AGB Board of Directors’ Statement on Shared Governance
Conclusion T he historic debate about what shared governance is and the tension among governing boards, presidents, and faculty will likely continue, especially as resources grow scarce and stakes remain high. Each group must recognize that ensuring the value proposition for higher education will require working together on behalf of students and society. Perhaps the best indicator of how well shared governance is working on any campus is whether it enables, rather than constrains, thoughtful decisions to enhance student success, institutional health, and innovation. Boards, working with key administrators and faculty leaders, hold responsibility for ensuring that the practice of shared governance embodies and advances institutional values.
Questions for Boards to Ask
ññ How are new board members, faculty, and senior staff oriented to shared governance?
ññ How does the board learn about faculty work? How does the faculty learn about the board’s role and responsibilities? ññ How can the board contribute to an institutional culture of appropriate engagement and inclusion in decision making? ññ What are the roles of students and staff in shared governance at our institution? Is the board satisfied with their engagement? ññ What can the board chair do to demonstrate the board’s commitment to shared governance? What does the president do? ññ When did the institution last assess the state of its shared governance? What was the result? What has changed based on that assessment?
ññ How does the board engage with the faculty on matters of consequence?
ññ Are the priorities of the board, president, and faculty currently aligned on critical mission-related matters? Is there agreement on the strategic priorities of the institution? Which are important topics or questions for collaboration?
ññ How well would shared governance work at this institution in a crisis?
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