THE REDBOOK
FOREWORD
Is there anyone who can say it began then and is ended now?
Certainly, it must have begun with the first pupil and the first teacher. Forget, then, any attempt at genesis. For reference, however, one must list the dates of direct Board of Trustees action as 19 July 1976, when the Board directed a complete review and revision of the University of Louisville governance documents by a new Redbook Committee with representative membership from all interests and areas of our diverse university family. Another date of decision, 17 October 1977, was that of Trustee acceptance of the Redbook Committee recommendations and the establishment of a standing Governance Committee with trustee, administration, faculty, staff, and student membership.
Such dates plus the one of publication may be chronological milestones, but the countless meetings, the hundreds of people, and the thousands of hours are the energies that have actually produced this document. There is no author, there are numerous authors. Not one single word, phrase, nor thought herein can correctly be attributed to any individual--for each is attributable to numerous persons.
The governance of a university is a complicated maze of related and unrelated matters, responsibilities, purposes, and services. No mere compendium nor even a compilation can suffice in the outlining and delineation of such an organization with its required rules, regulations, relationships, and restrictions.
From at least the days of Padua in the near anarchy of a university, those responsible have sought for clearer delineation of governance involving the inextricable relationships of administration, faculty, students, and staff--as well as the public to whom we are all responsible.
As for this book and all of its addenda and attachments, or for anything, three years of concerted effort is a long time. Never once during that period did one hear a discordant voice from those involved. Each person from whatever interest remained even-tempered and most cooperative even though never faltering in his or her own responsibility to express different viewpoints. So many people have been involved, how can one express adequate thanks? On the other hand, does it really matter? In reality, isn't it only the University itself that actually counts?
Is then the work ended and the job complete as well as perfect? Hardly! Whatever else the future may hold or lead us to, all involved may be assured that we, while learning more than we have contributed, have indeed come a long way, even though our efforts are not perfect and the changing, restless world will not let them be finished. If this document is to serve the University, it must be a living instrument always subject to change—hopefully for the best.
We then submit our efforts believing we have done the best we could do but knowing full well others to follow will do better.
That is as it should be. That is progress.
1 July 1979
Carroll L. Witten, M.D.
Chairman, Governance Committee
Member, Board of Trustees
PREFACE
The Redbook is the official statement of the organizational structure, the rules of governance and procedures, and the University-wide policies of the University of Louisville.
It is the final, published authority under the Board of Trustees, and its policies and procedures and those contained in the resolutions of the Board govern all actions of the University and all relations with the University, including administrative and faculty contracts.
The Addenda to The Redbook will be those items cited in The Redbook as requiring additional information or supporting documents. The Addenda will be revised as specified in The Redbook itself or in the supplementary documents themselves. Revisions to the Addenda do not automatically require the approval of the Board of Trustees.
Official copies of The Redbook will be under the control of the University Counsel, who will allocate these copies to appropriate offices and libraries for proper reference, as instructed by the Governance Committee. The University Counsel will take such steps as are necessary to supervise the proper revision of these copies whenever The Redbook is amended as prescribed in Chapter Seven.
1 July 1979
William F. Ekstrom
Executive Vice President