RESOLUTION ENDORSING A STATEMENT ON THE NATURE AND CHARACTER OF WINTHROP UNIVERSITY

WHEREAS, Winthrop University President Anthony DiGiorgio appointed a campus-wide Task Force in September 2002 and charged its members to explore and examine for Winthrop what the nature and intellectual character of the university should be as the university becomes a nationally distinctive learning community; and

WHEREAS, the Task Force consulted widely and involved the Winthrop community through a variety of methods including e-mails, a website with a mechanism for anonymous submissions, exercises conducted in individual classrooms, a series of campus forums, and meetings with student groups, faculty committees, and staff gatherings; and

WHEREAS, the Task Force submitted its Report to the President on January 23, 2004 consisting of a Statement on the Nature and Character of the University (hereinafter "Statement", a copy of which is attached hereto and incorporated by reference) and related recommendations, with the intention and expectation that any of the items listed as recommendations would be considered and acted upon through Winthrop University's standard processes for creating initiatives and revising existing policies; and

WHEREAS, the Winthrop University Faculty Conference endorsed a slightly modified version of the Statement on March 5, 2004; and

WHEREAS, the Winthrop University Council of Student Leaders endorsed the Statement as originally presented by the Task Force on March 8, 2004; and

WHEREAS, the Board of Trustees of Winthrop University wishes to express its appreciation for the work of the Task Force and to signify its general support for the issues identified for discussion as presented in the Report of the Task Force;

THEREFORE, LET IT BE RESOLVED that the Board of Trustees of Winthrop University hereby endorses the Statement as presented by the Task Force, applauds the work of the Task Force in identifying aspirations and specific objectives that will serve as a guide for realizing the University's goal of national distinction, and pledges its continued collaboration and support for this important initiative; and

LET IT BE FUTHER RESOLVED that the Board of Trustees of Winthrop University does hereby charge the President of Winthrop University with the responsibility of having the themes, values, and principles of the Statement articulated with the University's existing planning documents, including the Mission Statement, the Vision Statement, the Strategic Plan, and the Vision of Distinction, and presenting these revised documents to the Board for its consideration.

April 16, 2004