Overall Rating Silver - expired
Overall Score 55.78
Liaison Jennifer McLaughlin
Submission Date Dec. 9, 2019
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

South Dakota State University
PA-3: Participatory Governance

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 1.00 / 3.00 Jennifer McLaughlin
Sustainability Intern
Facilities and Services
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Do the institution’s students have a representative body through which they can participate in governance (e.g. a student council)? :
Yes

Do the institution’s students have an elected representative on the institution’s highest governing body?:
No

A brief description of the bodies and mechanisms through which students are engaged in governance, including information to support each affirmative response above:

Each spring the Students' Association hosts elections for student senators. Students are nominated through petitions then elected on by the campus student body. Each college is represented by an allotted number of senators. While senators must be full-time students, all students are welcome to attend Students' Association meeting, write resolutions (with the assistance of a senator), and voice their opinions. Part-time students are also allowed to run for the executive board. Students involved in other organizations may also sit on governance bodies (i.e. Student Union Advisory Committee, University Food Service Advisory Committee).

As South Dakota State University is a faculty governance, all governance committees', including the Students' Association, role is to provide feedback, develop ideas, help establish plans, offer suggestions, and help distribute resources all of which may influence the decision-makers.


Do the institution’s staff members have a representative body through which they can participate in governance (e.g. a staff council)?:
Yes

Do the institution’s non-supervisory staff members have an elected representative on the institution’s highest governing body?:
No

A brief description of the bodies and mechanisms through which staff are engaged in governance, including information to support each affirmative response above:

Each spring, all staff have the opportunity to nominate themselves or others to serve on the Civil Service Advisory Council or the Professional Staff Advisory Council. If needed, elections take place.

As South Dakota State University is a faculty governance, all governance committees', including the Civil Service Advisory Council and the Professional Staff Advisory Council, role is to provide feedback, develop ideas, help establish plans, offer suggestions, and help
distribute resources all of which may influence the decision-makers.


Do the institution’s teaching and research faculty have a representative body through which they can participate in governance (e.g. a faculty senate)?:
Yes

Do the institution’s teaching and research faculty have an elected representative on the institution’s highest governing body? :
No

A brief description of the bodies and mechanisms through which teaching and research faculty are engaged in governance, including information to support each affirmative response above:

All faculty have the opportunity to participate in faculty governance through the following means:
1) All have the opportunity to be a Faculty Senator. Each spring all faculty are informed of the upcoming Faculty Senate election and they may self-nominate or nominate another faculty member. This includes full, associate, or assistant tenure track faculty, instructors, research faculty, and adjunct faculty.
2) Each College has at least one Faculty Senate representative. These senators are urged to communicate with their colleagues in their college. All faculty, regardless of rank, are urged to communicate any issues with their Faculty Senate representative.
3) All Faculty Senate meetings are open and all faculty are encouraged to participate in these meetings.

As South Dakota State University is a faculty governance, all governance committees', including the Faculty Senate, role is to provide
feedback, develop ideas, help establish plans, offer suggestions, and help distribute resources all of which may influence the
decision-makers.


Does the institution have written policies and procedures to identify and engage external stakeholders (i.e. local residents) in land use planning, capital investment projects, and other institutional decisions that affect the community?:
No

A copy of the written policies and procedures:
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The policies and procedures:
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Does the institution have formal participatory or shared governance bodies through which community members representing the interests of the following stakeholder groups can regularly participate in institutional governance?:
Yes or No
Local government and/or educational organizations Yes
Private sector organizations No
Civil society (e.g. NGOs, NPOs) No

A brief description of the bodies and mechanisms through which external stakeholders are engaged in institutional governance (including information about each stakeholder group selected above):

The President and Associate Vice President of Facilities & Services meet with City and County officials on a quarterly basis. The Students Association also presents at each City Council meeting.


The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:
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Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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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.