1. 1 How and Why to Share Governance at a College A Faculty Council of Community Colleges Presentation By Tina Good, FCCC President

2. 2 What is Shared Governance? Shared governance in higher education refers to structures and processes through which faculty, professional staff, administration, governing boards and, sometimes, students and staff participate in the development of policies and in decision-making that affect the institution. Shared governance in higher education refers to structures and processes through which faculty, professional staff, administration, governing boards and, sometimes, students and staff participate in the development of policies and in decision-making that affect the institution.

3. Elements of Shared Governance Well defined areas of authority and responsibility Well defined areas of authority and responsibility Understanding of policy vs. operation Understanding of policy vs. operation General recognition of the need for interrelatedness General recognition of the need for interrelatedness All constituent groups have access to information and adequate timelines for deliberation All constituent groups have access to information and adequate timelines for deliberation Processes that facilitate collegial and cooperative relationships Processes that facilitate collegial and cooperative relationships 3

4. Collegial Governance Faculty Governance Faculty Governance Student Governance Student Governance Staff and Administration Staff and Administration Local Board of Trustees Local Board of Trustees Faculty Council of Community Colleges Faculty Council of Community Colleges Student Assembly Student Assembly SUNY System Administration SUNY System Administration SUNY Board of Trustees SUNY Board of Trustees 4

5. Faculty Governance Most conceptions of shared governance recognize that faculty are best qualified and should therefore have a primary role, through a sound and well-established governance structure, in the formulation of policy relating to: Most conceptions of shared governance recognize that faculty are best qualified and should therefore have a primary role, through a sound and well-established governance structure, in the formulation of policy relating to: Curriculum Curriculum Methods of instruction Methods of instruction Academic standards Academic standards Academic student affairs Academic student affairs Program development Program development Degree requirements Degree requirements 5

6. Faculty Governance Furthermore, faculty should have significant input, through their governance structure, into all other areas that affect the academic functions of the institution. This input should extend to areas that include, but are not limited to: Furthermore, faculty should have significant input, through their governance structure, into all other areas that affect the academic functions of the institution. This input should extend to areas that include, but are not limited to: Budget development Budget development Mission, planning (strategic and operational) Mission, planning (strategic and operational) Institutional Assessment Institutional Assessment Searches for key leaders Searches for key leaders 6

7. Don’t Forget the Students Student Trustees Student Trustees Student Governance Student Governance SUNY Student Assembly SUNY Student Assembly 7

8. Governance Policy vs. Operations Policy vs. Operations Recommending Recommending Resolutions Resolutions Letters Letters Participation in decision-making processes Participation in decision-making processes Advocacy Advocacy Resource Resource Be careful of the weeds! Be careful of the weeds!

9. Organizing the Work Remember: Participating in shared governance in higher education is NOT the primary job of most of the people participating in the processes and deliberations required for effective shared governance. Remember: Participating in shared governance in higher education is NOT the primary job of most of the people participating in the processes and deliberations required for effective shared governance. Maintaining academic freedom and standards while keeping processes from becoming unduly cumbersome is a constant tension for shared governance Maintaining academic freedom and standards while keeping processes from becoming unduly cumbersome is a constant tension for shared governance 9

10. Organizing the Work Understand reporting lines Understand reporting lines Where are the moments of integrated conversations? Where are the moments of integrated conversations? The purpose of resolutions The purpose of resolutions Closing the Loop Closing the Loop 10

11. Organizing the Work Types of Committees Types of Committees Standing Committees Standing Committees Ad Hoc Committees Ad Hoc Committees Task Forces Task Forces Subcommittees Subcommittees 11

12. 12 COMMUNICATION and Community Building With each other With each other With all decision makers With all decision makers With constituents With constituents With the Faculty Council With the Faculty Council With other SUNY campuses With other SUNY campuses

