Monks vote to share governance via mixed board

The monastic chapter of Saint Anselm Abbey voted Tuesday morning to adopt new bylaws that will implement a system of shared governance for Saint Anselm College beginning on March 31, 2009, Fr. Jonathan DeFelice, O.S.B., president of the college, announced within hours of the decision. By accepting a model of shared governance, the Monastic Chapter has moved to resolve the governance debate which has hovered over the Hilltop for nearly two decades.

Tuesday's historic vote means that the affairs of the college corporation will now be in the hands of a mixed board of trustees of both monastic members and lay people. The new system of shared governance will legally divide the college corporation and the college's Monastic Chapter.

"I think this decision is a very, very positive thing," Edward Hjerpe '81, chair of the advisory Board of Trustees, said. "I must also say that the board is very pleased with the progress that has been made and the path that we are now on."

This change in the governance structure of the college will go into effect on March 31, 2009, coincidentally the same day that the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) will be on campus to start the college's reaccreditation process; the college goes through a reaccreditation process every 10 years. New regulations from NEASC call for a governance model that is more open than the traditional form essentially employed at Saint Anselm since its foundation.

Hjerpe also believes that this change in governance will be well-received by NEASC.

"I think it [shared governance] will be received positively by NEASC. I feel that these changes go a long way toward meeting the governance standard that NEASC has; NEASC has asked the college in the past to be more consistent with the guidelines they have for governance."

The "governance" of Saint Anselm College as it currently stands rests with the Governing Board, a body of monks elected by their fellow monks or appointed by Abbot Matthew Leavy, O.S.B., abbot of Saint Anselm Abbey and chancellor of the College. However, the monastic chapter, made up of all monks in solemn, or lifelong vows, has final authority over some major areas of the college, including changes in governance. Come March 31, this governance model will be changed, and the new model of shared governance will take effect.

Tuesday's vote puts an end to a decade-long debate as to the style of governing board that the college should adopt. However, the question of governance has been raised in several college reaccreditation reports to NEASC, so the issue has been alive for 20 years or more. The issue of governance rattled the lay advisory Board of Trustees last February when the Monastic Chapter voted to suspend discussion of a mixed board of both monastic members and elected lay people for a period of four years. The monastic vote to suspend discussion of the issue came after the chapter voted in 2006 to reject a governance change. Later, a change in NEASC regulations reopened the question and led to a new round of discussion terminating in this week's vote.

After the Monastic Chapter voted to suspend all discussion, Michael Sheehan '82, former chairman of the lay advisory Board of Trustees, stepped down as chairman, but remained a member of the board. Meanwhile, the vice-chairman of the lay advisory Board of Trustees, Richard Meelia '71, decided to leave the board entirely.

In a telephone interview with The Crier last February, Sheehan said, "There is no question in my mind that the governance structure [of Saint Anselm] will change in the not too distant future. It is a highly unique structure of governance and one that, I am optimistic, will evolve."

Fr. Jonathan told The Crier last February that, "In 1998 a study of our governance began and we looked at various options as to the way college governing boards work. During the course of that study, we were moving towards a particular model of governance which featured a joint board of Benedictines and lay people."

Life of the college involves studying, teaching and administering, all of these endeavors are understood by students and faculty alike. Likewise, people understand ownership, and that will remain with the Benedictine monks of the Abbey. Yet, many students are unclear on what governance actually is. Generally, governance concerns those central activities and policy-making decisions such as adopting and shaping the budget, determining new facilities, approving educational initiatives, determining contractual discussions and granting tenure and promotion.

Hjerpe said he wanted to recognize the many parties who came together to reach this agreement.

"Many [members of] boards of trustees have been included in these discussions, and they have been very helpful in moving this process along. The faculty, especially in the past couple of years, has been very involved; while, the same goes for some members of the student body as well. Today's vote is a real testament to how all the parties came together."

The model of governance Saint Anselm will implement this spring is employed at many Catholic colleges, while the old governance structure was a traditional method employed by religious communities operating colleges and universities. Saint Anselm is one of the last remaining Catholic high education institutions still using the old method.