Board committees update mission statements

Several committees of Pitt’s Board of Trustees updated their mission statements at meetings in late June.

Athletics committee

The athletics committee of Pitt’s Board of Trustees met on the afternoon of June 27 to update its mission statement for the first time since 2013, quickly passing the new statement with a unanimous vote.

The updated mission statement, according to background materials provided to the committee, clarifies the committee’s purpose, ensures that the statement “aligns with the University’s current priorities” and makes the statement consistent with other committees’ mission statements.

The athletics committee oversees and governs Pitt’s athletics program. According to the revised mission statement, the committee is responsible for, among other things, Pitt’s conference participation, compliance with NCAA rules, athletic facilities and the health and success of student welfare.

Institutional Advancement Committee

The Institutional Advancement Committee of Pitt’s Board of Trustees met on June 27 to vote on an updated mission statement. The committee focuses on alumni relations and raising money for the University from various sources including alumni, parents, friends and institutional charitable funders.

The committee unanimously adopted the new mission statement, which provides a broader look into the roles and responsibilities of the committee. Kristin Davitt, president of the University of Pittsburgh and UPMC Medical and Health Sciences Foundation and vice chancellor of development and alumni relations, said that the mission statement outlines four goals for the committee.

“The overall goal of the mission statement is to identify the four strategic priorities — alumni engagement, donor participation across key constituencies, fundraising capacity and overall culture of philanthropy throughout the University,” Davitt said.

Debbie Gillotti, the chairperson of the committee, said that the mission statement has not been updated since February 2013 and changes were deemed necessary after a review.