Shared Governance › About this Theme
Guiding Principles
"Shared governance" means something different to each group (perhaps even to each person) on a college campus. Whatever their definition may be, though, they know that governance is working when faculty, administrators, and other stakeholders listen respectfully to different perspectives and then work together to make decisions aligned with their shared understanding of their institution's best interests. Faculty and administrative leaders also sense when governance is not working, with potentially disastrous - even existential - consequences.
The Association of Governing Boards' landmark report, Consequential Boards, called for a more sustainable higher education not through a diminution, but through reinvigoration of faculty shared governance, including reviews of policies and practices with faculty. Your COACHE report provides a vehicle for such a collaborative review.
To understand why shared governance is more effective at some institutions than at others, COACHE conducted a study based on a review of the literature and on nearly two dozen interviews with chief academic officers. The study identified five factors that contribute to the vitality of shared governance:
- Trust: Do the stakeholders involved in governance trust each other and the decision-making processes at their institution?
- Shared Purpose: Are stakeholders with diverse interests and perspectives united by a shared sense of purpose?
- Understanding Issues: Is decision-making informed by inclusive dialog that promotes fuller understanding of the complex issues facing the institution?
- Adaptability: Do stakeholders reflect on the effectiveness of their governance practices and pursue improvements in the status quo?
- Productivity: Does governance produce meaningful results?
The answers to these questions depend, to some extent, on an institution's governance structures and processes. More important, however, seem to be the culture and climate surrounding governance, which create the conditions that foster - or undermine - collaborative relationships between faculty and administrators. This is why our instrument draws attention not to the board, but to the faculty's own communication and decision making structures, on the culture among faculty, and on the working interactions between faculty leaders and senior administrators.
Hallmarks of Successful Models
Institutions looking to strengthen their governance cultures should consider these approaches for shoring up the five factors COACHE identified:
Develop and publish clear guidelines for governance that detail decision-making processes and articulate the specific roles and responsibilities of everyone involved. One of the keys to building trust is ensuring that governance practices consistently follow established guidelines and that the roles delegated to faculty and other stakeholder groups are respected.
Foster a culture of transparency around decision-making. Institutional leaders can set the tone by communicating openly about emerging issues and by honestly sharing the rationales for their decisions.
Design governance practices that promote interaction across different stakeholder groups. Providing opportunities for them to get to know each other and work together to achieve shared goals can break down perceived boundaries between groups, broaden individuals' perspectives on issues, and encourage collaboration.
Adopt governance practices that invite broad participation. Monitor the composition of governing bodies to ensure that they adequately represent the diverse interests and perspectives on campus. Create venues - in-person or online - for all interested parties to become directly involved in governance.
Encourage candid expression of diverse perspectives on institutional issues. Communicate the value of hearing different viewpoints, and demonstrate their value by using them to inform decision-making. Ensure that unpopular or controversial views can be freely expressed without fear of reprisal.
Build internal leadership capacity. Offer professional develop to foster skills critical to effective participation in governance, such as active listening, managing disagreements, working in teams, and leading strategic meetings.
Start a conversation about the effectiveness and efficiency of existing governance practices to identify opportunities for improvement. Ensure that the time invested in governance is well spent.
Don't forget to celebrate results. Set an agenda for governance by identifying specific goals, mapping out milestones toward each goal, and setting deadlines. Seize opportunities to publicly recognize the progress achieved through governance.
Additional resources
Download the COACHE white paper: Effective academic governance: Five ingredients for CAOs and faculty.
