American University
PA-3: Governance

The president of the Student Government and the President of the Student Bar Association are both elected by their peers and serve on the Board of Trustees.

The president of the Student Government and the President of the Student Bar Association are both elected by their peers and serve on the Board of Trustees.

--Establishing organizational mission, vision, and/or goals-- The University’s organizational mission, vision, and goals are articulated in the Statement of Common Purpose and the University’s Strategic Plan, American University and the Next Decade: Leadership for a Changing World. The Statement was developed in collaboration with faculty, students, and staff and was widely discussed on campus and endorsed by the Board of Trustees. As part of the University’s accreditation process, AU presented “AU Self-Study” for the Middle States Commission on Higher Education in 2014. The Statement of Common Purpose is reaffirmed during that process. --Strategic and long-term planning-- The current AU Strategic Plan, which covers a ten-year period from fiscal year 2010 – fiscal year 2020, was developed with intensive involvement from all campus constituencies, including students, supervisory and non-supervisory staff, and faculty. All of the members of the University community were invited to a series of town hall meetings and open dialogues to provide input to the Plan. AU demonstrated a direct linkage between strategic/long-term goals and resource allocations since its inception of the Strategic Plan. In order to monitor progress towards the strategic plan goals, a number of university-wide assessments have been conducted on a regular basis. Examples include the Customer Satisfaction Survey for students, faculty, supervisory and non-supervisory staff; and the Chronicle’s Best Place to Work survey. --Establishing new policies, programs, or initiatives-- Governance structures exist where students, staff and faculty participate in decisions establishing new policies, programs and other initiatives. These include the Faculty Senate, Staff Council, Student Government, Committees, Project Teams and Task Forces. For example, the Faculty Senate was instrumental in revising the faculty manual, academic regulation and tenure and promotion guidelines. Staff Council promotes understanding, facilitates communication and serves as an advocate for staff issues. The Student Government is designed to provide students with an opportunity to be involved in the decision making process. Students represented include undergraduate, student bar association and graduate leadership council. Various committees, project teams and task forces are formed as needed to address university issues. Members include a cross representation of faculty, staff and students depending on the nature of the charge. Their recommendations are presented to management for consideration. --Existing or prospective physical resources-- The University’s capital budget is a multi-year financial plan to support the institution’s long-term capital development goals, which include new construction, major renovations, and facility improvement of university buildings and campus infrastructure. Integration of the operating budget and capital budget provides a linkage between the camps master plan and academic priorities to align with the University’s Strategic Plan. In assessing the facility needs of academic or administrative departments, numerous focus groups are consulted, including students, faculty and staff. One recent example is the Repurposing the Mary Graydon Center to create the Student Union initiative. --Budgeting, staffing and financial planning-- Appointed by the President, the University Budget Committee (UBC) is co-chaired by the Provost and the CFO/VP Treasurer, includes members of Faculty Senate, student leaders representing the Student Government, the Graduate Leadership Council, and the Student Bar Association, a member of the Staff Council representing supervisory and non-supervisory staff, and administrators. This group played a key role in making recommendations on the budget development criteria and university funding priorities for fiscal years 2016 and 2017 to the President, who ultimately presented a balanced budget to the Board of Trustees for approval. The budget development criteria include pricing considerations, strategic plan resources, staffing, and other financial planning projections. In addition, the University Budget Office (UBO) responds to inquiries made by the Faculty Senate, student leaders, or other university constituencies with regard to budget, resource management, staffing, and financial management of the University. The CFO/VP Treasurer makes presentations to campus constituency groups on important strategic issues and the financial health of the University. --Prioritization of programs and projects-- Prioritization of programs and projects are determined during the strategic planning and goals setting process. (See Statement of Common Purpose and the University’s Strategic Plan, American University and the Next Decade: Leadership for a Changing World.)

Staff council representatives are elected by their peers and the chair of staff council serves as a campus representative on the Board of Trustees.

Staff council representatives are elected by their peers and the chair of staff council serves as a campus representative on the Board of Trustees.

