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How and Why to How and Why to Share Share

Governance at a Governance at a CollegeCollege

A Faculty Council of Community A Faculty Council of Community Colleges PresentationColleges Presentation

ByByTina Good, FCCC PresidentTina Good, FCCC President

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What is Shared What is Shared Governance?Governance?

Shared governance in higher Shared governance in higher education refers to structures and education refers to structures and processes through which faculty, processes through which faculty, professional staff, administration, professional staff, administration, governing boards and, sometimes, governing boards and, sometimes, students and staff participate in the students and staff participate in the development of policies and in development of policies and in decision-making that affect the decision-making that affect the institution.institution.

Elements of Shared Elements of Shared GovernanceGovernance

Well defined areas of authority and Well defined areas of authority and responsibilityresponsibility

Understanding of policy vs. operationUnderstanding of policy vs. operation General recognition of the need for General recognition of the need for

interrelatednessinterrelatedness All constituent groups have access to All constituent groups have access to

information and adequate timelines for information and adequate timelines for deliberationdeliberation

Processes that facilitate collegial and Processes that facilitate collegial and cooperative relationshipscooperative relationships

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Collegial GovernanceCollegial Governance

Faculty GovernanceFaculty Governance Student GovernanceStudent Governance Staff and AdministrationStaff and Administration Local Board of TrusteesLocal Board of Trustees Faculty Council of Community CollegesFaculty Council of Community Colleges Student AssemblyStudent Assembly SUNY System AdministrationSUNY System Administration SUNY Board of TrusteesSUNY Board of Trustees

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Faculty GovernanceFaculty Governance

Most conceptions of shared governance Most conceptions of shared governance recognize that faculty are best qualified and recognize that faculty are best qualified and should therefore have a primary role, should therefore have a primary role, through a sound and well-established through a sound and well-established governance structure, in the formulation of governance structure, in the formulation of policy relating to:policy relating to:

• • CurriculumCurriculum

• • Methods of instructionMethods of instruction

• • Academic standardsAcademic standards

• • Academic student affairsAcademic student affairs

• • Program developmentProgram development

• • Degree requirementsDegree requirements

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Faculty GovernanceFaculty Governance

Furthermore, faculty should have Furthermore, faculty should have significant input, through their significant input, through their governance structure, into all other areas governance structure, into all other areas that affect the academic functions of the that affect the academic functions of the institution. This input should extend to institution. This input should extend to areas that include, but are not limited to:areas that include, but are not limited to:

• • Budget developmentBudget development

• • Mission, planning (strategic and operational)Mission, planning (strategic and operational)

• • Institutional AssessmentInstitutional Assessment

• • Searches for key leadersSearches for key leaders

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Don’t Forget the Don’t Forget the StudentsStudents

Student TrusteesStudent Trustees Student GovernanceStudent Governance SUNY Student AssemblySUNY Student Assembly

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GovernanceGovernance

Policy vs. OperationsPolicy vs. Operations RecommendingRecommending

ResolutionsResolutions LettersLetters Participation in decision-making processesParticipation in decision-making processes

AdvocacyAdvocacy ResourceResource Be careful of the weeds!Be careful of the weeds!

Organizing the WorkOrganizing the Work

Remember: Participating in shared Remember: Participating in shared governance in higher education is NOT governance in higher education is NOT the primary job of most of the people the primary job of most of the people participating in the processes and participating in the processes and deliberations required for effective deliberations required for effective shared governance.shared governance.

Maintaining academic freedom and Maintaining academic freedom and standards while keeping processes from standards while keeping processes from becoming unduly cumbersome is a becoming unduly cumbersome is a constant tension for shared governanceconstant tension for shared governance

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Organizing the WorkOrganizing the Work

Understand reporting linesUnderstand reporting lines Where are the moments of Where are the moments of

integrated conversations?integrated conversations? The purpose of resolutionsThe purpose of resolutions Closing the LoopClosing the Loop

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Organizing the WorkOrganizing the Work

Types of CommitteesTypes of Committees Standing CommitteesStanding Committees Ad Hoc CommitteesAd Hoc Committees Task ForcesTask Forces SubcommitteesSubcommittees

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COMMUNICATION andCOMMUNICATION andCommunity BuildingCommunity Building

