of its strategic membership needs and a deliberate, orderly process for identifying, recruiting, and engaging board members. We will also create a national advisory board composed of prominent people within the church to advise us on strategic and fiduciary issues.
- The board will hold a special retreat early in the fall of this year, focused on building a new culture and process of effectiveness.
- The board will lead a community conversation to develop a shared understanding of the principles and practices of shared governance at EDS, and we will develop a set of practices for the board to engage and nurture the EDS community beyond the board meetings.
