THE PRINCIPIA BOARD OF TRUSTEES

RESOLUTION COMMITTEE REPORT

Dear Friends,

Our Resolution Committee has met for many, many hours since we first came together last February.  We have reviewed information that was presented to us, discussed different viewpoints, and prayed earnestly with the regular assistance of a practitioner.  We have also relied on the services of Jim Reeves, a facilitator who acted as a fact finder and consultant for our group in how to sort through difficult issues.

As a result of this process, we were able to come to agreement on a number of issues.  We urge a decision by the Trustees on the following recommendations as soon as possible. The need for resolution requires action before the beginning of the new academic year. We request a report to the community by August 15, 2007.

Recommendation regarding the CEO:
Our committee considered deeply and prayerfully what recommendations we could offer regarding Stuart Jenkins and his position as CEO.  We considered a number of options as to how Stuart should be addressed. A majority of the committee voted for one of the options that involves Stuart leaving the CEO position. Here is the vote of our committee members on those options as it was taken Monday, June 18.

Recommendations suggested:	Votes cast:
Stuart stays as CEO – no mentoring needed	0
Stuart stays as CEO – Probation /mentoring/action plan for specific changes for Stuart	5
Stuart stays as CEO – Stuart participates in a restorative justice process	0
Stuart leaves as CEO, but may have another position at Principia	1
Stuart leaves the CEO position and Principia	7
Total reliance on Christian Science healing	1
Total	14

This was an extremely difficult deliberation for the Resolution Committee.  We have appreciated the positive steps Stuart has brought to our community and the needed changes he has made.  However, we acknowledge that there have been difficulties in his tenure as CEO as well, and we are deeply concerned for the well-being of our institution.  We are sending this majority recommendation to the trustees for their consideration and decision on how to respond to it. 

Other recommendations:
We also discussed and by majority vote in each case agreed that the following recommendations be sent to the Board of Trustees:

Governance Issues:

• The Board of Trustees will begin working with the Resolution Committee on governance issues including determining and enforcing term limits, and whether or not the CEO shall be a member of the Board of Trustees.

• Until the Governance study is completed, the person holding the CEO position should be removed from the Board of Trustees effective immediately.

Human Resources:

• Jim Reeves will continue the process of fact-finding regarding Human Resources issues, which include looking at hiring and firing practices, issues of integrity, and the role of proper evaluation systems.

• Principia will develop a grievance procedure for its employees to be put into effect by December, 2007.

Strategic Planning and Community Building:

• Representatives from all constituencies (preschool through college) will work together to develop and carry out a Principia Strategic Plan.

• The Strategic Planning Committee will understand that its first priority is to rebuild trust throughout the community. Training and discussion of the Matthew Ethos for all community members will be included in trust building activities. 
  
• Rebuilding trust must be Principia’s priority.  We ask the trustees to spend their time and attention on this rather than the development of land on the St. Louis campus until more urgent issues are resolved.

Healing:

• Our most important work is metaphysical, and our goal is healing.  This is the responsibility of everyone.  The Resolution Committee has appreciated the community’s prayerful support of our work throughout this process, and that prayer needs to continue.  We recommend that in the coming year we focus on the article “The Way” from Miscellaneous Writings (pages 355-359) by Mary Baker Eddy.  Our goal should be to reject the sense of “gaunt want” and expect the “full-orbed promise;” to work on self-knowledge, humility, and love; to hold ourselves and others accountable; to live the values of compassion, fairness, responsibility, respect; to be our brother’s keepers; and to “behold in Science the perfect man” (Science and Health, page 476:32)

The report from Jim Reeves is attached to this message.  An additional page is included which outlines a few items that the Resolution Committee felt needed additional comment.

Jim’s report has identified a number of concerns we will be working on in the very near future.  The culture at Principia should be one of Christian compassion, mutual respect, and democratic decision making.  To the extent that our present practices do not match that description, we need to make changes in our work.

Our mission at Principia is clear.  We are to serve the Cause of Christian Science.  As we work together to go forward, it is our hope that we will find a clear path to doing this in the most effective manner possible.

With deep love for everyone in our dear organization,

The Resolution Committee

Forrest Bless Linda Bohaker Helen Elswit Lynne Evans Craig Fredrickson Doug Gibbs Dorsie Glen

Bill Hays Nancy Heimerl Patty Langton Paula Manker Greg Sandford Alice Stanley Chrissie Sydness