I.E. – Executive Officers – 10-2024

1. Executive Director

1. The Executive Director is appointed by and serves in this position at the pleasure of the Governor, with the advice and consent of the senate. The Executive Director serves as the chief executive officer of the State Board of Education. Pursuant to Section 33-102A(2), Idaho Code, the Executive Director shall be under the direction of the Board and shall have such duties and powers as are prescribed by the Board. The Executive Director is charged with ensuring the effective articulation and coordination of institution, and agency concerns and is advisor to the Board and the Presidents/Agency Heads on all appropriate matters.

2. Presidents/Agency Heads

1. Responsibilities

   The President/Agency Head is the chief program and administrative officer of the institution or agency. The President/Agency Head has full power and responsibility within the framework of the Board’s Governing Policies and Procedures for the organization, management, direction, and supervision of the institution or agency and is held accountable by the Board for the successful functioning of the institution or agency in all of its units, divisions, and services.

   For the higher education institutions, the Board expects the Presidents to obtain the necessary input from the faculty, classified and exempt employees, and students, but it holds the Presidents ultimately responsible for the well-being of the institutions, and final decisions at the institutional level rest with the Presidents. The Presidents shall keep the Board apprised, within 24 hours, through the Executive Director, of all developments concerning the institution, its employees, and its students, which are likely to be of interest to the public.

2. The chief executive officer is held accountable to the Board for performing the following duties within his or her designated areas of responsibility:
   1. Relations with the Board
      1. Conduct of the institution or agency in accordance with the Governing Policies and Procedures of the Board and applicable state and federal laws.
      2. Effective communication among the Board, the Board office, and the institution or agency.
      3. Preparation of such budgets as may be necessary for proper reporting and planning.
      4. Transmittal to the Board of recommendations initiated within the institution or agency.
      5. Participation and cooperation with the office of the Board in the development, coordination, and implementation of policies, programs, and all other matters of state-wide concern.
      6. Notification to Board President or Executive Director of any absence exceeding one week during which time the chief executive officer will be unavailable or out-of-country.
   2. Leadership of the Institution or Agency
      1. Recruitment and retention of employees
      2. Development of programs, in accordance with an evolving plan for the institution or agency.
      3. In cooperation with appropriate parties, the promotion of the effective and efficient functioning of the institution or agency.
      4. Development of methods that will encourage responsible and effective contributions by various parties associated with the institution or agency in the achievement of the goals of the institution or agency.
   3. Relations with the Public
      1. Development of rapport between the institution or agency and the public that each serves.
      2. Official representation of the institution or agency and its Board-approved role and mission to the public.
3. Appointment Terms and Conditions
   Each chief executive officer is employed and serves at the pleasure of the Board as an at-will employee. Appointments to the position of President of the higher education institutions are made by the Board. The Executive Director shall have authority to identify candidates and make recommendations for the appointment of Agency Heads, which must be approved and appointed by the Board. The Board and each chief executive officer may enter into an employment agreement for a term not to exceed five (5) years that documents the period of appointment, compensation, and any additional terms. The Board’s Policies regarding Non- classified Employees, Section II, Subsection F, do not apply to the Board’s chief executive officers.
4. Evaluations
   The Agency Heads are evaluated by the Executive Director annually, who makes recommendations to the Board with respect to compensation and employment actions. The Presidents are evaluated by the Board annually. The performance evaluation is based upon the terms of any employment agreement, the duties outlined in the policy and mutually agreed upon goals. Final decisions with respect to compensation and employment actions with regard to chief executive officers are made by the Board.
5. Compensation and Benefits
   1. Each chief executive officer’s annual compensation shall be set and approved by the Board. The Governor shall set the salary of the Executive Director. A chief executive officer shall not receive supplemental salary compensation related to his or her service as chief executive officer from an affiliated institutional foundation, or from any other source. A chief executive officer must disclose to the Board, through its Executive Director or in executive session as appropriate (with updates as necessary), any activities and financial interests, including compensation from an outside source unrelated to his or her service as chief executive officer, that affects or could potentially affect the chief executive officer’s judgment or commitment to the Board or the institution.
   2. In addition to the compensation referred to above, each chief executive officer shall receive the usual and ordinary medical, retirement, leave, educational, and other benefits available to all institutional, and agency employees.
   3. Each chief executive officer shall receive reasonable and adequate liability insurance coverage under the state’s risk management program.
   4. Relocation and moving expenses incurred by each chief executive officer will be paid in accordance with the policies and rates established by the State Board of Examiners.
   5. Each chief executive officer earns annual leave at a rate of two (2) days per month or major fraction thereof of credited state service.
6. Termination
   In the event a chief executive officer’s appointment is terminated by Board action (for or without cause), than such individual shall only be entitled to continued compensation or benefits, if any, for which he or she may be eligible under the terms of his or her employment agreement.

3. Institutional Presidents: Official Duties Related Spousal Expenses

The Board acknowledges that the spouse of an institutional president provides valuable service activities on behalf of the institution, the Board, and to the Idaho higher education system. The Board further recognizes that the spouse may be expected to attend certain functions related to the ongoing mission and purposes of the institution. Accordingly, a spouse shall be eligible for reimbursement of authorized official travel and business related expenses, in accordance with the State of Idaho’s travel and expense policies, as long as such expenses have a bona fide business purpose. To be a bona fide business purpose the presence and activities of the spouse at the function must be significant and essential (not just beneficial) to the institution. A president’s spouse attending official functions as part of protocol or tradition and where the spouse makes an important contribution to the function can be considered serving a business purpose. For example, ceremonial functions, fundraising events, alumni gatherings, community, and recruiting events are examples of activities at which the presence of a spouse may contribute to the mission of the University. If a spouse has no significant role, or performs only incidental duties of a purely social or clerical nature, then such does not constitute a bona fide business purpose. Spousal expenses may not be charged to state funds; various non-state funds controlled by the institution may be used to fund spousal expenses.

4. President Emeritus/Emerita Designation

The Board may choose to grant President Emeritus/Emerita status to a retiring President. President Emeritus/Emerita status should be reserved to honor, in retirement, a president who has made distinguished professional contributions to the institution and who has also served a significant portion of his/her career at the institution. The intent of conferring President Emeritus/Emerita status is to bestow an honorary title in recognition of successful tenure in the Presidential role.

1. Appointment Procedure
   An institution may forward a recommendation to the Board that this honorary title be conferred upon a President that is retiring or has retired from the institution. Each institution shall provide for input into the recommendation from the campus community.
2. Rights, Privileges and Responsibilities
   Rights and privileges of such a distinction shall be, insofar as resources will allow, similar to those of active institutional staff, including such privileges as:
   1. staff privileges for activities, events and campus facilities;
   2. receipt of institutional newspaper and other major institutional publications and receipt of employee/spouse fee privilege (see Section V. R.).

5. Procedures to Prevent the Spread of Infectious Disease.

Pursuant to section 33-3730, Idaho Code, the Executive Director is delegated authority to, upon request from an institution in situations requiring immediate action, close an institution or any of its buildings or campuses if needed to prevent the spread of contagious or infectious disease. Also pursuant to section 33-3730, Idaho Code, the President of each institution is delegated the authority to implement measures required to prevent the spread of contagious or infectious disease, including limiting programs or activities. Any such action taken shall be considered by the Board at its next meeting.