More than anything else, this great country’s decline into polarization, unbridled individualism, and the inability to listen to anyone who has a different view is what we must address if we are going to come back together as a nation and forge a bright future—and solve intractable problems like racism and inequity. Our democracy in the United States of America is based on a paradox best captured in our motto: e pluribus unum —out of the many, one. The ideal of our political state depends upon honoring the rich diversity of our nation, the way in which we are comprised of a wide variety of races and ethnicities, of political and social views, of backgrounds and histories. When fully lived into its potential, our democracy not only honors that rich diversity, but it weaves it together into a unified tapestry, a nation where diverse views are paradoxically at the heart of our union. That is, the state we seek to achieve is a paradoxical one: out of our diversity—and because of and through our diversity, we are one united country. We have lost the thread that weaves us back together. Shared Governance Which is why our three-year conversation around shared governance has been so important. How do we, as a university community, come together recognizing our diverse roles and perspectives into one community? We should model what we want to see in our wider society, and we should make it a central component of our curriculum and co-curriculum. The shared governance process was started in 2022-2023 with a study group between faculty and administrators, given that shared governance has traditionally been defined as that between these two groups and the board. The group learned a great deal during these conversations about current understanding of shared governance and where there is work to do to improve our ability to work together. In 2023-2024, the group was expanded to include exempt and classified staff and students, groups generally not included in shared governance conversations. Erin Black, chair of the Board of Trustees, was also included. During these two years, the group read and studied the shared governance foundational documents produced by the American Association of University Professors (the national association representing faculty unions) and the Association of Governing Boards (the national association representing governing boards). The group’s studies began with the 1966 document: “Statement on Government of Colleges and Universities” which was signed by both of these organizations as well as the American Council on Education (the national association that advocates for higher education). Learning and reflection continued into 2024-2025 as the group worked together to craft the Shared Governance document that is on the agenda for approval Friday, May 16. In the Preamble, we acknowledge that this document is an aspirational vision for how we can work together as a university community. It opens, stating that:
4 Board of Trustees Minutes May 15-16, 2025
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