The Citadel Board of Visitors is responsible for the direction, oversight, and fiscal solvency of The Citadel while delegating administration to the President and his administrative officers. The members of The Citadel Board of Visitors are dedicated to the principles of duty, honesty, loyalty, integrity, and accountability. These tenets define the College’s mission to prepare its graduates to be principled leaders in all walks of life by instilling core values in a disciplined academic environment. The Board protects The Citadel’s reputation by understanding the State and Federal higher education environments; approving The Citadel’s vision, strategy and policies; influencing Citadel’s culture; building consensus; providing fiscal oversight; shaping external environments to support college initiatives; complying with applicable laws; and communicating strategic efforts to The Citadel family.
In accepting the responsibility to serve The Citadel to the best of our abilities, we are committed:
To Be Enthusiastic Advocates For The Citadel By:
- Articulating and supporting its mission
- Defending its autonomy by ensuring we are free from undue influence from external bodies
- Maintaining loyalty to The Citadel as a whole
- Evaluating periodically the Board’s mission and functions
To Maintain the Highest Ethical Standards By:
- Acting with honor and integrity in all things
- Representing all the people of South Carolina
- Adhering to a conflict-of-interest policy to avoid even the appearance of impropriety
To Perform Our Duties Responsibly and Professionally By:
- Recognizing that authority resides with the Board as a whole and not its individual members
- Understanding that the Board’s role is policy making and strategic in nature
- Supporting initiatives to enhance the public image of both the Board and The Citadel
- Being fully informed regarding the role of The Citadel in the State and in higher education and responding to the changing environments which affect the institution
- Making reasonable and responsible decisions consistent with the spirit of integrity in all matters
To Encourage Effective Communications By:
- Fostering openness and trust among the Board, the administration, the faculty, the Corps of Cadets, other students, the alumni, state government, and the general public
- Speaking one’s mind at Board meetings while supporting policies and programs once established
- Maintaining respect for the opinions of others
- Communicating promptly to the President any significant concern or complaint and allowing the President to address the matter
- Recognizing that the Chair of the Board of Visitors, or his designee, serves as the authorized spokesperson for the Board, after consensus is sought from the Board or the Executive Committee. The President, or his designee, serves as the primary spokesperson for the College.