| Overall Rating | Gold |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 71.15 |
| Liaison | Sarah Stoeckl |
| Submission Date | Aug. 1, 2023 |
University of Oregon
PA-3: Inclusive and Participatory Governance
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
3.00 / 3.00 |
Sarah
Stoeckl Assistant Director Office of Sustainability |
"---"
indicates that no data was submitted for this field
Part 1. Shared governance bodies
| Yes or No | |
| Students | Yes |
| Academic staff | Yes |
| Non-academic staff | Yes |
A brief description of the institution’s formal participatory or shared governance bodies:
The Board of Trustees of the University of Oregon is the university’s governing body. As a governing body, the Board of Trustees is given authority—under state statute—to govern all aspects of the institution. The board does not manage the UO’s day-to-day operations. Much of this management authority is delegated by the board to the president (who may in turn delegate to others). The board, and all members of the UO community, must adhere to various laws, administrative rules, policies, etc. Some of these are enacted by the federal or state government, and some are self-imposed by the UO. Board membership is made up of volunteers as well a place held for a faculty member, student, and non-faculty staff member, respectively. https://trustees.uoregon.edu/
In addition, the University of Oregon has adopted a Constitution of the University of Oregon, which defines the manner in which the Statutory Faculty shall exercise its governance obligations. This Constitution reflects the original collegial and consultative spirit embodied in the 1876 charter and aligns with subsequent codifications and clarifications of that Charter expressed in Oregon Revised Statutes. The complete text of the Constitution is available here:
https://cpb-us-e1.wpmucdn.com/blogs.uoregon.edu/dist/9/13250/files/2016/08/Constitution-of-the-UODec_15_2011-11qcan8.pdf
In addition, the University of Oregon Senate is a partner in shared governance at the UO. They collaborate with the trustees, the president, the administration and various university committees to further the academic mission of the UO. The Senate derives its authority from the Statutory Faculty, by virtue of the University of Oregon Constitution, and expresses the faculty's will on academic matters through legislation and policy proposals. Though its power derives from the faculty, the Senate draws its members from and represents the entire university community, including faculty, students, staff, officers of administration, officers of research and librarians. The Senate uses a third type of motions, Resolutions, to express its opinion on subjects that are not directly within its purview, but are of interest to the body, particularly on those issues which have the potential to impact the broader UO community.
The UO Senate, with the help of various committees, primarily oversees the evolving landscape of the academic mission of the university. This includes, but is not limited to, items such as grading policies, new academic degree programs, emergency planning in case of academic disruption, and student experience surveys (formerly course evaluations). Our governing documents provide the structure and authority by which we act and express our opinions on a wide range of issues affecting the campus community.
All staff may vote in elections for representatives to the UO senate. The University Senate shall consist of 51-54 voting members representing a total of six Constituent Groups. The groups (and the number of University Senate seats to be alloted to each group are: Statutory Faculty (37); Librarians (2); Officers of Administration (3); Students (5); Classified Staff (3); Career Non-Tenure-Track Research Faculty (1). https://senate.uoregon.edu/
In addition, the UO Senate is a member of the Oregon Interinstitutional Faculty Senate. The IFS website is here: http://oregonifs.org/
In addition, the UO Senate is a member of the PAC12 – ALC. Their web page is here: http://pac12alc.org/
Students:
The Associated Students of the University of Oregon (ASUO) The ASUO strives to provide for the social, cultural, educational, and physical development of its members and for the advancement of their individual and collective interests both within the university and the community at large. The ASUO represents each of the more than 20,000 students at UO and oversee an annual budget of approximately $17 million.
Purpose
The ASUO serves as the student-led and university-recognized student government at the University of Oregon. The ASUO is the primary campus mechanism through which students can express collective opinions on UO policies and procedures, as well as organize and advocate in campaigns to benefit student interests both on campus and throughout the wider community. The ASUO also recommends and allocates the student Incidental Fee, and coordinates the recognition of student organizations.
Branches
The ASUO is structured into three distinct branches, each with separate designated roles set forth in the ASUO constitution: Executive, Legislative, and Judicial. https://asuo.uoregon.edu/
In addition, the University of Oregon has adopted a Constitution of the University of Oregon, which defines the manner in which the Statutory Faculty shall exercise its governance obligations. This Constitution reflects the original collegial and consultative spirit embodied in the 1876 charter and aligns with subsequent codifications and clarifications of that Charter expressed in Oregon Revised Statutes. The complete text of the Constitution is available here:
https://cpb-us-e1.wpmucdn.com/blogs.uoregon.edu/dist/9/13250/files/2016/08/Constitution-of-the-UODec_15_2011-11qcan8.pdf
In addition, the University of Oregon Senate is a partner in shared governance at the UO. They collaborate with the trustees, the president, the administration and various university committees to further the academic mission of the UO. The Senate derives its authority from the Statutory Faculty, by virtue of the University of Oregon Constitution, and expresses the faculty's will on academic matters through legislation and policy proposals. Though its power derives from the faculty, the Senate draws its members from and represents the entire university community, including faculty, students, staff, officers of administration, officers of research and librarians. The Senate uses a third type of motions, Resolutions, to express its opinion on subjects that are not directly within its purview, but are of interest to the body, particularly on those issues which have the potential to impact the broader UO community.
