| Overall Rating | Bronze - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 35.21 |
| Liaison | Karen Marin-Hines |
| Submission Date | March 1, 2019 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
Texas Tech University
PA-3: Participatory Governance
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
1.25 / 3.00 |
Sam
Polk Lead Data Analyst BIMAR |
Do the institution’s students have a representative body through which they can participate in governance (e.g. a student council)? :
Do the institution’s students have an elected representative on the institution’s highest governing body?:
A brief description of the bodies and mechanisms through which students are engaged in governance, including information to support each affirmative response above:
In addition, to work diligently to cultivate partnerships with the student body, administration, faculty, staff, and community, to maximize each student's educational and personal growth. The Student Government Association also encourages student involvement and will provide opportunities to develop a lifetime relationship with Texas Tech University for each student and to keep Texas Tech University at the forefront of higher education.
**Student Government Association (SGA)**
Executive Branch-
Sean Lewis, Student Body President
Jude Al-Hmoud, External Vice President
Amber Acklie, Internal Vice President
John Michael Getz, Graduate Vice President
Walker Carson, Chief of Staff
Executive Cabinet-
Alex Todd, Deputy Chief of Staff
Markicia Horton, Attorney General
Lauren McManus, Director of Ambassadors
Nana Boateng, Director of Diversity
Jordan Frierson, Director of First Year Engagement
Theodora Winter, Director of Outreach
Ruby Lira, Director of Political Affairs
Haley Sparks, Director of Public Relations
Legislative Branch - The main body of the legislative branch is the Student Senate. Senators are elected by every College on the campus including the School of Law and the Graduate School. Student Senate meetings address legislation much like other governmental bodies under the guidelines of parliamentary procedure. The Student Senate serves as a liaison representing students to the faculty and administration of Texas Tech University. Each Student Senator is required to research issues that students face and write legislation to attempt to resolve those issues. The Student Senate is comprised of several committees. The chairmen for each of these committees is appointed by the President of the Senate. The Student Senate also oversees the SORC (Student Organization Representative Council) program. The college coordinators serve as the SORC category coordinators.
Judicial Branch -The Judicial Branch of the Student Government Association of Texas Tech University is vested in a Supreme Court. The Court consists of seven justices, who are appointed by the Executive Branch then ratified by the Legislative Branch. The Court exists to uphold SGA constitutional law through deciding questions of constitutional interpretation and appeals from the SGA Election Commission. All decisions are final and binding on the affected parties through official Court procedure. Petitions to the Court can be submitted by any student.
Freshman Leadership Association - Freshman Event Coordinators, Plan events for Guadalupe Elementary, Help with Fundraising, and Any other tasks the mentor might need help with
**TTU Staff Senate**
Bylaws and Constitution
The Bylaws and Constitution Committee shall be comprised of a minimum of five members. The duties of the committee shall be to accept proposed changes to the Bylaws and Constitution, study the proposals, and prepare recommendations to the Staff Senate in accordance with Article VI of the Constitution.
Communications/Public Relations
The Communications/Public Relations Committee shall be comprised of a minimum of five members.
The duties of the committee shall be to plan and coordinate activities at which University staff employees can meet their senators and learn about Staff Senate projects.
The committee shall serve as the public relations agent of the Staff Senate, and work with the news media and human resources areas to publicize the Staff Senate and its endeavors.
The committee shall serve as the editor and publisher of the Staff Insider (Staff Senate Newsletter).
The chair of the committee shall serve as the public information officer of the Staff Senate. As such, the Chair shall approve public notices concerning the Staff Senate or its activities, seeking advice from the Executive Board or other Staff Senate members as appropriate to ensure consistency and accuracy of information.
The committee shall handle all acknowledgements sent from the Staff Senators to members and others as specified.
Elections
The duties of the Elections Committee shall be to handle all nomination and election procedures in accordance with Article III, Section 1 of the Constitution. The Election Committee shall solicit nominations each spring for the Staff Senate by an open nomination process from current staff employees and/or the committee. No member's name shall be listed on the official ballot without that person's consent. The Election Committee must receive nominations no later than April 15. The Election Committee shall insure that there are at least two individuals nominated for each position. The Election Committee and the Personnel Department will verify eligibility of all nominations.
In May of each year, the Election Committee shall conduct an election by preparing/distributing to the staff an official ballot containing names and information of all approved candidates. Ballots will be counted under the supervision of the Election Committee and the results of the election will be announced by the president or by the Election Committee. Ballots will be retained for 60 days following public notification of election results. After that time they will be disposed of properly. Results can be contested only during the 60 day period.
The Elections Committee shall be composed of one Senator from each EEO classification to be chosen by a majority vote of those Senators present of each EEO classification at the first regularly-scheduled meeting of each year where official business is conducted.
Executive Board
President - Maggie Gilchrest
President Elect - Jon Mark Bernal
Secretary - Sarah Cuevas
Treasurer - Olga Achourkina
Parliamentarian - Kacey Marshall
Faculty Representative -
Clerical/Secretarial EEO - Dee Nguyen
Other Professionals EEO - Laci McDermett
Services/Maintenance EEO - Heather Coats
Skilled Crafts EEO - Ray Cooper
Tech & Paraprofessional EEO - Daniel Ballard
Bylaws & Constitution Committee Chair - Kacey Marshall
Communications & Public Relations Committee Chair - Raquel Miranda / Morgan Brannon
Election Committee Chair - Madison Proctor
Grievance Committee Chair - Margret Ceja
Issues Committee Chair - Heather Coats
Nominations Committee Chair - Shelley Johnson
Scholarship Committee Chair - Christi Felton / Emily Everette
Technology Committee Chair - Justin Hughes / Levi Johnson
Diversity - Dee Nguyen
Education - Katelyn Perry
OP Review - Katelyn Perry / Kymberli Saldana
Grievance
The Grievance Committee shall be comprised of one member from each EEO classification to be chosen by a majority vote of those members present of each EEO Classification at the first regularly-scheduled meeting of each year where official business is conducted. Should no members of the EEO classification present be able to serve on the grievance committee, the nominations committee may appoint committee members from within the EEO classification. The duties of the committee shall be to handle Staff Senate grievances or concerns that may be expressed by any member of the Staff Senate and/or the University community according to Article IV, Section 2 of the Constitution.
