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Demystifying "shared governance"
In today's Chronicle of Higher Education, Gary A. Olson, provost and vice president at Idaho State University, tries to shed some light on one of the oft-repeated phrases in higher ed-speak: shared governance. Shared governance in higher education refers to the inclusion of the various constituent parties of the university--trustees, administration, faculty, staff, and students--in the decision-making process of the university. However, as he points out, there is often not a shared understanding (so to speak) of what it means in practice.
Olson, unlike many, does not leave trustees out of the picture. In fact, he points out that "the legal right and obligation to exercise authority over an institution is vested in and flows from its board." The board may grant the day-to-day oversight of the institution to the administration, or give faculty and student groups the right to give input on student or academic affairs, but trustees have the final word. As Olson notes, "genuine shared governance gives voice (but not necessarily ultimate authority) to concerns common to all constituencies as well as to issues unique to specific groups." This ultimate authority lies with boards--which makes it all the more important that they know how to do their job well.
ACTA research fellow Erin O'Connor has further thoughts.
Posted by Sandra E. Czelusniak on July 24, 2009 at July 24, 2009 10:42 AM
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