Faculty Governance:
Definitions and Strategies
Jenn Nichols, AAUP
This PowerPoint Presentation was initially designed by
long-time AAUP activist Glenn Howze (1937-2010)
AAUP Position on Shared Governance
 Since its founding in 1915, the AAUP has advocated for
significant faculty participation in university governance.
 The Association issued its first statement on governance in
1920, emphasizing the importance of faculty involvement in
personnel decisions, selection of administrators, budget
matters, and determination of educational policies.
 Refinements to the Association’s position were made in 1938
and 1958-64.
1915 Declaration of Principles
 These considerations [of the nature of the academic calling]
make still more clear the nature of the relationship between
the university trustees and the members of university
faculties. The latter are the appointees, but not in any proper
sense the employees, of the former. For, once appointed, the
scholar has professional functions to perform in which the
appointing authorities have neither competency nor moral
right to intervene. The responsibility of the university
teacher is primarily to the public itself, and to the judgment
of his [sic] own profession…
1966 Statement of Government of
Colleges and Universities
 Recommends “Shared” or “Joint”
Governance, because…
 “The variety and complexity of the tasks performed by
institutions of higher education produce an inescapable
interdependence among governing boards,
administration, faculty, students and others. The
relationship calls for adequate communication among
these components and full opportunity for appropriate
joint planning and effort.”
1966 Statement of Government of
Colleges and Universities
 Joint effort means everybody gets to
participate depending on degree of
responsibility:
 “…differences in the weight of each voice, from one
point to the next, should be determined by reference to
the responsibility of each component for the particular
matter at hand…”
1966 Statement of Government of
Colleges and Universities
 Who’s “Everybody”?
 Three “Components”:
 Governing Board
 Administration
 Faculty
1966 Statement of Government of
Colleges and Universities
 Role of Students
 When students want to participate in campus governance, an
attempt should be made to create meaningful involvement.
 Obstacles to participation are large --“inexperience, untested capacity, transitory status, “ and the fact
that the board, administration and faculty are in positions of
judgment over the students.
1966 Statement of Government of
Colleges and Universities
 Role of the Governing Board
 Defines the overall role of the university.
 Possesses final decision-making authority (“owners”)
 Delegates the conduct of administration to administrative officers
and the conduct of teaching and research to the faculty.
 Plays a major role in ensuring that the institution has the
financial resources it needs to operate successfully.
1966 Statement of Government of
Colleges and Universities
 Role of the President
 Is the chief planning officer
 Has the responsibility to make certain that the
operation of the University conforms to the policies
set by the governing board.
 Provides institutional leadership.
 Is the chief operational officer
1966 Statement of Government of
Colleges and Universities
 Role of the Faculty: principles
 The faculty has responsibility (voice,
authority) for matters in proportion to
degree of expert knowledge. Therefore…
 Has “primary responsibility
for…curriculum, subject matter and
methods of instruction, research, faculty
status, and those aspects of student life which
relate to the educational process.”
1966 Statement of Government of
Colleges and Universities
 Role of the Faculty: principles
 Because of expert knowledge, the faculty also…
 Has primary responsibility for faculty personnel
decisions (“faculty status”): “appointments,
reappointments, decisions not to reappoint,
promotions, the granting of tenure, and dismissal.”
1966 Statement of Government of
Colleges and Universities
 Role of the Faculty: principles
 For this same reason, the faculty…
 Has oversight over admissions.
 Sets requirements for degrees and determines when
requirements have been met.
1966 Statement of Government of
Colleges and Universities
 Role of the Faculty: recommendations (1)
 In areas of faculty primacy, boards and presidents
should “concur with faculty judgment except in rare
instances and for compelling reasons which should be
stated in detail.”
 “Agencies for faculty participation in the government
of the college or university should be established at
each level where faculty responsibility is present.”
1966 Statement of Government of
Colleges and Universities
 Role of the Faculty: recommendations (2)
 “An agency should exist for the presentation of the
views of the whole faculty.”
 “Faculty representatives should be selected by the
faculty according to procedures determined by the
faculty.”
1966 Statement of Government of
Colleges and Universities
 Role of the Faculty: communication
 Structures for communication among board,
administration, and faculty should exist and “be clearly
understood and observed.” These could include
 Circulation of memos and reports by board,
administration and faculty committees
 Joint ad hoc committees
 Standing liaison committees.
 Membership of faculty on administrative bodies
 Membership of faculty on governing boards
1966 Statement of Government of
Colleges and Universities
 Shared Governance is NOT
 The idea that a lot of conversation ought to take place
within an among various campus groups—board,
administration, faculty, staff, students, etc.—before
the people in power make the final decision.
 i.e., the “stakeholder” version of shared governance.
The “Stakeholder” Version of Shared
Governance
 Premises of the “Stakeholder” Version
 When it comes to important issues, all final decision
making power belongs to the board/administration.
 All subordinate campus constituents are pretty much
equal, regardless of function and expertise (the
insidious implication of the term “stakeholder”).
1966 Statement of Government of
Colleges and Universities
 Essence of the Classic Conception
 All voices are NOT equal in institutional governance.
 The faculty exercises “primary responsibility” in areas
of expert knowledge.
 Administration/board normally concur with faculty
recommendations regarding areas of primary
responsibility.
1966 Statement of Government of
Colleges and Universities
 Essence of the Classical Conception, con’t.
 “…except for rare instances and for compelling
reasons which should be stated in detail.”
 i.e., in academic matters, a faculty decision should
normally be a final decision.
 Administration/board maintains a hands-off policy
when it comes to curriculum, academic policy, and
appointment, reappointment, tenure and promotion.
Points to Remember
 Governance reform is a slow process.
 A governance document is never perfect.
 Shared governance will only work if faculty members are
willing to devote the needed time and effort.
 Good communication is essential.
 Effective shared governance requires mutual trust and
respect.