Overall Rating Reporter - expired
Overall Score
Liaison Tavey Capps
Submission Date Feb. 25, 2015
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.0

Duke University
PA-3: Governance

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete Reporter Tavey Capps
Environmental Sustainability Director
Office of the Executive Vice President
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Do all enrolled students, regardless of type or status, have an avenue to participate in one or more governance bodies (through direct participation or the election of representatives)?:
Yes

A brief description of the mechanisms through which students have an avenue to participate in one or more governance bodies:

Duke Student Government (DSG) is the official governing body of undergraduate students at Duke. DSG acts as the principal liaison between students and the Duke administration and oversees the funding and approval of student organizations on campus. DSG represents the student voice at Duke, lobbying for policies and programs that better the undergraduate experience.

The Graduate and Professional Student Council of Duke University (GPSC) is the umbrella student government organization for Duke’s nine graduate and professional schools. Our purpose is to:

1. Represent and advocate on behalf of graduate and professional students at Duke University
2. Serve as a liaison among the student governments of the graduate and professional schools of the University
3. Serve as a liaison between graduate and professional students and the University Administration
4. Nominate graduate and professional student representatives to University committees;
program events of interest to the graduate and professional student community; and financially support the programming of graduate and professional student groups.


Is there at least one student representative on the institution’s governing body who was elected by peers or appointed by a representative student body or organization?:
Yes

A brief description of student representation on the governing body, including how the representatives are selected:

In addition to the 37 trustees, the Board has four observers. These are selected by Duke Student Government, the Graduate and Professional Student Council, the Duke Alumni Association, and The Duke Endowment.

Duke University Trustee Observers as of July 1, 2014

Eugene W. Cochrane, Jr. (President, The Duke Endowment, Charlotte, NC)

Neil Kondamuri (DSG)

N. Shepard Moyle (DAA President)

Shannon K. O'Connor (GPSC)

Representatives are elected by their respective organizations through fair elections once a year


Do students have a formal role in decision-making in regard to the following?:
Yes or No
Establishing organizational mission, vision, and/or goals Yes
Establishing new policies, programs, or initiatives Yes
Strategic and long-term planning Yes
Existing or prospective physical resources Yes
Budgeting, staffing and financial planning Yes
Communications processes and transparency practices Yes
Prioritization of programs and projects Yes

A brief description of the formal student role in regard to each area indicated, including examples from the previous three years:

Advisory Committee on Investment Responsibility: 2 student representatives. University body advisory to the President designed to monitor trends and activities in investment responsibility that have an impact on educational institutional investors, conduct research to update Duke’s files on companies, and provide analyses when requested by the President and provide other investment recommendations to the President.

Annual Fund Executive Committee: 1 student representative. Provides the staff of the Annual Fund with advice on fundraising and alumni relations in order to increase revenues of the annual fund toward the improvement of campus funding structures.

Athletic Council: 2 student representatives. Provides oversight of the athletic budget, promotes academic standards among athletes, promotes intercollegiate athletics and wellness programming, monitor Title IX compliance, makes recommendations for awards of financial assistance for athletics.

Recreation Facilities Liaison: 1 student representative. Works with the Recreational Facilities administration on graduate student concerns with these facilities.

University Priorities Committee: 1 student representative plus the GPSC President. Assesses university and academic priorities, ensuring that the University’s annual and long-term budgets reflect these priorities.

Student Health Advisory Committee: 6 or 7 representatives. Provides feedback, support, and information regarding graduate and professional students’ needs and concerns as related to both preventative and clinical health care provided by The Student Health Center. Examines benefits, premiums, and bids for student insurance plan. Actively support any suggestions, campaigns or new ideas which may result from the interaction of the committee and would benefit graduate and professional students as a whole.

REC and PE leadership Council: 5 student representatives. Supports the Duke Community in the promotion of their recreation pursuits, discusses recreational affairs, encourages the growth of the recreation activities on campus to a broad and diverse audience, recommends changes in the interpretation of rules and policies governing specific recreational program, advises of needed additions/improvements to recreational facilities.

GPSC Green Team: 4 student representatives. Internal Committee which aims to increase green practices across campus. This year we would like the committee to liaise with “green teams” at other universities in order to investigate what Duke can do to improve our involvement.

Global Priorities Committee: 1 student representative. Reviews and refines Duke’s global strategy assessing university and academic programs and activities operating globally, both when they are being created and in monitoring ongoing performance.

Committee on Facilities and Environment: 1 student representative. Reviews all projects destined for consideration by the Board of Trustees’ Facilities & Environment Committee


Do all staff, regardless of type or status, have an avenue to participate in one or more governance bodies (through direct participation or the election of representatives)?:
No

A brief description of the mechanisms through which all staff have an avenue to participate in one or more governance bodies:
---

Is there at least one non-supervisory staff representative on the institution’s governing body who was elected by peers or appointed by a representative staff body or organization?:
No

A brief description of non-supervisory staff representation on the governing body, including how the representatives are selected:
---

Do non-supervisory staff have a formal role in decision-making in regard to the following? :
Yes or No
Establishing organizational mission, vision, and/or goals No
Establishing new policies, programs, or initiatives No
Strategic and long-term planning No
Existing or prospective physical resources No
Budgeting, staffing and financial planning No
Communications processes and transparency practices No
Prioritization of programs and projects No

A brief description of the formal staff role in regard to each area indicated, including examples from the previous three years:
---

Do all faculty, regardless of type or status, have an avenue to participate in one or more governance bodies (through direct participation or the election of representatives)?:
Yes

A brief description of the mechanisms through which all faculty (including adjunct faculty) have an avenue to participate in one or more governance bodies:

Nomination and elections for Board of Trustees. The thirty-six elected Trustees shall be elected as follows: twelve by the North Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church; twelve by the Western North Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church and twelve by the graduates of Duke University. Any student, faculty member, alumnus, Trustee, or other friend of the University may offer candidates for consideration. A roster of such candidates shall be kept in the office of the University Secretary, and it shall be reviewed whenever vacancies are expected to occur. The Executive Committee shall then make its recommendations to the Board of Trustees, and the Board, after hearing the recommendations of the Executive Committee, and by a majority of the Trustees present at any regular meeting, shall nominate the persons to be elected Trustees and submit its nominations to the appropriate conference of the United Methodist Church and the graduates.

