Board Chair David Nelson announces retirement
Founding EOU Trustee, Board Chair announces retirement
August 4, 2020LA GRANDE, Ore. –After five years as Chair of the Eastern Oregon University Board of Directors, and following decades of public service, David Nelson will retire next week.
“Whether he is participating in a one-on -one friendly discussion or chairing a meeting of the EOU Trustee Board, David is respectful, caring and attentive,” Trustee Richard Chaves said of Nelson. “He has the ability to work through sensitive discussions and situations, bringing them gracefully to resolution. I am honored to know David and call him friend.”
Nelson was appointed to be a founding member of EOU’s independent governing board when it was established in 2015. He said he’s proud of what the fledgling board has achieved in such a short time.
“We were in a very difficult situation when the board came on—no reserve funds, essentially on probation from the state commission, looking for a president,” he said. “Now in five years, we’ve got new full-time deans, pay and benefits have improved across campus, there are new programs coming on.”
After 16 years in the state legislature, Nelson came to the role equipped with experience in building consensus and presiding in public meetings. His familiarity with the capitol and far-reaching connections with Eastern Oregon communities added to Nelson’s natural affinity for leadership.
“It’s all about developing relationships, listening, being transparent and looking for common ground,” he said. “You have to be able to respond to human emotions and strong feelings.”
Nelson has a law degree from the University of Montana, and spent years as a rural lawyer. He said each trustee brought an impressive set of life and career experiences, as well as formal education.
“We’re a very well-rounded board, and we didn’t always agree, but I think we came together to make good decisions,” he said. “When you’ve got a 15-person board and different perspectives, the chair’s job is to bring everybody together.”
When the university passed its accreditation evaluation in 2018, Nelson felt like EOU was going in the right direction.
Originally from Pendleton, Nelson sees the benefits in more local representation in the university’s governing board. He said programs like theRural Engagement and Vitality (REV) Centerare key to unlocking EOU’s potential to serve the entire region.
“In an economic downturn, the people who keep their jobs are those with a higher education,” Nelson said. “It’s a competitive world now, even for higher education—our funding is based on outcomes. We should be recognizing higher education as the key component to a person’s successful, happy life.”
As EOU anticipates resuming on-campus activities this fall, Nelson reflected on the university’s long history of delivering courses remotely and its nimbleness as a smaller institution to adapt to changing requirements.
“We’re well-positioned to anticipate some really major changes,” he said. “We’ve got an excellent faculty in place, who have adjusted to this COVID environment and online instruction.”
在8月10日举行的董事会第六次年度会议上，董事会将选出一位新主席，带领他们度过前所未有的秋季任期。议程上的其他事务包括批准EOU的恢复计划，讨论董事会在打击制度化的种族主义中扮演的角色，以及欢迎新员工和教员受托人。The full agenda is posted ateou.edu/governance/board-meeting-schedule.
现年79岁的纳尔逊在担任了一段备受尊敬的公共服务任期后，将在今年秋天创作一部小说，以他在上世纪70年代担任蒙大拿州县检察官的经历为基础。
“In the legislature, you’re never quite sure if you’re successful, but in the university you see things grow and change every year,” he said. “Serving on the board was a worthwhile endeavor, on par with serving in the legislature. Thank you to the community for allowing me to serve and giving me this great opportunity.”
The board retreat will be held in a hybrid format with some trustees attending on campus and others participating via Zoom. Members of the public can watch the meeting via livestream atlivestream.com/eou/governance
提交给董事会的书面意见将在8月6日周四之前接受。Visiteou.edu/governance/board-meeting-scheduleor contact Ella Maloy atemaloy@eou.eduor 541-962-4101 to submit a public comment.
Additional statements from Trustees:
“I have learned much by listening to and observing David’s style of leadership. He’s also become a very good friend who I will greatly miss when he steps down from the Board. He makes sure that all opinions are voiced, but is also perceptive when a speaker tends to monopolize, ‘get into the weeds,’ or speak on a personal agenda, rather than on what’s best for the University. He was the best choice for our first Board Chair, and I hope he leaves with a great sense of pride and accomplishment.” — Dixie Lund
“David and I have known each other and worked together on many things regarding education since I was a superintendent and he was in the legislature. I have such great admiration for him and how he preserves the dignity of people while moving to a sometimes tough solution. David Nelson is like the North Star to sailors: he is always there, always a guidepost to the right direction, always can be counted on, and is a very bright spot in an often vast and dark world.” — Jer Pratton
“I have come to love and admire David, not only as a leader of our board, but also his character, his values, his manner, his self-control, and his warmth. I haven’t ever seen him lose his cool, even in real times of adversity. He always has a welcoming smile and an encompassing personality. I felt complete peace in knowing that he would carry this board and the university in the right direction. We will miss him dreadfully, and I wish him a very happy and blessed future.” — Cheryl Martin
“David provided outstanding leadership skills that are best summarized by the Chinese strategist Lao Tsu (circa 500 BCE), ‘The master does not talk, he acts. When his work is done, the people say, Amazing: we did it, all by ourselves.’” — Gary Keller
