Rhodes community consultation on governance
Rhodes community consultation on proposed governance protocols 2009-10
UPDATE: March 12, 2010
Rhodes Trust adopts governance protocols
The Rhodes Trustees have adopted governance protocols after extensive consultation within the global Rhodes community over several months.
To read the protocols, click here.
The governance protocols provide, amongst much else, that between half and two-thirds of Trustees will be Rhodes Scholars, and that at least a third will have significant and continuing Oxford connection.
As well as formalising a nomination process and term limits for Trustees, the protocols also provide for expanded Trustee committees on Governance, the Scholarship, Finance and Investment, and Development.
The initiative for governance protocols arose from consultation by the Warden, Dr Donald Markwell, with Rhodes Scholars in July-October 2009, and all members of the global Rhodes community were invited in November 2009 to comment on draft protocols.
Many comments were received, which overwhelmingly supported the proposed protocols and the consultation process. The draft protocols were revised in light of many helpful suggestions for fine-tuning the document.
The Trustees are very grateful to the many members of the Rhodes community who have contributed so constructively to this important consultation process on governance for the Trust.
Over 50 nominations for further Trustee appointments have also been received, and the Trust hopes to be able to announce new Trustee appointments in mid-April.
The consultations on governance protocols and new Trustees have proceeded hand-in-hand with wider consultation on how best to ensure that the Rhodes Scholarship retains in perpetuity the highest quality and standing. The Warden welcomes feedback on these issues at any time.
UPDATE: February 5, 2010
Valuable feedback from Scholars on Governance Protocols and Trustee nominations
Many Rhodes Scholars have responded to the invitation to comment on the newly proposed Rhodes Trust governance protocols and to submit nominations for further Trustee appointments.
Feedback has been overwhelmingly supportive of the protocols and of the consultation within the Rhodes community, with many constructive suggestions for fine-tuning the documents. The Trustees will consider all of the suggestions and adopt a revised version of the protocols at their March meeting.
The Trustees will also be discussing candidates for the proposed new Trustee positions. More than 40 outstanding nominations have been received from several countries and a broad range of professions and backgrounds. The Trustees hope to announce some new appointments by early April and are grateful to all Rhodes Scholars who have provided input to these important initiatives.
November 22, 2009
Following valuable input from many Rhodes Scholars, the Rhodes Trustees invite comments from Rhodes Scholars on the attached draft governance protocols, which the Trustees propose to adopt subject to revisions in the light of comments from members of the Rhodes community.
Rhodes Scholars are also invited to make nominations for the appointment of between three and five new Trustees, to be appointed in 2010-11.
Comments on the proposed governance protocols, and nominations for new Trustees, should be sent to Chairman@rhodeshouse.ox.ac.uk by January 31, 2010.
For a copy of the Proposed Governance Protocols for Rhodes Community Consultation, please click here.
