Stonehill College
PA-3: Governance

Campus clubs/organizations/courses: Green Executive Committee, Students for Environmental Action (SEA), Enactus: Enterprise, Action and Us, Mindful Living Environmental Action Committee, The Farm at Stonehill, Food Truth, Programming Eco Rep, Eco Rep class, Residence Hall Eco-Reps, Sustainability at Stonehill (a part of the Students Government Association (SGA)). The Student Government Association has at least Student Senator on each of the following campus wide Ad-Hoc committees: Accessibility Resources, Alcohol & Other Drugs, Bookstore Advisory, Catholic Identity, Food Committee, Housing Selection, IT, Intercultural, Library, Safety, Planning, Hearing, Constitution and Environmental Stewardship Council.

The representative from the Student Government Association is elected by the student body on an annual basis. Representatives for the remaining committees are either selected based on their knowledge and ability to contribute, elected or have volunteered.

Stonehill students are engaged in most large institutional decisions on campus. Some recent examples of the roles students have had in the decision-making process include Student Government Association representatives being involved in the following committees or initiatives: Planning committee for the recently renovated and expanded sports complex. Food Committee that regularly meets with dining services and purchasing to review food offerings, costs and hours of operation. Planning committee of the strategic plan developed in 2013 and on the current planning committee for implementing the long range plan. The Student Government Association has at least Student Senator on each of the following campus wide Ad-Hoc committees: Accessibility Resources, Alcohol & Other Drugs, Bookstore Advisory, Catholic Identity, Food Committee, Housing Selection, IT, Intercultural, Library, Safety, Planning, Hearing, Constitution and Environmental Stewardship Council. The Student Government Association recently created an Academic Advisory committee. The committee includes a student representative from each class year and various administrators in Academics. They discuss student concerns in regards to Academics. Faculty are also able to get student perspective on various academic issues. The Student Government Association enabled students to exercise their role prioritizing campus programs and initiatives in 2015 by holding a voting ballot to the entire student body where they voted on whether they wanted plastic to-go containers to be eliminated from the cafeteria. The Student Government Association allocates funding to clubs, which include Food Truth and Students for Environmental Action (SEA), for organizing events on campus that educate the student body on sustainability and food justice. The Student Senate passed a resolution expressing their formal support of the Divestment Campaign that SEA brought to campus. The Student Government Association passed a 5 Point Bias Incident Plan that is designed to work towards eliminating bias incidents on campus by creating a culture shift, fostering a discussion pertaining to bias incidents and microaggressions, and emphasizing the importance of diversity. The plan also aims to generally increase diversity on campus.

Staff are invited to join strategic planning committees that center around specific issues such as diversity, academics and campus improvements. There are several appointed and volunteer staff members on the Environmental Stewardship Council and Strategic Planning Committees. These are just two examples of committees that asses new policies programs and initiatives. Additionally, forums are held for candidates for executive level positions to meet with staff during the interview process. Staff are able ask questions during the open forums, which are followed up with surveys for staff to provide feedback on the candidates. Staff are involved in budgeting, staffing and financial planning within each division.

Staff are involved in the creation of the College's strategic plan and long term plan. This includes both volunteer and appointed staff members. Staff are also able to join committees that center around specific issues such as diversity and academics. Staff representatives are included on committees that asses new policies programs and initiatives. For example, there are several appointed and volunteer staff members on the Environmental Stewardship Council and Strategic Planning Committees. Additionally, there are search committees developed that include appointed staff members for any open executive level positions. Once the field is narrowed down, all faculty, staff and students are able to meet with the candidates and ask questions during an open forum, which is followed up with a survey for them to provide feedback on the candidates. Staff are involved in budgeting, staffing and financial planning within each division. Additionally, staff are involved with the communications processes and transparency practices, and the prioritization of programs and projects within divisions and at an institutional level.

All faculty are invited to participate in the Faculty Senate, and various committees dedicated to specific areas such as diversity.

All faculty have the opportunity to serve on the Faculty Senate. Faculty Senate is a governance body that covers a wide range of institutional and academic issues including participating in the development of the institution's mission and vision (strategic plan 2013, long range planning 2014), establishing new academic policies and programs (annually evaluating new majors, new courses and new degree programs), strategic and long-term planning for the academics of the college (long term planning committees ), existing or prospective physical resources (learning communities committee), budgeting, staff and financial planning within the Academic Affairs division, communications processes and transparency practices throughout the college and the prioritization of programs and projects (evaluating and developing the College's course management and online learning software).