The UO Senate, with the help of various committees, primarily oversees the evolving landscape of the academic mission of the university. This includes, but is not limited to, items such as grading policies, new academic degree programs, emergency planning in case of academic disruption, and student experience surveys (formerly course evaluations). Our governing documents provide the structure and authority by which we act and express our opinions on a wide range of issues affecting the campus community.
All staff may vote in elections for representatives to the UO senate. The University Senate shall consist of 51-54 voting members representing a total of six Constituent Groups. The groups (and the number of University Senate seats to be alloted to each group are: Statutory Faculty (37); Librarians (2); Officers of Administration (3); Students (5); Classified Staff (3); Career Non-Tenure-Track Research Faculty (1). https://senate.uoregon.edu/
In addition, the UO Senate is a member of the Oregon Interinstitutional Faculty Senate. The IFS website is here: http://oregonifs.org/
In addition, the UO Senate is a member of the PAC12 – ALC. Their web page is here: http://pac12alc.org/
Students:
The Associated Students of the University of Oregon (ASUO) The ASUO strives to provide for the social, cultural, educational, and physical development of its members and for the advancement of their individual and collective interests both within the university and the community at large. The ASUO represents each of the more than 20,000 students at UO and oversee an annual budget of approximately $17 million.
Purpose
The ASUO serves as the student-led and university-recognized student government at the University of Oregon. The ASUO is the primary campus mechanism through which students can express collective opinions on UO policies and procedures, as well as organize and advocate in campaigns to benefit student interests both on campus and throughout the wider community. The ASUO also recommends and allocates the student Incidental Fee, and coordinates the recognition of student organizations.
Branches
The ASUO is structured into three distinct branches, each with separate designated roles set forth in the ASUO constitution: Executive, Legislative, and Judicial. https://asuo.uoregon.edu/
Part 2. Campus stakeholder representation in governance
15
Number of students representing their peers as official members of the institution’s highest governing body:
1
Number of academic staff representing their peers as official members of the institution’s highest governing body:
1
Number of non-academic staff representing their peers as official members of the institution’s highest governing body:
1
Part 3. Gender equity in governance
10
Percentage of official members of the highest governing body that are women:
66.67
Website URL where information about the institution’s highest governing body may be found:
Part 4. Community engagement bodies
Yes
A brief description of the campus-community council or equivalent body that gives external stakeholders a regular voice in institutional decisions that affect them:
Numerous formal bodies hosted by the University of Oregon provide external stakeholders with regular opportunities to voice their opinions in institutional decisions that affect them. The following efforts demonstrate the extent of engagement with external stakeholders across all units of the University.
UO Transportation Services
Campus transportation works with campus-area communities on an ongoing basis to work on issues of parking and transportation of mutual concern. External stakeholder participation is embedded as an ongoing component of this division’s work. For example, Parking and Transportation is currently developing a Transportation Services Strategic Plan. As noted by the office, “Access to and around campus and parking services impact every campus user, and the surrounding community. With that in mind, we are gathering feedback from multiple campus user-groups and individuals, and external partner agencies.”
https://transportation.uoregon.edu/planning-projects
Campus Planning, Design and Construction
The Campus Planning and Design and Construction units provide regular opportunities for external stakeholder engagement. All campus planning, design, and construction projects include opportunities for public input, including public meetings that are held in collaboration with local governments.
https://cpfm.uoregon.edu/campus-planning. Specifically, the Campus Planning Committee regularly reaches out and invites leaders from five neighborhood associations to participate in Campus Planning Committee (CPC) meetings. (The meetings are open to the public and in some cases are heavily attended by people living near campus.) There are numerous examples of community members’ feedback resulting in substantive changes to CPC’s final recommendations to the President. Campus Planning's process is a university-led process that occurs in addition to land use processes managed by the City of Eugene.
