“The Patriot” will break down the Board of Trustees’ history, role, importance, and goals over the coming weeks.

President Richard O’Hara said, “There is always a need in schools to demystify the Board and its role and purposes. The Board at John Carroll functions very well. It is thoughtful of what its role is compared to the role of the administration.”

However, much of the work of the Board is unknown to students as part of a more general policy. “If you’re having big Board problems and it’s in the news, that’s really not good. Whether it’s a business institution or a school, if we’re doing our job, it will be under the radar,” said Rachael Rice, class of ’88.

The direction of JC starts with the Board of Trustees, a 23 member group that leases the campus for one dollar a year from the archdiocese in a “tenant-land owner” relationship, according to O’Hara.

The “ultimate purpose” of a Board of Trustees is “to support an institution towards living its mission,” said Chairwoman of the Board Sister Mary Helen Beirne.  “We’re called trustees because we’ve been entrusted with furthering the mission.  We’re supposed to be looking at everything we do with a strategic approach.”

Said Vice Chairman John Karas, “The overall goal [of the Board] is to serve the school and serve the students that attend the school.”

However, the Board’s focus is separate from that of the administrators, who work with the day to day operation on campus.

“It takes real discipline because especially having been there, being a coach there, you kind of want to [give input into the operational aspect]. But it doesn’t work best for the whole community if that’s how you get involved. You’re there to be advisory and you need to have a more universal view of it than just day to day,” said Rice.

Although the Board is not involved directly with student affairs, it is not simply an honorary position.  “This is a working Board.  I mean, committees and meetings and really getting into the nitty gritty,” said Rice.

“We’re very lucky that we have a diverse and multitalented Board. The members of our Board work, and they work really hard. There’s nothing ceremonial about it at all. We’re very well served by having people who understand [being on the Board] is not just something that means you stand at graduation and put it on your résumé. It’s probably not appreciated, but the work they do is really valuable to the school,” added Principal Paul Barker.

Former Board chairman, now trustees emeritus, Gus Brown compared the Board to “a silent captain of a large ship that gives the ship direction and fuel.”

He added, “The Board today is operating with a clarity and professionalism, similar to what you would see at a well regarded university.  The amount of commitment and time a Board member spends at John Carroll is significant.”

Kate Froehlich can be reached for comment at [email protected].