• The Faculty Senate • United Faculty of Central • Exempt Employee Association • Classified Employee Council
• Public School Employees (Classified Staff Union) • Washington Federation of State Employees • Teamsters • Associated Students of Central Washington University Board of Directors III. Shared Governance Authority and Responsibilities Each shared governance group plays a distinct role and has differing levels and kinds of authority, as determined by the role and responsibility of that group. Honoring the authority of other groups is essential to healthy shared governance. Three different levels or kinds of authority exist in the shared governance decision-making process. These levels of authority derive from the responsibility that a shared governance group has over a particular area. Final Authority : A group has the authority to make unilateral decisions. At a minimum, other shared governance groups who are impacted by the decision should be informed of the action or consulted in a pro forma fashion. Primary Authority : A group has authority for an area but other groups have an opportunity to participate meaningfully in the decision-making process. If there is disagreement between the groups, the group that has primary authority normally prevails. Final authority supersedes primary authority. Joint Authority : Two or more shared governance groups exercise equal influence in an area. These groups must collaborate closely in the decision-making process. If an area is subject to collective bargaining between a union and the administration or Board, the level of union participation should presumably be “joint authority.” Final authority supersedes joint authority. In all cases, including cases where the Board has final authority, shared governance at CWU includes an expectation of transparent communication and meaningful participation. Because of the unique expertise that faculty hold at a university, consultation with faculty in areas that relate to the educational and scholarly mission of the university is essential. The roles, responsibilities, and authority of the major groups of shared governance are outlined below. Board of Trustees The Board of Trustees for Central Washington University is the only shared governance group with final authority. As the state designated body overseeing the university, the Board has the final authority over the university, and delegates authority to the President in the operations of the university. The Board has final authority for hiring and
CWU Shared Governance
2
Made with FlippingBook interactive PDF creator