Issues
The Issues Committee shall be comprised of a minimum of five members of the Staff Senate. The duties of the committee shall be to study issues that have been submitted to the Issues Committee by a Texas Tech University staff member, make recommendations back to the Executive Committee regarding handling and disposition of each issue, and notify the author of any action resulting from the committee's study.
Nominations
The duties of the Committee shall be to seek and recommend nominations for appointments to internal, external, and University committees, as deemed necessary in accordance with Article V, Section 1 of the Constitution. If a vacancy or resignation occurs on a staff senate standing committee, the Board shall appoint a new member according to the Nomination Committee's recommendations.
The Nominations Committee shall be composed of one Senator from each EEO classification to be chosen by a majority vote of those Senators present of each EEO classification at the first regularly-scheduled meeting of each year where official business is conducted. If no Senators of the EEO classification present are able to serve on the Nominations Committee, the President may appoint committee members from within the EEO classification.
The chair of the Nominations Committee shall be appointed by the President. The chair shall have a committee meeting report to be presented at all Board and Senate meetings. The chair shall prepare a written yearly summation of the committee's activities to be presented at the May Board and June Senate meetings. These reports shall be made available to all Senators and filed in the Committee Binder.
Scholarship
The Scholarship committee shall be comprised of a minimum of five members. The duties of the committee shall be to update the information sheet and application yearly (prior to each fall), accept, review, and award applications for the Staff Senator Texas Tech University Employee Scholarship. The committee chair will coordinate with the Scholarship Office to verify each applicant prior to review by the committee.
Technology Committee
Maintain and update the Staff Senate website, social media site, Share Point site, and work in conjunction with the Communications/Public Relations committee to obtain information needed to post TechAnnounce messages.
Do the institution’s staff members have a representative body through which they can participate in governance (e.g. a staff council)?:
Do the institution’s non-supervisory staff members have an elected representative on the institution’s highest governing body?:
A brief description of the bodies and mechanisms through which staff are engaged in governance, including information to support each affirmative response above:
The Texas Tech University Staff Senate shall exist to contribute to the welfare of its staff employees; to serve as a liaison among staff, administration, faculty, and students; and to advise the administration in matters affecting the staff. Through these purposes the Staff Senate strives foremost to contribute to the overall success of Texas Tech University.
Staff Senate reports directly to President Schovanec and we have staff senate representatives that sit on multiple councils at TTU: Academic Council, Provost Council, Gender Equity Council, etc.
Do the institution’s teaching and research faculty have a representative body through which they can participate in governance (e.g. a faculty senate)?:
Do the institution’s teaching and research faculty have an elected representative on the institution’s highest governing body? :
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:
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?:
A copy of the written policies and procedures:
The policies and procedures:
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 | Yes |
| Civil society (e.g. NGOs, NPOs) | Yes |
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 board is composed of nine members appointed by the governor with the advice and consent of the senate for staggered terms of six years each, the term of three members expiring on January 31 of odd-numbered years. In addition to the nine members, there also is a student regent who is appointed by the governor to serve a one-year term that begins on June 1 of each year.
Members:
Mickey L. Long is currently the chair of the Facilities Committee and is a member of the Finance and Administration Committee and the Regents’ Rules Review Committee. His term expires on Jan. 31, 2021.
Ronnie Hammonds is currently the chairman of the Audit Committee and is a member of the Facilities Committee. His term expires on January 31, 2021.
Christopher M. Huckabee was named chairman of the board on March 21, 2019, during a special called meeting where he was nominated and affirmed by a unanimous vote by the board. His term expires on Jan. 31, 2021.
J. Michael Lewis was named vice chairman of the Board of Regents on March 21, 2019 and serves as chairman of the Regents’ Rules Review Committee and on the Investment Advisory Committee of the Texas Tech University Endowment. His term on the Board of Regents will expire on January 31, 2023.
John D. Steinmetz is currently the chair of the Academic, Clinical and Student Affairs Committee. His current term expires Jan. 31, 2023.
John Walker is currently the chairman of the Finance and Administration Committee and serves as a member of the Academic, Clinical and Student Affairs Committee. His term expires Jan. 31, 2023.
Ginger Kerrick is currently serves as a member on the Academic, Clinical and Student Affairs Committee and the Audit Committee. Her term expires on Jan. 31, 2025.
Mark Griffin is a member of the Texas Economic Development Corporation Board of Directors, State Bar of Texas and the Lubbock County Bar Association, director of the Lubbock Economic Development Alliance, and former director at Plains Capital Bank.
Dusty Womble currently manages multiple private businesses and real estate holdings in addition to his role with Tyler Technologies. He is a member of the Rawls Business School Advisory Board, and the Texas Tech Foundation Board and its Executive Board. He currently serves on the boards of TRUNO, Inc. and Lubbock Christian School.
Jane Gilmore serves on the Academic, Clinical and Student Affairs Committee. Ms. Jane Gilmore of Dallas was appointed by Gov. Greg Abbott to serve the Texas Tech University System Board of Regents as Student Regent for a one-year term, expiring May 31, 2019.
Source:
The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
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.