With each otherWith each other With all decision makersWith all decision makers With constituentsWith constituents With the Faculty CouncilWith the Faculty Council With other SUNY campusesWith other SUNY campuses

Meetings and Meetings and CommunicationCommunication

Division/Department MeetingsDivision/Department Meetings Email and listservsEmail and listservs NewslettersNewsletters HandbooksHandbooks Thank You LettersThank You Letters Social MediaSocial Media

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Regular meetings with college presidentRegular meetings with college president Senate president presides at senate Senate president presides at senate

meetings.meetings. Bylaws with Articles that specify Name, Bylaws with Articles that specify Name,

Object, Members, Officers, Meetings, Object, Members, Officers, Meetings, Executive board, Committees, Executive board, Committees, Parliamentary authority, and AmendmentsParliamentary authority, and Amendments

Meetings and activities advertised in Meetings and activities advertised in advance and records of actions widely advance and records of actions widely publishedpublished

Attracts both junior and senior faculty who Attracts both junior and senior faculty who are esteemed as academic leadersare esteemed as academic leaders

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Is regarded by the campus as dealing Is regarded by the campus as dealing with crucial issueswith crucial issues

Has effective representation on other Has effective representation on other key governance groupskey governance groups

Senate leadership visible in the Senate leadership visible in the ceremonial and symbolic affairs of the ceremonial and symbolic affairs of the campuscampus

Initiates a major portion of its agenda Initiates a major portion of its agenda itemsitems

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Defends the core values of academic Defends the core values of academic freedom, determines curriculum freedom, determines curriculum

Provides an effective forum for Provides an effective forum for controversial issuescontroversial issues

Is seen as an agent for necessary Is seen as an agent for necessary institutional changeinstitutional change

Grounds its practices in parliamentary Grounds its practices in parliamentary procedure and published and endorsed procedure and published and endorsed principles of governanceprinciples of governance

(Flynn) (Flynn)

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Evaluation of Shared Evaluation of Shared GovernanceGovernance

Some helpful AAUP links:Some helpful AAUP links: http://www.aaup.org/AAUP/issues/gover

nance/goveval.htm http://web.utk.edu/~senate/Form1.pdf

Climate for GovernanceClimate for Governance Institutional CommunicationInstitutional Communication Board’s RoleBoard’s Role President’s RolePresident’s Role Faculty’s RoleFaculty’s Role Joint Decision MakingJoint Decision Making Assessing Structural Arrangements Assessing Structural Arrangements

for Governancefor Governance

Seven key indicatorsSeven key indicators

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SHARED GOVERNANCESHARED GOVERNANCEThe Big PictureThe Big Picture

Possible AdvantagesPossible Advantages Constituent groups are empoweredConstituent groups are empowered There is better understanding of decision There is better understanding of decision

makingmaking Improves morale and college environmentImproves morale and college environment Increases the breadth of understanding Increases the breadth of understanding

related to issuesrelated to issues Fosters divergent points of viewFosters divergent points of view Improves likelihood that the college will move Improves likelihood that the college will move

forward in responding to critical issues forward in responding to critical issues Open and creative communicationOpen and creative communication Better teaching, and learningBetter teaching, and learning

SuggestionsSuggestions

Review bylaws of governance groupsReview bylaws of governance groups Build online archiveBuild online archive Develop systematic processes of Develop systematic processes of

consultationconsultation Review committee structureReview committee structure

Who does the committee report to?Who does the committee report to? How is the membership determined?How is the membership determined? Consider charges and initiativesConsider charges and initiatives Clear timelinesClear timelines

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SuggestionsSuggestions

Use moments of reaction to reflect on Use moments of reaction to reflect on processes and structuresprocesses and structures

Focus meeting times on issues and Focus meeting times on issues and decision-making most crucial to the decision-making most crucial to the collegecollege

Have a clear understanding of Have a clear understanding of confidentiality/negotiation/open/publicconfidentiality/negotiation/open/public

Develop robust and redundant Develop robust and redundant communication strategiescommunication strategies

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SuggestionsSuggestions

Make sure efforts to be inclusive are Make sure efforts to be inclusive are not perpetuating the subordination not perpetuating the subordination of persons or groups of personsof persons or groups of persons

Educate representatives and liaisonsEducate representatives and liaisons

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