Public Accountability Report

President Green’s inaugural year as the Chief Executive Officer of Governors State University began in the middle of a global pandemic. The university was devising (and ultimately adopted) an operating plan that relied primarily on remote work and learning options. One year later, as of June 30, 2021, the COVID-19 virus continued to pose a challenge to public health, with ongoing impacts to the university and its operations.

As the pandemic has evolved, the university’s response has continued to evolve as well. The current Operating Plan for Academic Year 2021-22 outlines a multi-layered COVID-19 mitigation plan.

Along with a number of health, enrollment, financial, and logistical challenges brought on by COVID-19, the university has experienced a number of other challenges, including significant turnover at the senior executive levels: the positions of General Counsel, Vice President for Human Resources, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, and Vice President for Administration and Finance triggered national searches for all these essential roles. In addition, the university filled positions for inaugural positions of Compliance Director/Ethics Officer and Chief Diversity Officer/Title IX Coordinator, two essential roles the university previously lacked. The time needed to recruit new and qualified talent to fill these positions has been significant, but the committee is pleased to report that all positions have been filled, with the exception of Provost.

Despite these challenges, the university has accomplished tremendous results in the past year for students in terms of its academic and extracurricular offerings under President Green’s leadership. To name a few, the university has:

1. obtained approval to offer its first Ph.D. program, converting its Doctor of Education in Counselor Education and Supervision to the Doctor of Counselor Education and Supervision, which will begin admitting students in Fall 2022;
2. been awarded continued full accreditation by its institutional accreditor, the Higher Learning Commission, effective December 18, 2020, for the next 10 years;
3. received continued approval of its Master's of Science in Nursing program from its programmatic accreditor, the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN), by developing detailed action plans to address areas of concern in a comprehensive way; and
4. expanded its athletics program from varsity only to include junior varsity teams in men and women’s basketball, soccer, and volleyball.

Furthermore, despite the enrollment challenges brought on by the pandemic, the university remains in strong financial condition.

Despite over a year of limited personal interactions, the university has realized success in transitioning from the “Hidden Gem” of the Southland to the “Jewel” of the Southland, a respected institution of higher education.