13. Meetings and Communication Division/Department Meetings Division/Department Meetings Email and listservs Email and listservs Newsletters Newsletters Handbooks Handbooks Thank You Letters Thank You Letters Social Media Social Media 13

14. 14 Regular meetings with college president Regular meetings with college president Senate president presides at senate meetings. Senate president presides at senate meetings. Bylaws with Articles that specify Name, Object, Members, Officers, Meetings, Executive board, Committees, Parliamentary authority, and Amendments Bylaws with Articles that specify Name, Object, Members, Officers, Meetings, Executive board, Committees, Parliamentary authority, and Amendments Meetings and activities advertised in advance and records of actions widely published Meetings and activities advertised in advance and records of actions widely published Attracts both junior and senior faculty who are esteemed as academic leaders Attracts both junior and senior faculty who are esteemed as academic leaders 14

15. 15 Is regarded by the campus as dealing with crucial issues Is regarded by the campus as dealing with crucial issues Has effective representation on other key governance groups Has effective representation on other key governance groups Senate leadership visible in the ceremonial and symbolic affairs of the campus Senate leadership visible in the ceremonial and symbolic affairs of the campus Initiates a major portion of its agenda items Initiates a major portion of its agenda items 15

16. 16 Defends the core values of academic freedom, determines curriculum Defends the core values of academic freedom, determines curriculum Provides an effective forum for controversial issues Provides an effective forum for controversial issues Is seen as an agent for necessary institutional change Is seen as an agent for necessary institutional change Grounds its practices in parliamentary procedure and published and endorsed principles of governance Grounds its practices in parliamentary procedure and published and endorsed principles of governance (Flynn) (Flynn) 16

17. 17 Evaluation of Shared Governance Some helpful AAUP links: Some helpful AAUP links: http://www.aaup.org/AAUP/issues/governance/g oveval.htm http://www.aaup.org/AAUP/issues/governance/g oveval.htm http://www.aaup.org/AAUP/issues/governance/g oveval.htm http://www.aaup.org/AAUP/issues/governance/g oveval.htm http://web.utk.edu/~senate/Form1.pdf http://web.utk.edu/~senate/Form1.pdf http://web.utk.edu/~senate/Form1.pdf

18. Climate for Governance Climate for Governance Institutional Communication Institutional Communication Board’s Role Board’s Role President’s Role President’s Role Faculty’s Role Faculty’s Role Joint Decision Making Joint Decision Making Assessing Structural Arrangements for Governance Assessing Structural Arrangements for Governance Seven key indicators

19. 19 SHARED GOVERNANCE The Big Picture Possible Advantages Possible Advantages Constituent groups are empowered Constituent groups are empowered There is better understanding of decision making There is better understanding of decision making Improves morale and college environment Improves morale and college environment Increases the breadth of understanding related to issues Increases the breadth of understanding related to issues Fosters divergent points of view Fosters divergent points of view Improves likelihood that the college will move forward in responding to critical issues Improves likelihood that the college will move forward in responding to critical issues Open and creative communication Open and creative communication Better teaching, and learning Better teaching, and learning

20. Suggestions Review bylaws of governance groups Review bylaws of governance groups Build online archive Build online archive Develop systematic processes of consultation Develop systematic processes of consultation Review committee structure Review 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 initiatives Consider charges and initiatives Clear timelines Clear timelines 20

21. Suggestions Use moments of reaction to reflect on processes and structures Use moments of reaction to reflect on processes and structures Focus meeting times on issues and decision- making most crucial to the college Focus meeting times on issues and decision- making most crucial to the college Have a clear understanding of confidentiality/negotiation/open/public Have a clear understanding of confidentiality/negotiation/open/public Develop robust and redundant communication strategies Develop robust and redundant communication strategies 21

22. Suggestions Make sure efforts to be inclusive are not perpetuating the subordination of persons or groups of persons Make sure efforts to be inclusive are not perpetuating the subordination of persons or groups of persons Educate representatives and liaisons Educate representatives and liaisons 22