Committees

Academic Affairs Committee

The Academic Affairs Committee provides fiduciary oversight and support to ensure that:

• The educational experience is of the highest caliber and sets the highest standards for student learning and development to meet the needs of the college’s diverse student body
• The budget adequately reflects institutional academic priorities
• The college hires and retains the best possible faculty and ensures faculty personnel policies, procedures, and staffing levels are equitable in support of academic priorities
• The academic program prioritizes equity and inclusion across all domains and supports students’ flourishing
• The college engages routinely  in internal and external assessment of its academic programs

Admissions and Financial Aid Committee

The Admissions and Financial Aid Committee assists in reviewing enrollment priorities and objectives. Committee responsibilities include:

• Understand, evaluate, and shape long-range enrollment priorities and monitor progress made toward achievement of those priorities.
• Foster an understanding among the Board and other Macalester stakeholders of enrollment challenges, opportunities, and successes.

Advancement Committee

The Advancement Committee is responsible for:

• Ensuring that Macalester has an active, well-organized and adequately budgeted advancement program
• Overseeing the strategic objectives for all major fundraising, alumni engagement, and marketing/branding matters for the college, including:
  • recommending to the Board of Trustees the conduct of fundraising campaigns;
  • providing advice and guidance on fundraising goals and priorities (including trustee gift responsibilities); and
  • periodically reviewing the college’s gift acceptance policies and recommending updates when necessary
• Fostering an understanding among the Trustees of the role that development, alumni engagement, and communications and marketing play in advancing the mission of the college
• Ensuring the advancement program remains aligned with the mission and planning priorities approved by the Board
• Encouraging 100% participation by Board members in making a leadership gift appropriate to their financial circumstances
• Identifying prospects and monitor prospect solicitation efforts, and
• In coordination with the Board Chair, establishing campaign committees to lead board-approved fundraising campaigns.

Audit and Risk Committee

The Audit and Risk Committee supports the Board of Trustees in fulfilling its responsibilities for oversight of 1) the college’s financial reporting process; 2) the effectiveness of the college’s systems of internal controls and risk management activities; 3) the effectiveness of the external auditors including independence and performance; and 4) the college’s process for monitoring compliance with laws and regulations and code of ethical conduct. The Audit and Risk Committee shall also work in partnership with management to support and convey the importance of internal controls.

Campus Life Committee

The Campus Life Committee is responsible for reviewing and recommending strategies to enhance the overall quality of the student experience to ensure a safe, caring and supportive environment that promotes flourishing and transformative learning across the student experience. This responsibility includes ensuring there are appropriate and adequate resources for essential programs and services. In addition, the Campus Life Committee provides a means of communication between students and members of the Board of Trustees.

The Committee will periodically meet with student and staff representatives to ensure that students’ viewpoints, concerns, and needs are appropriately understood and considered; that all non-academic student programs reflect and advance the college’s mission; resources are allocated consistent with the comprehensive student experience program; and college policies are consistent with changing student needs.

Committee On Trustees

The Committee on Trustees is responsible for assisting the Board of Trustees of Macalester College to ensure the effectiveness of the Board of Trustees, both in terms of individual trustee performance and the overall performance and sustainability of the Board of Trustees.

Finance Committee

The Finance Committee serves as the principal forum for the consideration of matters relating to the college’s business operations, administration, budgeting, financing, financial reporting and financial reserves.

Governance Committee

The Governance Committee is responsible for assisting the Board of Trustees to ensure the effectiveness of the overall governance structures and governing documents of the College.

Infrastructure Committee

The Infrastructure Committee focuses on strategic allocation of resources to the infrastructure of the college. The committee provides oversight to ensure that the areas of building operations and technology operate effectively as state-of-the art utilities so that the College meets evolving and rapidly changing campus needs and expectations of constituents.

Investment Committee

The Investment Committee is responsible for the investment, reinvestment and management of all investment assets of the college, pursuant to objectives and guidelines established by the board of trustees.  The endowment contributes to the fulfillment of Macalester’s mission by providing enduring support for the college. The substantial and reliable flow of funds to the operating budget helps ensure the quality of the college’s operations, both currently and for the indefinite future. Spending from the endowment reduces the college’s vulnerability to fluctuations in other revenue sources, thereby strengthening the college’s ability to plan its future course with confidence and consistency. In order to fulfill this role, the primary objectives of the endowment are:

• To obtain returns sufficient to preserve and potentially grow the inflation-adjusted value of the endowment;
• To invest prudently, in order to guard against reductions in the value of the endowment and to ensure sufficient liquidity for the college to deliver on its mission.

Senior Leadership Review Committee

The purpose of the Senior Leadership Review Committee is to:

• Assess the performance of the President in relation to achievement of the mission, strategic goals, and effective daily operation of the college.
• Recommend for Board of Trustee approval direct and indirect compensation of the President that aligns with external standards and internal performance expectations.
• Engage with the President on the expectations, performance, and compensation of the senior leadership team.