Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 65.21
Liaison Gary Cocke
Submission Date Sept. 11, 2019
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

The University of Texas at Dallas
PA-3: Participatory Governance

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 1.75 / 3.00 Gary Cocke
Sustainability Director
Office of Sustainability
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Do the institution’s students have a representative body through which they can participate in governance (e.g. a student council)? :
Yes

Do the institution’s students have an elected representative on the institution’s highest governing body?:
Yes

A brief description of the bodies and mechanisms through which students are engaged in governance, including information to support each affirmative response above:

UT System Board of Regents is the highest governing body for UT System institutions, and has a selection process for a student regent that requires an application process that is overseen by Student Government at the campus level. At UT Dallas, Student Government solicits applications from qualified members of Student Government and the student body and submits applications from qualified candidates to the President's Office.

Student Regent Selection Process - https://www.utsystem.edu/offices/academic-affairs/student-representation/ut-system-student-regent-selection-process


Do the institution’s staff members have a representative body through which they can participate in governance (e.g. a staff council)?:
Yes

Do the institution’s non-supervisory staff members have an elected representative on the institution’s highest governing body?:
No

A brief description of the bodies and mechanisms through which staff are engaged in governance, including information to support each affirmative response above:

The Staff Council of The University of Texas at Dallas, hereinafter referred to as Staff Council, in keeping with the mission of UT Dallas, is an advisory body through which eligible Staff members, hereinafter referred to as Staff, can convey information and make recommendations to the President regarding interests and concerns of Staff. The Staff Council is constituted by the President and by the Board of Regents of the University of Texas System, with the goal of continually improving university operations and the well-being of UT Dallas' Staff. The Staff Council is constituted to address matters of general concern to the University Community, and in particular to members of UT Dallas' Staff.

The Staff Council shall serve as a consultative and deliberative body for Staff in:

- addressing issues of concern that are unique to Staff,
- fostering expanded opportunities for Staff involvement in campus governance,
- building a sense of community by encouraging the exchange of ideas and concerns,
- providing advice on university policy and procedures impacting Staff,
- advising the University on Staff nominations to University Standing Committees as equal members,
- promoting the growth and welfare of Staff, contributing to the success of UT Dallas,
- increasing the sense of identity, recognition and worth of each staff member in his / her relationship to the University,
- identifying concerns relating to Staff and to seek their solutions,
- promoting the development and adoption of policies which will aid in retaining qualified personnel,
- integrating the Staff into existing University affairs,
- establishing and promoting University-wide activities, publications, workshops and seminars, and
- creating a stronger bond within Staff.


Do the institution’s teaching and research faculty have a representative body through which they can participate in governance (e.g. a faculty senate)?:
Yes

Do the institution’s teaching and research faculty have an elected representative on the institution’s highest governing body? :
No

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:

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UT Dallas Academic Senate
A representative body, formed from the General Faculty of The University of Texas at Dallas, in which faculty develop their concerns and proposals in exercising their major roles in faculty governance. The Academic Senate is aided in its work by the Academic Council, a smaller body formed from the Academic Senate which meets regularly with the President and Chief Academic Officer and by the Faculty Committees. As the regular primary faculty governance body, the Academic Senate is expected to coordinate faculty exercise of faculty governance responsibilities in the interests of academic excellence at The University of Texas at Dallas.

Senate Committees 2017-2018
- Committee on Academic Integrity
- Committee on Committees
- Committee on the Core Curriculum
- Committee on Distance Learning
- Committee on Educational Policy
- Committee on Effective Teaching
- Committee on Faculty Mentoring
- Committee on Faculty Standing and Conduct
- Committee on Learning Management Systems
- Committee on Qualifications of Academic Personnel
- Committee on Student Scholarships
- Library Committee
- President's Outstanding Teaching Awards Committees
- Senate Advisory Committee on Research
- Senate Advisory Committee on the University Budget
- University Information Security Advisory Committee

University Citizenship

All faculty members are expected to participate as citizens in the life of the University. Citizenship and service to the academic community typically include membership in governance bodies and committees, administrative duties, program planning and development, public service, and special assignments from the President.
https://provost.utdallas.edu/policy/utdpp1077


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?:
No

A copy of the written policies and procedures:
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The policies and procedures:

The Campus Master Planning Process followed guidance from UT System procedures for community engagement. The Planning Committee for UT Dallas's Master Plan was tasked with stakeholder and local community engagement. Page 5 of the Master Plan specifically discusses consultation with municipal government and Dallas Area Rapid Transit, as the master plan addresses the effect of the universities growth on the surrounding community. The planned diversion of traffic off of Floyd Road was coordinated with the City of Richardson and local residents in order to keep university traffic from adversely affecting adjacent neighborhoods, and implementation and construction will continue in consultation with these groups. The Master Plan also addresses plans for the DART Light Rail to come to the UT Dallas Campus, and construction is currently under way with frequent coordination between DART and UTD.

UTD utilizes 2 mechanisms for continued stakeholder engagement in support of priorities identified in the campus master plan. Vice President for Facilities and Economic Development, Calvin Jamison, chairs UTD's Campus and Community Committee which meets twice per year to discuss campus growth solicit feedback from the 20-25 committee members representing stakeholders from local government, civil society, and private sector.

UTD Facilities Management and Sustainability leadership also meets monthly with the City of Richardson Development and Engineering Division in order to discuss and coordinate issues related to construction, traffic, utilities, landscaping, and maintenance.


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):

Reagents' Rules and Regulations Rule 10403: Board Meeting Accessibility and Public Participation, Meetings of the Board of Regents shall be open to the public, unless otherwise determined by the Board, in accordance with law. Closed executive sessions may be convened as authorized by State law.
Members of the public are allowed to present written and oral testimony, for a reasonable amount of time as determined by the Chairman of the Board, on any topic listed on the agenda for a Committee or Board meeting that is open to the public. Testimony on topics not listed on the agenda will not be allowed. Members of the public wishing to present testimony shall provide their name and agenda topic they wish to address to the General Counsel to the Board of Regents at least 24 hours in advance of the meeting. Insofar as possible, any person who provides oral testimony before the Board shall provide a written statement of the substance of such person's testimony to the General Counsel to the Board in sufficient time for copies to be distributed to the Regents prior to the meeting. The Board shall consider the public testimony presented to the Board on an issue before making a decision on the issue. The Chairman or a majority of the Board may prescribe sanctions against any person exceeding established time limits or speaking on a topic not relevant to the agenda topic

Rule 20201: Presidents - See language on community engagement - https://www.utsystem.edu/board-of-regents/rules/20201-presidents

Stakeholders are engaged through the Campus and Community Committee that meets semi-annually to discuss growth and development related to UT Dallas and provides the opportunity for stakeholders to provide feedback to the University. The Campus and Community Committee is comprised of 6 UT Dallas representatives and 20-25 community, local government, and business members.


The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives 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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