Overall Rating Silver - expired
Overall Score 48.20
Liaison Gary Cocke
Submission Date March 1, 2017
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

Baylor University
PA-3: Participatory Governance

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 2.00 / 3.00 Smith Getterman
Assistant Director of Sustainability and Special Projects
Office of Sustainability
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Part 1

Do the institution’s students have a representative body through which they can participate in governance (e.g. a student council)? :
Yes

Do the institution’s students have an elected representative on the institution’s highest governing body?:
Yes

If yes to either of the above, provide:

A brief description of the bodies and mechanisms through which students are engaged in governance, including information to support each affirmative response above:
Student Senate functions as the legislative branch of Student Government and exists to advocate on behalf of students to voice the opinion of Baylor students. These goals are sought and accomplished by 52 representatives elected by the student body to represent each class. Within Student Senate, these members are separated into five standing committees to insure that the student body is most efficiently represented. These committees include Academic Affairs, Campus Improvements and Affairs, Finance, Operations and Procedures, and Public Relations. Ad Hoc committees also are formed, as needed, to address specific issues and projects. Students apply for, and then are elected, to serve as Student Regents on the Board of Regents. Starting in the fall of 2017, students will be a voting member of the board.

Do the institution’s staff members have a representative body through which they can participate in governance (e.g. a staff council)?:
Yes

Do the institution’s non-supervisory staff members have an elected representative on the institution’s highest governing body?:
No

If yes to either of the above, provide:

A brief description of the bodies and mechanisms through which staff are engaged in governance, including information to support each affirmative response above:
Staff members may serve on Staff Council. The members of the Staff Council represent each division of the University and a variety of departments across campus. Membership into the Staff Council is determined by a nomination process. Any University staff person may self nominate or make a nomination of another staff member upon permission of that nominee. All nominees must have been employed by the University for a minimum of 2 years. The nomination process begins each February and is followed by an election each March.

Do the institution’s teaching and research faculty have a representative body through which they can participate in governance (e.g. a faculty senate)?:
Yes

Do the institution’s teaching and research faculty have an elected representative on the institution’s highest governing body? :
Yes

If yes to either of the above, provide:

A brief description of the bodies and mechanisms through which teaching and research faculty are engaged in governance, including information to support each affirmative response above:
The Faculty Senate annually elects new senators that represent all units of the university. The Faculty then votes and elects a representative to the join the Board of Regents.

Part 2

Does the institution have written policies and procedures to identify and engage external stakeholders (i.e. local residents) in land use planning, capital investment projects, and other institutional decisions that affect the community?:
No

A copy of the written policies and procedures:
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The policies and procedures:
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Does the institution have formal participatory or shared governance bodies through which community members representing the interests of the following stakeholder groups can regularly participate in institutional governance?:
Yes or No
Local government and/or educational organizations Yes
Private sector organizations Yes
Civil society (e.g. NGOs, NPOs) Yes

If yes to one or more of the above, provide:

A brief description of the bodies and mechanisms through which external stakeholders are engaged in institutional governance (including information about each stakeholder group selected above):
Baylor's Board of Regents is comprised of members from all of the above sectors. http://www.baylor.edu/boardofregents/index.php?id=937243

Optional Fields 

The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:
http://www.baylor.edu/boardofregents/index.php?id=937243

Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.