--Establishing organizational mission, vision, and/or goals-- The University’s organizational mission, vision, and goals are articulated in the Statement of Common Purpose and the University’s Strategic Plan, American University and the Next Decade: Leadership for a Changing World. The Statement was developed in collaboration with faculty, students, and staff and was widely discussed on campus and endorsed by the Board of Trustees. As part of the University’s accreditation process, AU presented “AU Self-Study” for the Middle States Commission on Higher Education in 2014. The Statement of Common Purpose is reaffirmed during that process. --Strategic and long-term planning-- The current AU Strategic Plan, which covers a ten-year period from fiscal year 2010 – fiscal year 2020, was developed with intensive involvement from all campus constituencies, including students, supervisory and non-supervisory staff, and faculty. All of the members of the University community were invited to a series of town hall meetings and open dialogues to provide input to the Plan. AU demonstrated a direct linkage between strategic/long-term goals and resource allocations since its inception of the Strategic Plan. In order to monitor progress towards the strategic plan goals, a number of university-wide assessments have been conducted on a regular basis. Examples include the Customer Satisfaction Survey for students, faculty, supervisory and non-supervisory staff; and the Chronicle’s Best Place to Work survey. --Establishing new policies, programs, or initiatives-- Governance structures exist where students, staff and faculty participate in decisions establishing new policies, programs and other initiatives. These include the Faculty Senate, Staff Council, Student Government, Committees, Project Teams and Task Forces. For example, the Faculty Senate was instrumental in revising the faculty manual, academic regulation and tenure and promotion guidelines. Staff Council promotes understanding, facilitates communication and serves as an advocate for staff issues. The Student Government is designed to provide students with an opportunity to be involved in the decision making process. Students represented include undergraduate, student bar association and graduate leadership council. Various committees, project teams and task forces are formed as needed to address university issues. Members include a cross representation of faculty, staff and students depending on the nature of the charge. Their recommendations are presented to management for consideration. --Existing or prospective physical resources-- The University’s capital budget is a multi-year financial plan to support the institution’s long-term capital development goals, which include new construction, major renovations, and facility improvement of university buildings and campus infrastructure. Integration of the operating budget and capital budget provides a linkage between the camps master plan and academic priorities to align with the University’s Strategic Plan. In assessing the facility needs of academic or administrative departments, numerous focus groups are consulted, including students, faculty and staff. One recent example is the Repurposing the Mary Graydon Center to create the Student Union initiative. --Budgeting, staffing and financial planning-- Appointed by the President, the University Budget Committee (UBC) is co-chaired by the Provost and the CFO/VP Treasurer, includes members of Faculty Senate, student leaders representing the Student Government, the Graduate Leadership Council, and the Student Bar Association, a member of the Staff Council representing supervisory and non-supervisory staff, and administrators. This group played a key role in making recommendations on the budget development criteria and university funding priorities for fiscal years 2016 and 2017 to the President, who ultimately presented a balanced budget to the Board of Trustees for approval. The budget development criteria include pricing considerations, strategic plan resources, staffing, and other financial planning projections. In addition, the University Budget Office (UBO) responds to inquiries made by the Faculty Senate, student leaders, or other university constituencies with regard to budget, resource management, staffing, and financial management of the University. The CFO/VP Treasurer makes presentations to campus constituency groups on important strategic issues and the financial health of the University. --Prioritization of programs and projects-- Prioritization of programs and projects are determined during the strategic planning and goals setting process. (See Statement of Common Purpose and the University’s Strategic Plan, American University and the Next Decade: Leadership for a Changing World.)

The Faculty Senate provides opportunity for faculty to participate in governance. All members of the university community are invited to attend meetings. Faculty can also participate on university committees on specific topics.

Faculty elect the voting senate and that membership must include at least one term faculty member.

--Establishing organizational mission, vision, and/or goals-- The University’s organizational mission, vision, and goals are articulated in the Statement of Common Purpose and the University’s Strategic Plan, American University and the Next Decade: Leadership for a Changing World. The Statement was developed in collaboration with faculty, students, and staff and was widely discussed on campus and endorsed by the Board of Trustees. As part of the University’s accreditation process, AU presented “AU Self-Study” for the Middle States Commission on Higher Education in 2014. The Statement of Common Purpose is reaffirmed during that process. --Strategic and long-term planning-- The current AU Strategic Plan, which covers a ten-year period from fiscal year 2010 – fiscal year 2020, was developed with intensive involvement from all campus constituencies, including students, supervisory and non-supervisory staff, and faculty. All of the members of the University community were invited to a series of town hall meetings and open dialogues to provide input to the Plan. AU demonstrated a direct linkage between strategic/long-term goals and resource allocations since its inception of the Strategic Plan. In order to monitor progress towards the strategic plan goals, a number of university-wide assessments have been conducted on a regular basis. Examples include the Customer Satisfaction Survey for students, faculty, supervisory and non-supervisory staff; and the Chronicle’s Best Place to Work survey. --Establishing new policies, programs, or initiatives-- Governance structures exist where students, staff and faculty participate in decisions establishing new policies, programs and other initiatives. These include the Faculty Senate, Staff Council, Student Government, Committees, Project Teams and Task Forces. For example, the Faculty Senate was instrumental in revising the faculty manual, academic regulation and tenure and promotion guidelines. Staff Council promotes understanding, facilitates communication and serves as an advocate for staff issues. The Student Government is designed to provide students with an opportunity to be involved in the decision making process. Students represented include undergraduate, student bar association and graduate leadership council. Various committees, project teams and task forces are formed as needed to address university issues. Members include a cross representation of faculty, staff and students depending on the nature of the charge. Their recommendations are presented to management for consideration. --Existing or prospective physical resources-- The University’s capital budget is a multi-year financial plan to support the institution’s long-term capital development goals, which include new construction, major renovations, and facility improvement of university buildings and campus infrastructure. Integration of the operating budget and capital budget provides a linkage between the camps master plan and academic priorities to align with the University’s Strategic Plan. In assessing the facility needs of academic or administrative departments, numerous focus groups are consulted, including students, faculty and staff. One recent example is the Repurposing the Mary Graydon Center to create the Student Union initiative. --Budgeting, staffing and financial planning-- Appointed by the President, the University Budget Committee (UBC) is co-chaired by the Provost and the CFO/VP Treasurer, includes members of Faculty Senate, student leaders representing the Student Government, the Graduate Leadership Council, and the Student Bar Association, a member of the Staff Council representing supervisory and non-supervisory staff, and administrators. This group played a key role in making recommendations on the budget development criteria and university funding priorities for fiscal years 2016 and 2017 to the President, who ultimately presented a balanced budget to the Board of Trustees for approval. The budget development criteria include pricing considerations, strategic plan resources, staffing, and other financial planning projections. In addition, the University Budget Office (UBO) responds to inquiries made by the Faculty Senate, student leaders, or other university constituencies with regard to budget, resource management, staffing, and financial management of the University. The CFO/VP Treasurer makes presentations to campus constituency groups on important strategic issues and the financial health of the University. --Prioritization of programs and projects-- Prioritization of programs and projects are determined during the strategic planning and goals setting process. (See Statement of Common Purpose and the University’s Strategic Plan, American University and the Next Decade: Leadership for a Changing World.)