Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 66.07
Liaison Breeana Sylvas
Submission Date Feb. 25, 2016
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.0

University of California, Merced
PA-3: Governance

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 3.00 / 3.00 Breeana Sylvas
Assistant Director
Sustainability
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Do all enrolled students, regardless of type or status, have an avenue to participate in one or more governance bodies (through direct participation or the election of representatives)?:
Yes

A brief description of the mechanisms through which students have an avenue to participate in one or more governance bodies:

Students at UC Merced have an opportunity to participate in campus wide student elections to represent the UC Merced student body in the form of President, Vice President, and Senate. Students are also appointed by the ASUCM Student President and confirmed by the ASUCM Student Senate to sit on campus wide committees.


Is there at least one student representative on the institution’s governing body who was elected by peers or appointed by a representative student body or organization?:
Yes

A brief description of student representation on the governing body, including how the representatives are selected:

The ASUCM Student President sits on campus wide committees and can also appoint student representatives to campus committees with the confirmation of the ASUCM Student Senate. For example, there are two student representative appointments on the UCM Sustainability Committee.


Do students have a formal role in decision-making in regard to the following?:
Yes or No
Establishing organizational mission, vision, and/or goals Yes
Establishing new policies, programs, or initiatives Yes
Strategic and long-term planning Yes
Existing or prospective physical resources Yes
Budgeting, staffing and financial planning Yes
Communications processes and transparency practices ---
Prioritization of programs and projects Yes

A brief description of the formal student role in regard to each area indicated, including examples from the previous three years:

UCM Student representatives have an opportunity to provide input on new policies, programs, initiatives, strategic and long term planning through the Chancellor's Advisory Committee on Sustainability, the Student Advisory Board to Administration, student appointments to Academic Planning and Resource Allocation, as well as the Campus Physical Planning Committee.


Do all staff, regardless of type or status, have an avenue to participate in one or more governance bodies (through direct participation or the election of representatives)?:
Yes

A brief description of the mechanisms through which all staff have an avenue to participate in one or more governance bodies:

Staff members can participate in elections and voting for Staff Assembly Executive positions. Additionally, the Staff Assembly at UC Merced requests staff nominations for specific campus wide committees, Staff Assembly Executive Board votes and approves staff representatives.


Is there at least one non-supervisory staff representative on the institution’s governing body who was elected by peers or appointed by a representative staff body or organization?:
Yes

A brief description of non-supervisory staff representation on the governing body, including how the representatives are selected:

Staff assembly representation is conducted through campus wide staff votes.


Do non-supervisory staff have a formal role in decision-making in regard to the following? :
Yes or No
Establishing organizational mission, vision, and/or goals Yes
Establishing new policies, programs, or initiatives Yes
Strategic and long-term planning Yes
Existing or prospective physical resources Yes
Budgeting, staffing and financial planning Yes
Communications processes and transparency practices Yes
Prioritization of programs and projects ---

A brief description of the formal staff role in regard to each area indicated, including examples from the previous three years:

UCM Staff have an opportunity to engage in several campus wide committees to include the UCM Budget Committee, Campus Physical Planning Committee, and the Chancellor's Advisory Committee on Sustainability, as well as other campus committees.


Do all faculty, regardless of type or status, have an avenue to participate in one or more governance bodies (through direct participation or the election of representatives)?:
Yes

A brief description of the mechanisms through which all faculty (including adjunct faculty) have an avenue to participate in one or more governance bodies:

Faculty have an opportunity to participate in Faculty Senate elections. Additionally, there are faculty representatives on the UC Merced Chancellor's Advisory Committee on Sustainability. The Faculty Academic Senate supports setting and administering policy at UC Merced and jointly administers Programmatic Review and Oversight Committee with administration, which routinely reviews all University practices and units.


Is there at least one teaching or research faculty representative on the institution’s governing body who was elected by peers or appointed by a representative faculty body or organization?:
Yes

A brief description of faculty representation on the governing body, including how the representatives are selected:

Campus faculty appointments are made through the campus Academic Senate, such as faculty representation on campus committees to include the Chancellor's Advisory Committee on Sustainability.


Do faculty have a formal role in decision-making in regard to the following?:
Yes or No
Establishing organizational mission, vision, and/or goals Yes
Establishing new policies, programs, or initiatives Yes
Strategic and long-term planning Yes
Existing or prospective physical resources Yes
Budgeting, staffing and financial planning Yes
Communications processes and transparency practices Yes
Prioritization of programs and projects Yes

A brief description of the formal faculty role in regard to each area indicated, including examples from the previous three years:

Faculty are incorporated in shared governance on the UC Merced campus and currently sit on the UCM Chancellor's Advisory Committee on Sustainability, faculty are also represented on the Chancellor’s Advisory Council on Campus Climate, Culture and Inclusion, as well as the Campus Physical Planning Committee (CPPC).

Standing Senate Committees with some discretion on campus sustainability activities include Committee on Academic Planning and Resource Allocation, Committee on Research, Committee on Faculty Welfare and Academic Freedom, among several.


The website URL where information about the institution’s governance structure is available:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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