| Overall Rating | Gold - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 68.72 |
| Liaison | Greg Maginn |
| Submission Date | Jan. 18, 2019 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
The Ohio State University
PA-3: Participatory Governance
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
1.50 / 3.00 |
Tony
Gillund Sustainability Coordinator Energy Services and Sustainability |
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:
The student members of Ohio State’s Board of Trustees are appointed by the governor, with the advice and consent of the University Senate, from a group of five candidates selected by the university's student governments. The University Senate, created by the Board of Trustees, was delegated the legislative authority of the University Faculty over educational and academic policy. Of the 137 members on the University Senate, 41 are student representatives from the Undergraduate Student Government (USG), the Council of Graduate Students (CGS), and the Inter-Professional Council (IPC).
The Undergraduate Student Government (USG) has several sub-committees that are involved in strategic and long-term planning. One committee, the Health and Safety Committee works in collaboration with University Dining Services, University Recreational Sports, Student Wellness Center and various other departments across campus in developing and publicizing the resources and services that exist on campus advancing student health, wellness and safety. The Undergraduate Student Government’s Sustainability and Environmental Affairs Committee collaborates with multiple groups throughout the entire Ohio State community to implement sustainability projects, policies, and educational initiatives. In 2015, the committee was involved in the planning and implementation of the university’s bike share program, which is one of the largest Bike Share programs in the nation.
The University Senate’s Fiscal Committee is comprised of a total of 22 members; of which 2 are representatives from Undergraduate Student Government (USG), 1 member is from the Council of Graduate Students, and 1 member is the president of the Inter-Professional Council. The committee has full access to all fiscal documentation necessary to perform the following necessary functions:
(1) Continuously review the university’s fiscal policies and actionable resources
(2) Advise the president on strategies for the long-term/short-term allocation of university resources consistent with the broader university mission
(3) Analyze resources and budgets from an overall university-wide perspective
(4) Analyze resources and budgets for centrally-supported vice-presidential units
(5) Advise the president, in the event of imminent financial crisis, on whether a determination of financial exigency is warranted
(6) Provide detailed annual reports to the Faculty Council and the University Senate on the overall budgetary and fiscal condition of the university
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:
Staff Representation:
The University Senate, created by the Board of Trustees (BoT), was delegated legislative authority over educational and academic policy. Presently there are no staff members serving in an elected capacity on the Board of Trustees, however there are currently more than 26 staff members and/or administrators (of 137 total sitting members) participating in the University Senate.
Any university staff member with two years of continuous regular employment (with an FTE of 75% or higher) who is not covered by a bargaining agreement nor is a member of a union represented at the university, is eligible for membership in the University Staff Advisory Council. The University Staff Advisory Council has been instrumental in the implementation of new policies and programs including finding ways to increase the attention on work-life issues and obtaining appropriate resources for staff to complete their tasks.
The University Staff Advisory Council’s Fiscal Subcommittee reviews, on a continuing basis, the fiscal policies and resources of the university and advises the president on strategies regarding long-term/short-term allocation of university resources consistent with the mission of the university. Additionally, this committee analyzes resources and budgets from an overall university-wide perspective.
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:
Faculty Representation:
The University Senate, created by the Board of Trustees (BoT), was delegated the legislative authority of the University Faculty over educational and academic policy. Of the 137 members on the University Senate, 71 are faculty from eighteen colleges, the University Libraries, the Military Sciences, and the four Regional Campuses. All faculty including persons with associated titles are permitted to participate in college or academic unit governance where approved by a vote of at least a majority of its tenure track faculty and also clinical and research faculty in those colleges and units where they have been given voting rights.
In order to ensure appropriate expertise has been voiced during the Board Committee deliberation process, the current Board of Trustees have nominated a faculty member(s) to serve on an adjunct Board Committee. Presently there are no faculty members serving in an elected capacity on the Board of Trustees.
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:
The Framework 2.0 Plan is designed to provide the broad parameters for future university development projects and was itself the product of external stakeholder engagement led by the City of Columbus (including former Mayor Michael Coleman and the City’s Development Director). The university frequently collaborates with governmental organizations such as the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT), the Franklin County Engineers Office, and the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MORPC); while also partnering with external stakeholders such as the Northwest Civic Association, the City of Upper Arlington, the City of Dublin, the City of Worthington, Clinton Township, and the Village of Riverlea. Generally dependent upon how relevant the stakeholder(s) are to a projects scope; this collaboration often involves meetings (conference calls) with external stakeholders to discuss project impacts and updates; as well as to gather actionable feedback that can be incorporated back into the project. Information collected from these stakeholder meetings (design charrettes) is disseminated to the relevant university committee(s) for review.
Furthermore, the university’s Design Review Board requires projects (especially along the periphery of campus) to demonstrate potential impact(s) on the adjacent non-university community (built environment and landscape) and this involves frequent engagement with external stakeholders and residents. In addition, the university also employs focused building management committees which include external stakeholders (community members) and conduct ongoing community engagement efforts.
In addition, the university formed the ‘Campus Partners’ public-private partnership (operated by Board of Director membership) to advance community development efforts in the university district area; and Campus Partners frequently conducts extensive community-based planning activities. Ohio State currently has an official seat (representative) on the local University District Area Commission.
https://fod.osu.edu/sites/default/files/drb_policies_and_procedures.pdf
https://www.campuspartners.org/what-we-do
https://pare.osu.edu/sites/default/files/osu_framework_final_report.pdf
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) | 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):
Ohio State University engages in mutually beneficial partnerships with local communities and those from around the world. From health and wellness to agricultural and extension services, to business and economic development and more, Ohio State faculty, staff and students are partnering with community organizations to positively impact local communities and the university. Ohio State University also engages in partnerships with governmental and private sector organizations, with numerous private sector appointments to the Board of Trustees. The College of Arts and Sciences’ Dean’s Advisory Committee and the College of Engineering have external Advisory Councils that include both private sector and civil society affiliation; while The College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences’ (FAES) and the Initiative for Food and AgriCultural Transformation (InFACT) Discovery Theme’s External Partners have external Advisory Committees composed of civil society members.
The Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center developed by The College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences’ (FAES) includes numerous governmental agencies that serve on the Center’s Advisory Committee. In addition, the Bridging the Gap Program organized by the College of Nursing is run via oversight by external organizations like the Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority and the Columbus Early Learning Center. Lastly, the University Ecosystem Services Panel is an interdisciplinary body populated by members of the university community, the City of Columbus, and local interest groups tasked with developing recommendations on how the university should best plan to achieve the goal of managing its landscape to achieve improved ecosystem services.
The 'FleetCalc' online transportation management program created through a partnership between the Center for Automotive Research the John Glenn School of Public Affairs and private sector industry partners, sought to become the first online tool for fleet vehicle alternatives leveraging real-time performance data and local usage patterns.
https://engineering.osu.edu/about-college/office-dean/external-advisory-council
https://artsandsciences.osu.edu/about/college/dean/advisory-committee
https://engineering.osu.edu/about-college/office-dean/external-advisory-council
https://artsandsciences.osu.edu/about/college/dean/advisory-committee
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.