Government and Community Relations
The Government and Community Relations division at the University of Oregon serves as the liaison between the university and the surrounding community. Within this division, the Community Relations unit supports numerous efforts to engage with external stakeholders and to liaise with elected officials at all levels of government and the local community. The unit coordinates legislative and advocacy efforts at the federal, state, and local levels. The division’s mission is to build and strengthen relationships with the university's constituencies and encourage investment in and support for the university, its programs, and its initiatives.
Community Relations serves as the liaison between the community and the university. The mission of this unit is to foster good relations and open communication with local governments, surrounding neighborhoods, civic and community-based organizations, and the local business community. Staff members monitor local ordinances, programs, and proposals, and direct the university's engagement in local community events and activities.
State Affairs coordinates the activities of the university on matters relating to its state financial support and legislative priorities. Staff members serve as the liaison to the Higher Education Coordinating Commission and Oregon Legislature and monitor legislative and policy initiatives. They also manage the university's advocacy program and staff legislative committees of the UO Foundation Board of Trustees and UO Alumni Association Board of Directors.
Federal Affairs coordinates the activities of the university on matters relating to the federal government and Congress. Staff members develop and implement the university's federal agenda; monitor federal legislation, programs, and proposals; assess potential implications and opportunities; and serve as the liaison between the university and members of the Oregon congressional delegation, congressional committees, and federal agencies (working closely with the UO Office of the Vice President for Research and Innovation).
https://gcr.uoregon.edu/community-relations
Division of Equity and Inclusion
The Campus and Community Engagement unit within the Division of Equity and Inclusion develops relationships on campus and with external stakeholders through multiple avenues, including the following programs:
-Community Building and Engagement: The office collaborates externally with key campus partners and communities to translate culturally-relevant needs, interests and resources through community partnerships, information sharing, and legislative advocacy.
-Student Success and Engagement: Develop and support co-curricular leadership and retention initiatives for underrepresented and underserved students at the UO by connecting them to faculty, staff, administration, alumni and the community broadly.
https://inclusion.uoregon.edu/about-us-0
Board of Trustees
The Board of Trustees is the highest governing body of the Institution. As a public institution, all Board of Trustees meetings are open to the public and all meetings allow opportunity for public input into Board activities. The broad responsibilities of this 15-member group are to supervise, coordinate, manage, and regulate the UO, as provided by state statute. The Board of Trustees holds quarterly public meetings, at which public comment is invited. Details on the meeting schedule and public comment process are provided here: https://trustees.uoregon.edu/meetings
University Senate
In addition, the University Senate holds regular monthly meetings, all of which are open to the public. The following excerpt from the Senate Bylaws details the means by which stakeholders can participated in Senate meetings and decision-making:
-3.4 Senate Meetings. The schedule, location and agenda of Senate meetings shall be
posted on the Senate website. Senate meetings shall be open to the public. The only valid exceptions shall be those sections of Senate meetings dealing with Distinguished Service Awards and Honorary Doctorates (see Article 3.10) and those specified by the Oregon Public Meetings law (ORS 192.640, 650 and 660). Upon including in the public record one or more of the above-specified reason(s) for going into executive session, the Senate President shall close the meeting to all non-senators (University of Oregon Constitution Section 8.1.2).
-3.4.1.1 Visitors. Visitors are always warmly welcome at meetings of the University Senate. Visitors shall have access to the Senate floor at the pleasure of the Senate, which must formally suspend the Senate rules to allow visitors to speak at Senate meetings. A two-thirds affirmative vote shall be required for suspension of the rules. The Senate President shall have the right, without requesting a suspension of the rules, to invite visitors to make reports to the Senate.
-3.4.2 Minutes of Senate meetings. All Senate meetings shall have formal minutes prepared by the Senate Executive Coordinator who shall also post them on the Senate website in a timely manner. All meeting minutes shall be approved by the Senate.
The complete Senate Bylaws are available here:
https://cpb-us-e1.wpmucdn.com/blogs.uoregon.edu/dist/9/13250/files/2016/08/BYLAWS-of-the-University-of-Oregon-Senate-Clean-417-1-27mz7qy.pdf
UO Transportation Services
Campus transportation works with campus-area communities on an ongoing basis to work on issues of parking and transportation of mutual concern. External stakeholder participation is embedded as an ongoing component of this division’s work. For example, Parking and Transportation is currently developing a Transportation Services Strategic Plan. As noted by the office, “Access to and around campus and parking services impact every campus user, and the surrounding community. With that in mind, we are gathering feedback from multiple campus user-groups and individuals, and external partner agencies.”
https://transportation.uoregon.edu/planning-projects
Campus Planning, Design and Construction
The Campus Planning and Design and Construction units provide regular opportunities for external stakeholder engagement. All campus planning, design, and construction projects include opportunities for public input, including public meetings that are held in collaboration with local governments.
https://cpfm.uoregon.edu/campus-planning. Specifically, the Campus Planning Committee regularly reaches out and invites leaders from five neighborhood associations to participate in Campus Planning Committee (CPC) meetings. (The meetings are open to the public and in some cases are heavily attended by people living near campus.) There are numerous examples of community members’ feedback resulting in substantive changes to CPC’s final recommendations to the President. Campus Planning's process is a university-led process that occurs in addition to land use processes managed by the City of Eugene.
