Overall Rating | Bronze - expired |
---|---|
Overall Score | 40.74 |
Liaison | Pat Van Duyne |
Submission Date | June 11, 2015 |
Executive Letter | Download |
Joliet Junior College
PA-3: Governance
Status | Score | Responsible Party |
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3.00 / 3.00 |
Peter
Linden Dean Career & Technical Education |
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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:
Interested students have a variety of avenues for participation as a member of College governing bodies. Primary examples include the Student Government Board, Faculty Advisory Committee and College’s Board of Trustees. Direct participation by interested students begins with submission of a formal application to the Director of Student Activities & Student Life. To promote active engagement and underscore the importance of serving, scheduling availability is an important consideration in addition to an expressed commitment to attend all regularly held meetings. A non-voting alternate student member is also selected.
There are multiple examples of governance opportunities designed to grow and engage our students as seen in the previous response. In each instance student representatives are endorsed by the College Club Council headed by the Director of Student Activities & Student Life. The College Club Council is also responsible for a budget through the Student Development Division that provides funding to support student groups and activities across campus whereas the 21-member Student Government Association (SGA) serves as the student body’s collective voice on campus. Students apply for open SGA seats each academic year. The SGA is structured in the same fashion as a traditional Board also meeting on a regularly scheduled basis.
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:
There is a student representative serving on the College’s Board of Trustees. A Student Trustee is named to the College Board at the start of each academic year. Students interested in serving as Student Trustee to the College’s Board must submit a completed application that includes a 50-signature student petition supporting the applicant in addition to signatures of endorsement from the Vice President of Student Development, Dean of Students and Director of Student Activities & Student Life.
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:
The College Board’s Student Trustee actively provides input and votes on College-wide issues including, but not limited to, annual strategic planning, expansion or upgrading of campus facilities as well as formation of the annual operating budget.
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)?:
Yes
A brief description of the mechanisms through which all staff have an avenue to participate in one or more governance bodies:
Serving as a governance body within the College, Staff Council provides a means for staff members to actively and consistently participate in shared governance. Formally, this is evidenced through an Agreement entered into by the Board of Trustees of Joliet Junior College and the College’s Support and Technical Staff Council – Staff Council, serving as exclusive bargaining agent for all full-time and part-time support and technical staff employees. Additionally, as valued stakeholders, Staff Council members are encouraged and readily afforded opportunity to engage in shared governance by way of formal College-wide processes including, but not limited to, strategic planning, budget development, personnel searches and ongoing continuous quality improvement initiatives.
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?:
Yes
A brief description of non-supervisory staff representation on the governing body, including how the representatives are selected:
There is a consistently applied College-wide application/nomination and election process. See above.
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 | 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 staff role in regard to each area indicated, including examples from the previous three years:
Staff Council assures and promotes staff members’ collective voice as an ongoing and viable part of shared governance. This often entails coordination, communication and collaboration promoting understanding and mutual agreement between Council membership and the College’s administrative leaders with respect to design and implementation of new initiatives. Such was evident in formation of new employee health insurance guidelines resulting from passage of the Affordable Care Act – an example applicable to establishing new policy. Added examples within the relevant time frame include, as part of College-wide participation, involvement in development of the College’s strategic plan – also incorporating physical resources, budgeting, organizational mission and goals. Moreover, staff members prioritize short-term and long-term projects in their respective work areas.
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:
Faculty are very invested and actively engaged in a wide array of campus-wide committees fostering the College’s mission and strategic plan including, but not limited to, the Process Improvement Task Force and Strategic Planning Committee. For example, as part of the College’s ongoing commitment to AQIP, the Process Improvement Task Force transitioned into the College-wide Process Improvement Committee and was given a formal charge. In addition to key administrators, its membership reflects a robust cross-section of faculty from across the College with a mission to create and submit for recommendation to the Board of Trustees the College’s new and updated Education Plan – to be implemented in concert with the new and updated Strategic Plan.
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:
As previously indicated, faculty are represented and engaged in College-wide governance bodies. The Faculty Council serves as the exclusive bargaining agent for full-time faculty members. It is headed by a member-elected President who runs for the position by initially submitting an application, petition or receiving a formal nomination followed by a vote of collective membership. The same applies to Council officers. Adjunct instructors are represented by a separate collective bargaining Agreement. Although engaged in governance, Adjunct involvement is not to the extent of full-time faculty since the majority of Adjuncts are gainfully employed full-time outside of the College or simultaneously serving as an Adjunct instructor at other area college/university campuses.
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:
At the forefront as the nation’s first public community college, faculty continue to be an integral part of the policy and decision-making processes. Although there is not a Faculty Senate, faculty members are actively engaged in governance through their participation in a variety of College-wide committees indicative of having a vital voice as seen in, but not limited to, strategic planning; AQIP action teams – to assure and implement continuous quality improvement processes institution-wide; and development of their respective Department’s annual operating budget. Additionally, faculty are at the forefront of developing new programs and curricula correspondingly conducting outreach with industry and other external partners across the region. Throughout, faculty provide meaningful input into the process of establishing and sustaining the organization’s mission. Additionally, as part of engaging in development of the College’s Strategic Plan, considerations including both short and long-term project prioritization, budgeting, staffing and financial planning directly benefit from faculty participation.
The website URL where information about the institution’s governance structure is available:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
Once on the JJC home page (link above), click on ABOUT and then see the various links under ADMINISTRATION.
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.