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Nominations open to serve as counselors of the Emory University Board of Trustees

Nominations are open for faculty members to serve as counselors to three committees of the Emory University Board of Trustees: 

  • Audit and Compliance Committee  
  • Development Committee  
  • Finance Committee

Letters of nomination must be submitted no later than Friday, Feb. 28. 

The Audit and Compliance Committee oversees Emory’s performance of financial, accounting and internal financial control functions, and its compliance with its related ethical, legal and regulatory obligations. It also oversees the work of its independent auditor, as well as its internal audit and risk management processes. 

The Development Committee reviews and approves, modifies, disapproves or recommends further action with respect to policies and programs relating to philanthropic giving, fundraising initiatives and alumni engagement of the university and its various divisions. The committee makes appropriate recommendations to the Board of Trustees or its Executive Committee regarding these policies and programs. 

The Finance Committee is responsible for the annual integrated financial plan and budget of the university. The committee reviews and approves, modifies, disapproves or recommends further action regarding proposals for funding capital projects or other major expenditures not included in the annual budget process.

Faculty counselors participate in committee meetings (typically three to four meetings per year, each lasting two to three hours, but some committees meet more often). The board seeks faculty who, when called upon, will actively participate in committee discussions and represent the broader interests and perspectives of the faculty. Priority will be given to candidates with experience and interest in the areas of business, development, economics, accounting and/or finance.

Faculty counselors serve a non-voting, three-year appointment on one of seven standing committees of the board: Audit and Compliance; Campus Life; Development; Finance; Investment; Real Estate, Buildings and Grounds; and Woodruff Health Sciences.

The president and president-elect of the University Senate, who are also the chair and chair-elect of the Faculty Council, serve an ex officio, two-year appointment as faculty counselors on the Academic Affairs Committee. 

Faculty counselors’ participation on board committees has fostered mutual respect and a deeper understanding of the respective roles played by trustees and faculty in advancing the university’s mission. Faculty counselors are one of three counselor types to the board, which also appoints alumni and student counselors to certain committees. 


Nomination criteria

The nominating faculty member should submit a one-page nomination letter of the qualified candidate. Self-nominations are permitted. The nomination letter should detail why the candidate is being nominated and should include the names and contact information of three additional faculty members from whom the Faculty Council Executive Committee may solicit additional information about the nominee. Previous service as a faculty counselor should be noted.

Letters of nomination should be emailed no later than Friday, Feb. 28, to Lisa Parker, program coordinator for the University Senate, at lisa.parker@emory.edu.


Selection process

Nominations will be presented to the Faculty Council Executive Committee, which (in collaboration with the Office of the Provost and the Office of the Secretary) is charged with overseeing the nomination and recommendation process for faculty counselors.

Prospective counselors are selected based on their scholarly expertise, professional experience, service to the university, governance roles and/or other noteworthy achievements that would enable them to contribute important faculty perspectives to the board’s deliberations, as well as their ability to broadly represent faculty from the various units of the university. 


Current faculty counselors

The current slate of faculty counselors includes:  

  • Hashem Dezhbakhsh, Emory College of Arts and Sciences: Economics (Investment)
  • Noëlle C. McAfee (ex officio), Emory College of Arts and Sciences: Humanities; President-Elect of the University Senate (Academic Affairs)
  • Anne Marie McKenzie-Brown, School of Medicine: Anesthesiology (Woodruff Health Sciences Center)
  • Edjah K. Nduom, School of Medicine: Neurosurgery (Development)
  • Usha Rackliffe, Goizueta Business School: Accounting (Finance)
  • Lars Ruthotto, Emory College of Arts and Sciences: Mathematics (Campus Life)
  • Karen Sedatole, Goizueta Business School: Accounting (Audit and Compliance)
  • George B. Shepherd (ex officio), School of Law; President-Elect of the University Senate (Academic Affairs)
  • Salmon Shomade, Oxford College: Political Science (Real Estate, Buildings and Grounds)

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