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

The mission of the Student Government Association (SGA) of Stevens Institute of Technology is to advocate for the undergraduate student body and serve as a means of communication between students and faculty, administration, and staff. The SGA is committed to enhancing the student experience and quality of life on campus. Charging itself with being a voice for the student body, the SGA is responsive to the issues, rights, and concerns of Stevens students. The SGA promotes the image of the student body it serves with integrity and honor and the image of the university; it provides students with leadership development and the promotion of their general welfare.

The role of the Faculty Senate is to “act as an advisory and consultative body to the provost, President, and the Board of Trustees on matters pertaining to the university's educational and research objectives and to facilitate coordination and the flow of information between and among the faculty, faculty committees, the President, the provost and other officers and the Board of Trustees of the university.”

The Faculty Senate is concerned with academic freedom, academic integrity, and the overall quality of the institute’s educational and research programs. It may make recommendations to the appropriate persons or bodies within the university. Among other things, the senate participates in the strategic planning activities of the university, supervises revisions to the faculty handbook, oversees faculty committees and ensures the well-being of the faculty in matters pertaining to the university. The Faculty Senate was approved by the faculty, administration and Board of Trustees in Fall 2011, replacing the previous four-member Faculty Council.

In 2021, Stevens established a new staff position – Director of Corporate, Government and Community Relations – to serve as the formal point of contact for external stakeholders wishing to engage with the institution. For community relations, this position facilitates responses to concerns from the community/university neighbors, interfaces directly with the Hoboken Mayor, administrative officials and members of Council on emergent issues and opportunities for collaboration and coordinates efforts with residents, businesses and government officials who wish to work with Stevens.
Stevens hosts various social gatherings each year with the Hoboken community and works closely with the community members and officials on issues related to campus. For example, Stevens has been engaged with Hoboken officials over the past year as the City redesigns Sinatra Drive (adjacent to campus) which will make it more pedestrian-friendly and safely accessible to the public. While these regular interactions are not formalized, communication is constant and proactive leading to a strong, collaborative relationship with the Hoboken community.
The President’s Leadership Council, a distinguished cadre of extremely accomplished thought leaders from academe, industry, and the non-profit sectors, was established to complement and propel the work of the Board of Trustees. Members of this Council lend their varied perspectives and broad and deep expertise to provide guidance to the President and the Board as they navigate the abundant opportunities and ongoing challenges that lie ahead for the university.
Stevens’ School of Engineering of Science, School of Business and School of Systems and Enterprises also have advisory boards, as do various departments within the School of Engineering and Science. These boards are populated in distinguished alumni from the local area and nationally, as well as corporate and industry professionals.
The Stevens Alumni Association, as well as the individual alumni class year groups regularly meet with the Division of Development and Alumni Engagement and the Division of Student Affairs to gather feedback on certain Stevens initiatives.