CURRENT BOARD OF TRUSTEES

• (MOST REV.) MAR MELCHIZEDEK, OSB (continuing tenure)

• (MOST REV.) MICHAEL CUOZZO, OFE  (continuing tenure)

• (BRO.) ANTHONY SANDERS, OFM  (continuing tenure)

• (REV.) WILLIAM MILLS  (continuing tenure)

• (VERY REV.) REINHARD THÖLE  (first term)

• (MOST REV.) GEORGE M. JACHIMCZYK  (first term)

THE ARTICLES OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES

I. BOARD MEETINGS 

1. THE TRUSTEES OF MEISTER ECKHART DIVINITY SCHOOL SHALL MEET AS NEEDED FOR A BOARD MEETING. THIS CAN BE ACCOMPLISHED IN PERSON OR ONLINE.

2. AS THE FIRST ITEM ON THE AGENDA THE BOARD SHALL APPROVE, CORRECT OR REJECT THE MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS BOARD MEETING BY SIMPLE (51%) MAJORITY VOTE.

3. MEETINGS MAY BE SCHEDULED BY ANY BOARD MEMBER WITH EITHER THE APPROVAL OF THE SCHOOL PRESIDENT (METROPOLITAN) OR A SIMPLE MAJORITY (51%) REQUEST. THE SCHOOL PRESIDENT MAY SCHEDULE A BOARD MEETING AT ANY TIME.

4. AN ANNUAL BOARD MEETING CAN BE SCHEDULED BY THE SCHOOL PRESIDENT (METROPOLITAN), GIVING ALL BOARD MEMBERS A MINIMUM OF 30-DAY NOTICE OF THE DAY AND PLACE OR THE MODE OF THE MEETING.

5. THE AGENDA OF ANY BOARD MEETING SHALL BE SENT TO EACH BOARD MEMBER, EITHER BY POSTAL OR ELECTRONIC MAIL, BY THE SCHOOL PRESIDENT (METROPOLITAN) TWO (2) WEEKS BEFORE THE BOARD MEETING.

6. BOARD MEETINGS MAY BE CONDUCTED WITH ALL TRUSTEES PHYSICALLY PRESENT; OR PRESENT VIA TELECONFERENCE.

7. A QUORUM CONSISTS OF A MAJORITY (51%) OF THE TRUSTEES ATTENDING THE MEETING EITHER IN PERSON OR VIA TELECONFERENCE. THE SAME APPLIES FOR VOTES REQUESTED VIA ONLINE.

8. TRUSTEES MAY NOT BE COMPENSATED FOR SERVING ON THE BOARD FROM ANY SCHOOL ACCOUNT FUNDS.

9. THE SECRETARY OR REGISTRAR OF THE SCHOOL SHALL TAKE MINUTES OF EACH BOARD MEETING AND SEND THEM TO ALL BOARD MEMBERS WITHIN THIRTY (30) DAYS AFTER THE MEETING, BUT ALWAYS TWO (2) WEEKS BEFORE THE NEXT MEETING, WHICHEVER COMES FIRST.

II. ELIGIBILITY OF SERVING ON THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES 

1.  A BOARD TERM CONSISTS OF THREE (3) CONSECUTIVE YEARS.

2. ALL TRUSTEES MAY BE RE-ELECTED OR CONTINUE WITHOUT TERM-LIMITS.

3. NEW TRUSTEES MAY BE PRESENTED BY ANY CURRENT TRUSTEE AT ANY BOARD MEETING, BUT MUST EITHER BE VOTED IN BY A TWO-THIRDS MAJORITY (66%) OF ALL TRUSTEES PRESENT AT THE MEETING AS DEFINED IN SECTION I.6; OR THROUGH DIRECT APPOINTMENT BY THE PRESIDENT (METROPOLITAN).

4. NEW TRUSTEES ARE DEEMED TO SERVE AT LEAST ONE TERM.

5. ANNUAL BOARD ELECTIONS (INCLUDING THE OFFICERS) SHALL BE CONDUCTED AT THE ANNUAL BOARD MEETING ONLY.

6. ACTIVE STUDENTS AND STUDENTS WHO HAVE BEEN DISCHARGED FROM MEISTER ECKHART DIVINITY SCHOOL FOR MISCONDUCT ARE NOT ELIGIBLE TO SERVE ON THE BOARD.

7. THERE SHALL BE A MINIMUM OF THREE (3) AND A MAXIMUM OF THIRTEEN (13) TRUSTEES AT ANY GIVEN TIME.

8. WHEN A TRUSTEE LEAVES THE BOARD BEFORE HIS OR HER TERM HAS EXPIRED, HE OR SHE IS USUALLY NOT AUTOMATICALLY REPLACED, UNLESS ONE OF THE REMAINING BOARD MEMBERS PRESENTS A NEW CANDIDATE TO THE BOARD FOR APPROVAL. IN CASE OF THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENT OF THREE (3) TRUSTEES BEING TEMPORARILY LOST, AN ACTIVE EFFORT BY ALL TRUSTEES SHALL BE MADE TO RESTORE THE MINIMUM NUMBER OF TRUSTEES IN COMPLIANCE WITH THESE ARTICLES.