Government and Community Relations
The Government and Community Relations division at the University of Oregon serves as the liaison between the university and the surrounding community. Within this division, the Community Relations unit supports numerous efforts to engage with external stakeholders and to liaise with elected officials at all levels of government and the local community. The unit coordinates legislative and advocacy efforts at the federal, state, and local levels. The division’s mission is to build and strengthen relationships with the university's constituencies and encourage investment in and support for the university, its programs, and its initiatives.
Community Relations serves as the liaison between the community and the university. The mission of this unit is to foster good relations and open communication with local governments, surrounding neighborhoods, civic and community-based organizations, and the local business community. Staff members monitor local ordinances, programs, and proposals, and direct the university's engagement in local community events and activities.
State Affairs coordinates the activities of the university on matters relating to its state financial support and legislative priorities. Staff members serve as the liaison to the Higher Education Coordinating Commission and Oregon Legislature and monitor legislative and policy initiatives. They also manage the university's advocacy program and staff legislative committees of the UO Foundation Board of Trustees and UO Alumni Association Board of Directors.
Federal Affairs coordinates the activities of the university on matters relating to the federal government and Congress. Staff members develop and implement the university's federal agenda; monitor federal legislation, programs, and proposals; assess potential implications and opportunities; and serve as the liaison between the university and members of the Oregon congressional delegation, congressional committees, and federal agencies (working closely with the UO Office of the Vice President for Research and Innovation).
https://gcr.uoregon.edu/community-relations
Division of Equity and Inclusion
The Campus and Community Engagement unit within the Division of Equity and Inclusion develops relationships on campus and with external stakeholders through multiple avenues, including the following programs:
-Community Building and Engagement: The office collaborates externally with key campus partners and communities to translate culturally-relevant needs, interests and resources through community partnerships, information sharing, and legislative advocacy.
-Student Success and Engagement: Develop and support co-curricular leadership and retention initiatives for underrepresented and underserved students at the UO by connecting them to faculty, staff, administration, alumni and the community broadly.
https://inclusion.uoregon.edu/about-us-0
Board of Trustees
The Board of Trustees is the highest governing body of the Institution. As a public institution, all Board of Trustees meetings are open to the public and all meetings allow opportunity for public input into Board activities. The broad responsibilities of this 15-member group are to supervise, coordinate, manage, and regulate the UO, as provided by state statute. The Board of Trustees holds quarterly public meetings, at which public comment is invited. Details on the meeting schedule and public comment process are provided here: https://trustees.uoregon.edu/meetings
University Senate
In addition, the University Senate holds regular monthly meetings, all of which are open to the public. The following excerpt from the Senate Bylaws details the means by which stakeholders can participated in Senate meetings and decision-making:
-3.4 Senate Meetings. The schedule, location and agenda of Senate meetings shall be
posted on the Senate website. Senate meetings shall be open to the public. The only valid exceptions shall be those sections of Senate meetings dealing with Distinguished Service Awards and Honorary Doctorates (see Article 3.10) and those specified by the Oregon Public Meetings law (ORS 192.640, 650 and 660). Upon including in the public record one or more of the above-specified reason(s) for going into executive session, the Senate President shall close the meeting to all non-senators (University of Oregon Constitution Section 8.1.2).
-3.4.1.1 Visitors. Visitors are always warmly welcome at meetings of the University Senate. Visitors shall have access to the Senate floor at the pleasure of the Senate, which must formally suspend the Senate rules to allow visitors to speak at Senate meetings. A two-thirds affirmative vote shall be required for suspension of the rules. The Senate President shall have the right, without requesting a suspension of the rules, to invite visitors to make reports to the Senate.
-3.4.2 Minutes of Senate meetings. All Senate meetings shall have formal minutes prepared by the Senate Executive Coordinator who shall also post them on the Senate website in a timely manner. All meeting minutes shall be approved by the Senate.
The complete Senate Bylaws are available here:
https://cpb-us-e1.wpmucdn.com/blogs.uoregon.edu/dist/9/13250/files/2016/08/BYLAWS-of-the-University-of-Oregon-Senate-Clean-417-1-27mz7qy.pdf
Optional Fields
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Website URL where information about the institution’s governance structure is available:
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Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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