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

The concept of shared governance is vital to decisions made at the university, and its practice is integral to RIT’s success. Members of the governance groups below represent the university’s major constituencies: faculty, staff, students, and administrators. Each governance group is empowered to bring forth issues of importance to the university for deliberation, such as policy proposals, plans for new initiatives, and operational concerns. The diverse perspectives provided in these deliberations are the foundation of RIT’s inclusive decision-making model.

Academic Senate:
Academic Senate is the legislative and representative agency of the faculty and is empowered to formulate academic policy affecting more than one college of the university. The Senate offers advice and recommendations on other matters of university welfare and acts upon other resolutions or proposals submitted to them that pertain to academic governance or the general welfare of the university. rit.edu/academicsenate

Staff Council:
Staff Council is an advisory body to the president, or his /her representative, on issues and decisions that affect the university. Members communicate to staff about university news, events, and initiatives and act as a conduit providing staff feedback and insights on university issues. Additionally, Staff Council initiates policy proposals and revisions and raises issues for university consideration. rit.edu/staffcouncil

Student Government:
Student Government is a recognized organization that delivers the voice of the student body to faculty, staff, administrators, and the Board of Trustees. Student Government senators include representatives from all RIT colleges and other major student constituency groups. Senators focus their efforts on addressing issues that are most important to their constituency, with the end goal of expanding opportunities and improving the RIT experience. In addition to governance, Student Government also hosts a variety of events throughout the year to initiate student involvement. rit.edu/sg

University Council:
University Council serves as the deliberative body in the development and review of university policies in areas not under the purview of Academic Senate. Its meetings provide a forum for members to discuss issues of higher education and create a contextual framework within which university policy recommendations may be formed or administrative actions taken. Because University Council is comprised of representatives of the faculty (appointed by Academic Senate), staff (appointed by Staff Council), students (appoint ed by Student Government), and administrators (appointed by, and including, the president) it also serves the important purpose of facilitating multi-directional communication among members and the constituent groups of the university.

The Division of Government & Community Relations (GCR) at the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) provides strategic vision and operational leadership for all aspects of the university’s government relations activities at the federal, state and local level. The division not only manages several signature campus and community events which include Imagine RIT and Brick City Homecoming & Family Weekend but also is home to the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at RIT.
GCR serves as a liaison between RIT and the community, and assists students, staff and faculty on various town-gown topics, challenges and opportunities. GCR works collaboratively with several internal offices including Off Campus and Commuter Services, Center for Leadership and Civic Engagement, International Student Services, and Parking and Transportation to address these issues. GCR meets regularly with local governments including leaders in the Town of Henrietta, the City of Rochester and Monroe County.

Students, faculty and staff serve as non-voting members on most BOT committees.