The Board of Trustees, in its discretion, may elect representatives of the faculty and student body from lists of nominations developed by the President in consultation with representative student and faculty groups. The term of any faculty and student committee member who may be elected shall be one year. The election of other committee members shall be effected by the Board of Trustees in accordance with the membership requirements of each committee.


Is there at least one teaching or research faculty representative on the institution’s governing body who was elected by peers or appointed by a representative faculty body or organization?:
Yes

A brief description of faculty representation on the governing body, including how the representatives are selected:

The Board of Trustees performs much of its work through committees that can engage deeply in topics of importance to the University. The Board elects the members of all Trustee committees, which include Trustees, faculty, and students. The Board of Trustees currently has nine standing committees and may establish other committees and subcommittees as needed.

Executive Committee
Academic Affairs Committee
Audit Committee
Business and Finance Committee
Facilities and Environment Committee
Committee on Honorary Degrees
Human Resources Committee
Institutional Advancement Committee
Medical Center Academic Affairs Committee
Subcommittee on Trusteeship
Undergraduate Education Committee

Representatives are selected by a list of nominations developed by the President after consultation from representative student and faculty groups.

The Academic Council and the Executive Committee which it elects are the chief instruments of faculty governance at Duke University. The Bylaws of the University invite the Faculty in general, and the various quorums as well, to organize themselves in representative councils for discussion of matters of interest to each faculty grouping. These councils provide for representation of considered faculty opinion to the Administration, and less directly to the Trustees and any other bodies.


Do faculty have a formal role in decision-making in regard to the following?:
Yes or No
Establishing organizational mission, vision, and/or goals Yes
Establishing new policies, programs, or initiatives Yes
Strategic and long-term planning Yes
Existing or prospective physical resources Yes
Budgeting, staffing and financial planning Yes
Communications processes and transparency practices Yes
Prioritization of programs and projects Yes

A brief description of the formal faculty role in regard to each area indicated, including examples from the previous three years:

ACADEMIC AFFAIRS COMMITTEE: the Academic Affairs Committee oversees all activities that support the academic mission of the University, including the articulation of the academic mission of the University, enhancing the quality of the academic program, considering new academic programs and significant modifications in existing academic programs, fostering faculty development and other faculty priorities, all matters relating to the graduate and professional student experience (including academic, extra-curricular, and co-curricular affairs), promoting scholarly research, and overseeing strategic planning for the University and its constituent schools. The Committee's jurisdiction coordinates with, but does not extend to, matters under the jurisdiction of the Medical Center Academic Affairs Committee or the Undergraduate Education Committee

BUSINESS AND FINANCE COMMITTEE: The Business and Finance Committee is responsible for safeguarding and monitoring the University's financial stability and long-term economic health. The Committee serves as the Board's principal forum for the consideration of matters relating to the University's business operations, administration, budgeting, financing, financial reporting, and financial reserves. On a regular basis the Committee provides the Board with complete financial overviews of the University and recommends policies and procedures governing the funding of yearly operational plans and the financing of long-term capital needs.

FACILITIES AND ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE: The Committee is responsible for all planning, construction, maintenance, expansion, and renovation projects that impact the University's consolidated infrastructure, physical facilities, and natural environment, including its lands, improvements, and capital equipment. Within parameters established by the Committee and approved by the Board, the Committee oversees capital projects; designs for projects; and certain capital projects of Duke University Health System, Inc.; the selection and appointment of architects, construction managers, and contractors for such projects; acquisition or disposition of property; and operation and maintenance projects of a certain magnitude. The Committee makes appropriate recommendations to the Board concerning the University's Master Plan, buildings, grounds, roads, walkways, parking facilities, utilities, and environmental sustainability and policies relating thereto.

HUMAN RESOURCES COMMITTEE: The Human Resources Committee oversees the University's human resources policies and practices and advises the administration on major aspects of workforce planning, strategy, and investment to ensure that the workforce configuration and culture are optimally suited to the strategic needs of Duke and reflect the University's values of equity, diversity, and inclusion. The Committee considers and recommends action required to advance the University's strategic mission by promoting fair and respectful practices and compliance with all applicable employment, labor, and workplace laws.

INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT COMMITTEE: The Institutional Advancement Committee reviews, discusses, and, when appropriate and necessary, recommends action on important and substantive issues and proposals involving development, public affairs and government relations, community affairs, and alumni affairs. The Committee reviews and recommends University-wide policies and practices concerning philanthropic giving, fundraising initiatives, alumni programming, communications and media, government and public relations, and community affairs.

UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE: The Undergraduate Education Committee is responsible for the academic, social, ethical, and personal development of undergraduate students. The Undergraduate Education Committee oversees and recommends policies relating to the undergraduate experience, including academic studies; curriculum; residence life; student governance and activities; and the general physical, psychological, and spiritual well-being of undergraduate students.


The website URL where information about the institution’s governance structure is available:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:

All information regarding the Graduate and Professional Student Council's involvement with the University's Committees.

http://gpsc.duke.edu/committees/


All information regarding the Graduate and Professional Student Council's involvement with the University's Committees.

http://gpsc.duke.edu/committees/

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.