Effective shared governance strengthens an institution by serving as a
Effective shared governance strengthens an institution by serving as a vehicle for necessary change. Strong shared governance does not diminish governing board accountability, but rather informs important decisions. A board’s commitment to the value and practice of shared
vehicle for necessary change.
governance bears fruit for the institution in the form of mutual trust in challenging times, support for innovation, and shared commitment to goals for building a stronger future. It facilitates a culture that welcomes input, broadens commitment, and fosters creative ideas.3
2. For shared governance to work, it must be based on a culture of meaningful engagement.
A system of shared governance that focuses on rights may politicize the process instead of taking advantage of its potential value. A culture of meaningful engagement among board members, administration, and faculty can elevate the outcome—as well as the experience— of shared governance. This kind of culture requires a strong board commitment, which can be expressed in a variety of ways, both formal and symbolic. Boards should consider adding a formal commitment to shared governance within their statements of board member expectations. Additionally, while AGB does not recommend adding faculty seats to the governing board itself, the board should seek ways to benefit from faculty engagement, experience, and expertise by including faculty members in the work of board committees and task forces. A governing board’s academic affairs committee should address issues related to shared governance, and it should benefit from engagement with faculty on such critical topics as educational quality, student success, and completion. Governing boards often choose to invite formal faculty consideration of academic budgets and strategic priorities that might affect faculty responsibilities. In doing so, governing boards should expect good intent, even fiduciary-like performance: faculty input that serves the interests of the institution as a whole, welcomes diverse opinions within the faculty itself, and responds to the need for timely input and decision deadlines that enable action.
3 As part of its project on shared governance, AGB developed case studies of institutions and systems where shared governance has been pursued with marked intentionality. See agb.org/revitalizing-shared-governance-for-the-21st-century.
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Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges
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