Massachusetts Institute of Technology
PA-3: Inclusive and Participatory Governance

MIT's governance structure is supported by a strong system of committees and councils. The Faculty, as one of the Institute's governing bodies, develops and carries out policy through the Standing and Special Committees of the Faculty. Standing Institute Committees Appointed by the President hold responsibility for policy development and review in key areas. Other Institute Committees and Councils comprise other Institute-wide groups involved in policy development and review.

For a list of these committees and councils, see: https://facultygovernance.mit.edu/committees-and-councils. A list of Institute and Faculty Committees that include student representatives is available on the website of the MIT Undergraduate Association: https://ua.mit.edu/institutecomms.

As one example, the Corporation Joint Advisory Committee on Institute-Wide Affairs (CJAC) (established in 1969) is a committee on which current faculty and students serve. Its purpose is to associate with the Corporation a representative group at MIT to which the Corporation can turn for consideration and advice on special Institute-wide matters requiring Corporation attention. CJAC consists of up to 20 voting members, including:
·Four ex officio members: the MIT Alumni Association President; Chair of the Faculty; Undergraduate Association President; and Graduate Student Council President;
·Up to seven additional members of the Corporation, one of whom may be a non-voting emeritus member;
·Five additional members of the faculty; and
·Two undergraduate students selected by the Undergraduate Association and two graduate students selected by the Graduate Student Council.

Additional Examples
Student Government: MIT Undergraduate Association - elected leadership: https://ua.mit.edu/mission ; MIT Graduate Student Council: https://gsc.mit.edu/

Non-Academic Staff:

Service Staff Union: https://policies.mit.edu/employment-policy-manual/80-labor-relations/81-unions-representing-service-staff-institute

Working Group for Support Staff - Established in 1975, the MIT Working Group for Support Staff (WGSS) consists of Support and Administrative Staff throughout the Institute who work to address issues of concern to support staff employees at MIT. We act to continually improve the working environment and perception of support staff at MIT. The co-conveners serve as liaisons between WGSS and MIT's Human Resource Department which oversees all committee organizations operating under the approval of the Institute, and each sits on an additional MIT committee: the senior co-convenor attends the Information Group and Council on Family and Work meetings and the junior co-convener attends the Women's Advisory Group meetings: https://wgssi.mit.edu/

The Office of Government and Community Relations coordinates MIT's community relations activities in Cambridge and beyond, and supports the President's Office and the MIT community-at-large in a broad range of activities. The OGCR staff are available as a resource to members of the Institute community who need information or assistance with the government, and to MIT's neighbors who need guidance in their interactions with the Institute. The Office is firmly committed to promoting town-gown collaboration and understanding. At the Institute, this Office is a communications link, a catalyst for action, and a resource for both MIT and the external community to ensure the exchange of ideas.
Please refer to: https://ogcr.mit.edu/about-us.

Examples of projects in which the voice of the Cambridge Community shaped MIT's actions:

Volpe - MIT hosted 7 community input workshops during the design phase of the Volpe Kendall Square Project - https://volpe.mit.edu/

Open Space Planning - MIT Office that hosts events at MIT for and with the Cambridge community - https://www.openspace.mit.edu/

Job Connector - The Job Connector by MIT is a free workforce development hub for Cambridge residents.https://jobconnector.mit.edu/

We provide you with select examples of committees or activities based on our interpretation of the information you are looking for with regards to these points. If you are seeking different examples than what we have shared please reach back out to us.