CSU Board of Trustees Chair David Reynolds discusses the role of board in university success – The Cauldron

The Board of Trustees. The governing body of a higher education institution. Behind closed doors, the board at Cleveland State discusses an agenda that plays a tremendous role in the affairs of the university.

But, what exactly is on their agenda? Wait, what exactly is the Board of Trustees? Why should students care? How do students engage?

In a sit-down interview, CSU Board of Trustees Chair David Reynolds answers those questions and then some, beginning by explaining the duties and purpose of the board.

“What the board does is advise and provide counsel to the president and her staff, essentially,” Reynolds shared with The Cauldron.  

What is the board?

The Board of Trustees, composed of nine trustees, two faculty representatives and two student representatives, collaborate with CSU President Laura Bloomberg to navigate through  decision-making by developing strategy and serving as a point of counsel. 

All nine members of the board are appointed by Gov. Mike DeWine, meaning the members themselves don’t play any part in who joins the board and what skill-sets are brought to the table. However, each member has different experiences that translate into innovation in the work of the board.

“Each trustee brings a set of skills based on their professional experiences and life experiences,” said Reynolds.

Contrary to popular belief, the CSU student body has a voice in the board’s work, and Reynolds encourages students to be regularly engaged.

“The voice of the student is paramount, it’s very important,” began Reynolds. “So much so that we do have two student trustees on the board at any given time. And I would absolutely say, be an advocate, reach out to that student trustee to make sure that your requests and interests are heard and being executed.”

CSU’s current student trustees are second-year electrical engineering major Akshat Shah, appointed June 2023, and student at the College of Law Jake Wrege, appointed June 2022.

As mentioned, student trustees serve two-year terms, though don’t have voting power. The only board members with voting power are the nine trustees. 

Chair Reynolds

Reynolds, who was appointed to CSU’s Board of Trustees in 2017, also serves on various nonprofit boards in the city of Cleveland. With over thirty years of experience in the financial service business experience, Reynolds brings a wide range of knowledge and skill to the board as the chair.

“When you bring all those experiences together, it’s about leading, it’s about being given different challenges, and how you overcome those over the years—you can then bring that to your boardships.”

The ultimate purpose of the board is to act as a governing body, prioritizing student and state interests in reaching decisions—decisions that are oftentimes difficult. And although each trustee has an equal vote in the decision-making process, Reynolds acts as the face of the board when it comes to communicating that information with Bloomberg. 

“It’s her [Bloomberg] decision, and we make sure she has proper counsel around her as she makes those tough decisions,” said Reynolds.

A recent major decision made by the board, in collaboration with Bloomberg, involved the official name change of CSU’s College of Law, previously known as the Cleveland-Marshall College of Law, named after Chief Justice John Marshall.

Public outcry over the college’s namesake, who was a slave owner, prompted the board to extract comprehensive public opinion and, in November 2022, unanimously decide to change the name for good.

Reynolds is proud of the work that the board has done since his appointment over six years ago, including the strong working relationship it has with the university’s president.

The next meeting of the Board of Trustees, involving the Academic Affairs and Student Success Committee and Financial Affairs Committees, will be Monday, Nov. 6 from 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m., available to watch via livestream.