9. THE SCHOOL DEAN MAY BE ELECTED BY A SIMPLE MAJORITY (51%) AMONG ANY TRUSTEE THAT HAS SERVED AT LEAST ONE (1) TERM; OR, AMONG ANY QUALIFIED CANDIDATE OUTSIDE THE SCHOOL WHO HAS APPLIED FOR THE POSITION; OR, UPON NO OBJECTION HEARD, A CANDIDATE MAY BE DIRECTLY APPOINTED BY THE PRESIDENT (METROPOLITAN).

10. TRUSTEES ARE DEEMED TO GIVE WRITTEN NOTICE OF THEIR RESIGNATION.

III. TRUSTEES PREROGATIVES

1. IT IS WITHIN THE BOARD’S PRIVILEGE TO APPROVE BY SIMPLE MAJORITY VOTE (51%), BOTH WITHIN AND OUTSIDE A FORMAL MEETING, THE FOLLOWING:

   • THE HIRING, SUPERVISION AND TERMINATION OF THE DEAN, BUT NOT OF ANY OTHER STAFF OR FACULTY

   • THE GENERAL OVERSIGHT OF THE SCHOOL IN REGARDS TO COMPLIANCE WITH SCHOOL POLICIES AND REGULATIONS

   • TO IMPOSE DISCIPLINARY ACTION UPON THE DEAN AS WARRANTED

   • POLICIES AND REGULATIONS WHICH THE SCHOOL PRESIDENT (METROPOLITAN) REQUESTS THE BOARD TO APPROVE OR REJECT

   • THE RENTAL OR PURCHASE OF PROPERTY TO HOUSE SCHOOL OFFICES AND CLASSROOMS

   • APPROVAL OR REJECTION OF CANDIDATES FOR GRADUATION (EXCEPT CREDIT TRANSFER AND HONORARY DEGREE PROGRAMS) UPON PRESENTATION BY THE DEAN.

2. THE SCHOOL PRESIDENT (METROPOLITAN) IS THE CHAIR OF THE BOARD (OR HIS REPRESENTATIVE WHEN SO DESIGNATED).

3. CURRENT SCHOOL STAFF AND FACULTY MEMBERS ARE NOT ELIGIBLE TO SERVE ON THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES, UNLESS SO SPECIFICALLY APPROVED BY THE SCHOOL PRESIDENT (METROPOLITAN) OR A MAJORITY OF TRUSTEES.

4. THE BOARD ACCEPTS OR REJECTS RESIGNATIONS OF TRUSTEES, BUT NOT OF STAFF OR FACULTY, WHICH IS THE PREROGATIVE OF THE DEAN OR PRESIDENT (METROPOLITAN).

5. THE BOARD HEARS GRIEVANCES AND APPEALS BY STAFF, FACULTY AND STUDENTS, WHEN SO PROPERLY CONDUCTED ACCORDING TO THE GUIDELINES OF THE SCHOOL, AT ANY MEETING.

6. THE BOARD ACCEPTS WITH CORRECTIONS OR REJECTS THE ANNUAL REPORT GIVEN BY THE DEAN AT ANY BOARD MEETING.

7. THE BOARD ACCEPTS WITH CORRECTIONS OR REJECTS THE YEARLY BUDGET AT ANY BOARD MEETING.

8. UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED, ALL VOTING REQUIRES A SIMPLE MAJORITY (51%) ACCORDING TO THE VOTING PROCEDURES ESTABLISHED BY THE BOARD.

9. VOTING CONDUCTED OUTSIDE A BOARD MEETING AS IN SECTION III/1 IS SOLICITED BY SIMPLE MAJORITY.

10. THE LACK OF CASTING A VOTE BY BOARD MEMBERS, EITHER THROUGH ABSENCE OR BY MISSING THE GIVEN DEADLINE, IS COUNTED AS ABSTENTION.

11. THE INITIAL VOTE AND SUBSEQUENT CHANGES TO THESE ARTICLES IN ACCORDANCE WITH MEISTER ECKHART DIVINITY SCHOOL POLICIES AND REGULATIONS REQUIRE THE APPROVAL OF ALL TRUSTEES (100%), IF SOLICITED OUTSIDE A BOARD MEETING. IF A TRUSTEE DOES NOT VOTE (BY THE DEADLINE GIVEN) OR IF CONSENSUS (100%) CANNOT BE OBTAINED, A BOARD MEETING MAY BE CONVENED WITH A SIMPLE MAJORITY VOTE (51%) REQUIREMENT.

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THESE ARTICLES HAVE BEEN APPROVED ON THE 1ST DAY OF SEPTEMBER IN THE YEAR 2016 AND REVISED IN SPRING OF 2022 and 2024.