Core Component 2.C. The governing board of the institution is sufficiently autonomous to make decisions in the best interest of the institution and to assure its integrity.
Miller College is organized in the State of Michigan as a membership corporation. The sole member of the corporation is the Miller Foundation. The by-laws of the corporation clearly identify the College Board of Trustees as having the authority and responsibility to govern the institution.
The governance of Miller College began with the founders: the Miller Foundation and the Binda Foundation. Although the Miller College Board of Trustees has the responsibility for governance, reports and documents are provided to the founding organizations on a regular basis. This structure provides oversight of the College leadership.
The administrative structure of the College begins with students and ends with the Board of Trustees, led by the College President. Students complete course evaluation surveys in every course they take at Miller College. Summaries of these evaluations are shared with faculty through the school deans.
Periodic student services surveys allow students to evaluate the performance of the student services processes and admissions process. Students are also encouraged to bring ideas and concerns to the attention of faculty and staff through the Miller College Student Association. Former students have the opportunity to also provide feedback through the Miller College Alumni Association.
These concerns are discussed at the Student Services staff meetings and at the Academic Affairs Committee meetings. If resolution cannot be found at this level, then the reports move up to the President’s Council through the Dean of Student Services and from there to the President’s Council for final resolutions. This structure supports a collaborative process which includes students, staff, faculty and administration with the oversight of the Board of Trustees (See Operational Framework).
Evidence:
Academic programs are developed and sustained with the collaboration of Program Advisory Committees made up of community members who work in relevant positions. These Program Advisory Committees, meeting twice a year, provide input as to the relevancy of proposed new majors or concentrations and advise schools on the needs of area employers. The Academic Affairs Committee then reviews new programs for their match with the College mission and goals and objectives within the strategic plan. The Academic Affairs Committee also reviews and approves the academic content, course descriptions, texts, and syllabi. Proposals are then taken to the President’s Council for consideration and from there to the Board of Trustees for final approval.
Although the Student Services staff and the Academic Affairs Committee provide a direct link to the administration, additional committees provide more specialized reports. The Assessment Committee reports to Academic Affairs and the Enrollment and Retention Committee reports to the Director of Enrollment Management. To further collaboration, there is a faculty representative on the Student Services committee and a Student Services representative on the Academic Affairs committee. A complete description of committees and councils is in the Policy Manual. The College Forum provides the most unique example of college-wide collaboration. The College Forum includes all staff, faculty, and administration. This monthly meeting is designed to ensure that all employees on campus are included in the decision-making. Ideas as well as concerns are shared in the College Forum.
The collaborative structure of the College has supported a number of successful endeavors. The Nursing program has achieved accreditation with Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). The Binda School of Education received approval from the State of Michigan Department of Education and is applying for accreditation with Teacher Education Accreditation Council (TEAC). Collaboration with stakeholders is evident in the Binda School of Education mentoring program. This program provides new teachers with experienced mentors during their initial teaching assignments providing the support needed to develop successful teachers. Faculty and staff participate in professional development activities that provide knowledge, support and collaboration with other professionals. College membership in Directors and Representatives of Teacher Education Programs (DARTEP) allows faculty and staff to collaborate with other schools. In addition, Miller College has collaborated with area community colleges to provide guaranteed transfer of credits, joint admissions processes, and articulation agreements.
The Miller College Board of Trustees in sufficiently autonomous to make decisions in the best interest of the College. Section II of the policy manual describes the policies, procedures and guidelines for the Board of Trustees. The Board was involved in the original accreditation process as members of the self-study criterion subcommittees and as editors of the final draft. Board members will continue to participate in the ongoing self-study process (See Policy Manual).
Evidence:
Evaluative Conclusion
The Miller College Board of Trustees is sufficiently autonomous to make decisions in the best interest of the College.
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