Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 67.01
Liaison Connie Norton
Submission Date Oct. 29, 2014
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.0

Simon Fraser University
PA-3: Governance

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 3.00 / 3.00 Erica Lay
Sustainability Planning and Development Coordinator
Sustainability Office
"---" 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:
All enrolled students have an avenue to participate in the Board of Governors or the Senate through elected representatives. The Board of Governors is the senior governing body at Simon Fraser University constituted under the University Act. SFU Board members do not receive any remuneration for their services to the Board. The overall responsibility for the business of the University (property, revenue and policies) is vested in the Board. (The academic governance of the University is vested in the Senate). The Senate is responsible for the academic governance of the University and so it must be concerned with all important matters that bear on teaching and research in the University; this includes the development of new initiatives, the formation of priorities, and the consideration and approval of policies.

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:
As per the British Columbia University Act, the Board of Governors for the university includes 2 students elected from students who are members of the undergraduate student society or the graduate student society. The Senate includes six students elected from the students who are members of an undergraduate student society or a graduate student society, in a manner that ensures that at least one student from each faculty is elected.

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 student representatives that sit on the Board of Governors have the same role as the other Members of the Board, as per SFU's Policy B10.10: Board Guidelines and Guidelines for Individual Board Members.

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:
All staff have an avenue to participate in the Board of Governors or the Senate through elected representatives. The Board of Governors is the senior governing body at Simon Fraser University constituted under the University Act. SFU Board members do not receive any remuneration for their services to the Board. The overall responsibility for the business of the University (property, revenue and policies) is vested in the Board. The academic governance of the University is vested in the Senate.

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:
As per the British Columbia University Act, the Board of Governors for the university includes one person elected by and from the employees of the university who are not faculty members.

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:
The staff representatives that sit on the Board of Governors have the same role as the other Members of the Board, as per SFU's Policy B10.10: Board Guidelines and Guidelines for Individual Board Members.

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:
All faculty have an avenue to participate in the Board of Governors or the Senate through elected representatives. The Board of Governors is the senior governing body at Simon Fraser University constituted under the University Act. SFU Board members do not receive any remuneration for their services to the Board. The overall responsibility for the business of the University (property, revenue and policies) is vested in the Board. (The academic governance of the University is vested in the Senate). The Senate is responsible for the academic governance of the University and so it must be concerned with all important matters that bear on teaching and research in the University; this includes the development of new initiatives, the formation of priorities, and the consideration and approval of policies.

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 per the British Columbia University Act, the Board of Governors for the university includes two faculty members elected by the faculty members. The Senate 12 faculty senate members, with two members of each faculty elected by the members of that faculty, and the remainder elected by the faculty members in the manner that they, in joint meeting, determine.

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:
The faculty representatives that sit on the Board of Governors have the same role as the other Members of the Board, as per SFU's Policy B10.10: Board Guidelines and Guidelines for Individual Board Members.

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

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.