George Washington University
PA-3: Inclusive and Participatory Governance

STUDENT
The Student Association (SA) is an elected body of student representatives. The SA president is appointed by the George Washington University Board of Trustees Chair to serve as a Board Observer. Board Observers are not members of the Board of Trustees, but may attend the regular session of the Board meetings. The SA president participates as a non-voting observer on the Board committee on Academic Affairs, and provides an update on SA activities and initiatives at each Board meeting. The Student Association meets regularly with the Board Chair and GW senior administrators, including the president.

ACADEMIC STAFF
The faculty have a role in governance through two university-wide groups: (1) the Faculty Assembly, which consists of academic personnel in full-time service and certain designated administrative personnel; and (2) the Faculty Senate, a representative body acting for the faculty as a whole in legislative and advisory capacities. The Faculty Senate Executive Committee (FSEC) Chair is appointed by the George Washington University Board of Trustees Chair to serve as a Board Observer. Board Observers are not members of the Board of Trustees, but may attend the regular session of the Board meetings. The FSEC Chair participates as a non-voting observer on the Committee on Academic Affairs and provides an update on Faculty Senate activities and initiatives at each Board meeting. The Board of Trustees Chair regularly meets with the Faculty Senate Executive Committee chair and serves on the President’s University Leadership Council.

NON ACADEMIC STAFF
The George Washington University Staff Council was designed as a forum in the service of the staff members’ interests and was announced March 2023. The Staff Council’s bylaws, modeled on similar bylaws from other universities, open with a broad statement of the council’s mission to provide a voice for GW staff. Chairpersons will be elected for each of five committees:

1. Justice, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion, to focus on diversity and inclusion efforts;
2. Service, to coordinate community assistance and fundraising efforts;
3. Communications, to administer the council’s website, social media, newsletter and other communications;
4. Staff development and recognition, to focus on development opportunities and team-building; and
5. Staff experience committee, to respond to needs emerging from GW’s staff community.

Special committees may be convened as needed.

There will be representatives from the different schools and divisions at GW so there are lots of ways to participate in the Staff Council. Staff can attend meetings and help GW get things done or assume a leadership position as a representative of their respective school or division.

In addition, GW staff supports and attends Board and committee meetings. The staff participate in a number of committees established by the university on issues of importance to staff, including, e.g., the Benefits Advisory Committee, and employee grievance committees. The president of the university is an ex officio voting member of the Board of Trustees. As defined in the university’s Congressional Charter, there is no other staff representation on the university’s Board of Trustees.

The George Washington University Community Advisory Committee

A key component of the 2007 Foggy Bottom Campus Plan was the creation of the George Washington University Community Advisory Committee for the purpose of "fostering consistent communication between the university and the Foggy Bottom and West End communities, discussing issues of mutual interest and proposing solutions to problems that exists or arise in implementing the approved Foggy Bottom Campus Plan." The DC Zoning Commission's Order of Approval defines the composition of the Advisory Committee as ten members: "five representatives of the university to be selected by the university and five representatives of the community to be selected by ANC 2A." The Zoning Commission required the first meeting to be held within two months of the October 26, 2007 effective date of the order and that future meetings will occur on a quarterly basis and be open to the public. The five members appointed by the university represent the Facilities Planning, Construction, and Management, Office of Government and Community Relations, as well as the Division for Student Affairs.

https://neighborhood.gwu.edu/gw-community-advisory-committee


The Mount Vernon Quarterly Meeting (The George Washington University’s Mount Vernon Campus is located in a neighborhood of Northwest Washington, DC, just three miles northwest of the main Foggy Bottom Campus. The campus is an integral part of the GW experience and features a variety of academic, residential and social options for students.)

A crucial element of the 2010 Mount Vernon Campus Plan was the establishment of the community liaison body (known as the Mount Vernon Quarterly Meeting). The charge for this body is described in the DC Zoning Commission's Order of Approval. The Mount Vernon Quarterly Meeting meets to discuss issues of importance to the community including campus plan updates, university events open to the general public, and student life matters. Additionally, prior to filing any application with the Zoning Commission, the university uses this meeting to provide neighbors the opportunity to weigh-in on campus development projects. The University representatives are from the Facilities Planning, Construction, and Management, Office of Government and Community Relations, and the Division for Student Affairs. The meetings are open to the public.


https://neighborhood.gwu.edu/mount-vernon-quarterly-meeting

https://gwtoday.gwu.edu/gw-staff-council-forms