Overall Rating Silver - expired
Overall Score 53.15
Liaison Paul Scanlon
Submission Date Feb. 29, 2016
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.0

Slippery Rock University
PA-3: Governance

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 3.00 / 3.00 Paul Scanlon
Special Assistant to the President
President's Office/Sustainability
"---" 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 students (graduate and undergraduate) can participate in electing representatives to the Student Government Association(SGA). The SGA routinely meets with the President to discuss issues of concern. Students also participate in governance of Student Housing through elected membership in the Residence Hall Association.


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?:
No

A brief description of student representation on the governing body, including how the representatives are selected:

A student is represented on the Council of Trustees, but is appointed by the Governor of Pennsylvania, not through an election or appointment by a student body. Students apply at the local level and are interviewed by a committee of students, faculty and staff. Candidates for consideration are recommended to the president, who in turn recommends a candidate to the Governor. By statute, one member of each Council shall be a full-time undergraduate student in good academic standing, other than a freshman, enrolled for at least twelve (12) semester hours at the institution of which the student is a Trustee. The student member shall serve a term of four (4) years or for so long as he/she is a full-time undergraduate student in attendance at the institution, whichever period is shorter. Vacancies occurring before the expiration of the term of any member shall be filled in like manner for the unexpired term. Student members of the Council of Trustees shall be appointed by the Governor and shall not be subject to Senate confirmation. Student appointees to the Council of Trustees have full voting privileges.


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:

One student is included on the Council of Trustees, the governing body of the University.
Students are represented on the University Strategic Planning Council, which helps define University mission, vision, goals, and long-term planning.
Students are represented on the President's Commissions for: Disability; Women; Sustainability; Wellness; GISO and Race and Ethnicity.
Student-athletes have a participative role through the Student Athletic Council
Each academic college provides opportunities for student participation through both departmental and college-wide councils.


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 other than managers are represented by unions. Their contracts assure shared governance. Elected peer representatives routinely meet with university representatives to discuss governance issues.


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?:
No

A brief description of non-supervisory staff representation on the governing body, including how the representatives are selected:

All staff other than managers are represented by unions. Their contracts assure shared governance. Elected peer representatives routinely meet with university representatives to discuss governance issues


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 are represented on the University Strategic Planning Council, which helps define University mission, vision, goals, and long-term planning.
Staff are represented on the President's Commissions for: Disability; Women; Sustainability; Wellness; GISO and Race and Ethnicity.
Staff are engaged on departmental and divisional committees for planning.
Staff, through their collective bargaining unit, meet monthly with the administration through a formal "meet and discuss" session to raise, clarify and resolve issues relative to institutional decision making.


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 are represented by a union. Their contract assure shared governance. Elected peer representatives routinely meet with university representatives to discuss governance issues


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?:
No

A brief description of faculty representation on the governing body, including how the representatives are selected:

Membership on the Council of Trustees is defined by legislative statute.


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:

Through the collective bargaining agreement, faculty have a broad and well-defined role in shared governance.
Faculty are represented on the University Strategic Planning Council, which helps define University mission, vision, goals, and long-term planning.
Faculty are represented on the President's Commissions for: Disability; Women; Sustainability; Wellness; GISO and Race and Ethnicity.
Faculty are engaged on departmental and divisional committees for planning and budgeting.
Faculty meet monthly with the administration through a formal "meet and discuss" session to raise, clarify and resolve issues relative to institutional decision making.


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

Slippery Rock University is committed to shared-governance. Faculty, staff and students are involved on all major internal institutional committees and commissions including; Strategic Planning; Budgeting; and the President's Commissions for: Disability; Women; Sustainability; Wellness; GISO and Race and Ethnicity. Leadership for students, faculty, staff and management have access to and meet regularly with the president.


Slippery Rock University is committed to shared-governance. Faculty, staff and students are involved on all major internal institutional committees and commissions including; Strategic Planning; Budgeting; and the President's Commissions for: Disability; Women; Sustainability; Wellness; GISO and Race and Ethnicity. Leadership for students, faculty, staff and management have access to and meet regularly with the president.

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