Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 70.16
Liaison Kylee Singh
Submission Date Sept. 19, 2019
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

California Polytechnic State University
PA-3: Participatory Governance

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 2.50 / 3.00 Kylee Singh
Sustainability Coordinator
Energy Utilities and Sustainability
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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

A brief description of the bodies and mechanisms through which students are engaged in governance, including information to support each affirmative response above:

At Cal Poly student government leaders work to uphold Associated Students Incorporated's vision of providing students with the ultimate college experience. Student leaders encourage shared governance, student advocacy, and collaboration with other campus and community entities.
https://www.asi.calpoly.edu/student_government

Taken from CSU Board of Trustees website:
The Governor appoints two student trustees from nominees proposed by the California State Student Association. These student trustees serve staggered two-year terms. One student trustee has full voting powers; the second, non-voting student trustee succeeds to the voting position upon the expiration of the term of the first.
https://www2.calstate.edu/csu-system/board-of-trustees/Pages/about-the-bot.aspx


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

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 can participate in workers unions across the university system. For every union on campus, there is an elected union representative. Often these union reps from the university serve and participate in the CSU Board of Trustees meetings and other high level governance opportunities. These staff members take feedback from campus employees and ensure that campus and system leadership are making changes to address any staff issues.


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

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 Academic Senate is the faculty governing body of the University representing approximately over 1,300 faculty members. It is the principal mechanism for consultative participation by the University community in the administrative decisions of the President. This legislative body is comprised of approximately 50 elected faculty representatives, 4 administrators, and 2 students.
The Academic Senate formulates and evaluates policy and procedures on academic, fiscal, and personnel matters. The work of the Senate is accomplished through its several committees (comprised of approximately 130 faculty, administrators, and students), which received their charges from the Academic Senate Executive Committee. Recommended action is forwarded to the Academic Senate for deliberation and then to the President for approval and implementation. In addition, the Academic Senate may make recommendations to the Board of Trustees, the Chancellor, or the CSU Academic Senate that it judges will benefit the CSU.
https://academicsenate.calpoly.edu/

The Governor appoints a Faculty Trustee from nominees proposed by the Statewide Academic Senate. The Alumni and Faculty Trustees serve for two years.
https://www2.calstate.edu/csu-system/board-of-trustees/Pages/about-the-bot.aspx


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?:
Yes

A copy of the written policies and procedures:
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) No

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):

The Campus Planning Committee's primary function is to assist the President in the coordination, development, and control of a long-range plan for the physical development of the campus, within a framework of policy established by the Trustees of The California State University. This committee consists of four seats for local community members and public officials.

There are multiple representatives from the business community that serve on the Cal Poly Foundation board. These people oversee the universities endowment which drives the direction of fundraising and expenditures for campus, a key role in the success of the university.
https://foundation.calpoly.edu/content/foundation_board


The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:
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.