FGC/AAUP Shared Governance Session

The faculty of St. Olaf College are invited to attend training session on shared governance provided by a senior program officer from AAUP and sponsored by the college’s AAUP chapter and the Faculty Governance Committee.

This session supports our collective work toward changes to faculty governance and shared governance. Here are some of the topics Mark Criley, the senior program officer from the Department of Academic Freedom, Tenure, & Governance at the national AAUP office, has been asked to address:

• General introduction to shared governance: What is it? What is its basis in law and norms? Why does it matter for higher education overall?
• Process: Are there tested “hacks” — practical dos and don’ts, prescribed ways of proceeding — for negotiating and transitioning into new modes of governance?
• What does conventional wisdom say about best practices for faculty engagement with boards of trustees? (Voting privileges on board committees or full board? Structured meetings between faculty senate/council and board? Other?)
• What AAUP documents contain the most recent guidance on principles of shared governance? Should we consult any of them beforehand?

Please reach out to FGC members or the AAUP chapter members with any questions or comments. If you would like to familiarize yourself with the documents that frame shared governance at St. Olaf College, take a look at the college bylaws and the faculty manual.