About the System

Section 1. University Organization
Issued:  April 2019
Replaces:  May 2016

1.1 The University

Southern Illinois University operates as one of two public university systems in the state of Illinois. It includes Southern Illinois University Carbondale, with a main campus in Carbondale, Illinois, a School of Medicine headquartered in Springfield, Illinois, and a branch campus in Nakajo, Japan; and Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, with its main campus in Edwardsville, Illinois, a school of Dental Medicine based in Alton, Illinois, and a Center in East St. Louis, Illinois. (Statutes of the Board of Trustees, Article I)

Southern Illinois University functions as a leader in public higher education in Illinois, cognizant of the fundamental role of the University as a whole, yet recognizing and supporting the unique missions and contributions of each of its campuses. University-wide leadership, cooperation and services strengthen the University and its campuses, yet each campus carries out its distinct mission and role with a high degree of autonomy in day-to-day operations.

1.2 University Administration

University administration is responsible for the operation of the University as a whole consonant with the policies and actions of the Board of Trustees.

a. Presidential Role and Responsibilities.  Functioning under delegation by the Board of Trustees, the President has the following responsibilities (Statutes of the Board of Trustees, Article II, Section 2):

• provides overall leadership for the university;
• proposes to the Board, and enunciates on its behalf, the mission and scope of  the university and of Southern Illinois University Carbondale and Southern Illinois University Edwardsville;
• proposes to the Board goals, policies, and actions which serve the best interests of the university and SIUC and SIUE, and promulgates guidelines and regulations for the consistent interpretation and application of Board policies;
• administers the academic, financial, and other  functions of the university in a manner which assures institutional  autonomy of SIUC and SIUE;
• recommends to the Board, after appropriate consultation with and involvement of the universities’ constituencies, the appointment and terms and conditions of employment of the chancellors;
• directs the activities of the university chancellors in a manner which promotes the general welfare of the System and the university and insures institutional autonomy;
• serves as  the chief spokesperson for the university in external relations;
• recommends to the Board all major alterations of internal administrative organization, academic programs, capital facilities, and personnel and other policies;
• develops and recommends to the Board an annual budget request and an annual operating budget;
• evaluates the performance of the chancellors based on annual performance goals jointly established by the president and the chancellors;
• establishes procedures guiding the annual preparation of fund-raising goals and priorities for the university;
• cooperates with the university foundations in carrying out the annual fund-raising activities.

The President is directly assisted in carrying out these responsibilities by university officers, including the Senior Vice President for Financial and Administrative Affairs, Vice President for Academic Affairs, General Counsel, Executive Director for Internal Audit, System Executive Director for Diversity Initiatives, Executive Director of Regional Outreach and Partnerships, Director of Technology Transfer, Executive Director of Governmental and Public Affairs, and the Chancellors, all of whom report to the president.

b. Creation of Position and Hiring.  When creating new positions of employment and filling vacancies within existing positions for the President’s office or any system-wide office, all such actions shall comply with applicable requirements in Board Legislation.  In addition, the hiring process for such positions shall comply with the respective procedures of the campus that will otherwise process the appointment, unless an exception to the campus procedure is approved by the Board of Trustees for that particular hire.  If the campus procedure calls for Chancellor approval, Presidential approval shall be sought.  This does not negate any requirements for appointment approval(s) set forth in Board of Trustees Legislation; such approval(s) shall still be sought when required.

1.3 University Guidelines

Policies of the SIU Board of Trustees direct that the President develop and publish guidelines in various areas which give direction to the University in carrying out particular policies or procedures established by the Board of Trustees. These University Guidelines have been developed accordingly.