Virginia Commonwealth University
PA-3: Participatory Governance

The Student Government Association (SGA) is the student-led governing body for the entire VCU Monroe Park Campus that works to represent students by working with the University administrators to communicate the desires, concerns, and ideas of the student body. As a body, the organization promotes student involvement and actively seeks out and represents student opinion not only by working with students but also by ensuring student presence on committees and councils around the university. Furthermore, the SGA is responsible for allocating money from the student activity fee to student organizations. To accomplish their goals and meet the desires of the student body that they serve, the SGA of the Monroe Park Campus is divided into three branches in order to ensure efficiency. They are the Executive Branch, the Judicial Branch, and the Legislative Branch. VCU SGA has 2 appointed representatives that report and raise student concerns to the Board of Visitors.

Any staff member can join the Staff Senate, an organization filled with engaged and enthusiastic members from across Virginia Commonwealth University’s diverse community. Their main goals are: to serve as a representative body for staff to serve on university committees; to provide a forum for the exchange of information; to provide referrals for staff questions or concerns; and to advocate for staff issues across the University including, but not limited to, professional development, shared University governance, and workplaces that foster a spirit of respect, dignity, unity and collaboration. VCU Staff Senate has an appointed representative that reports and raises staff concerns to the Board of Visitors.

All faculty members can participate in the Faculty Senate, which seeks to further and disseminate knowledge and professional skills through teaching, study, research, creativity, exhibition, performance, and provision of community service. An additional objective will be to help insure through investigation, examination, comment and recommendation that the educational goal of the University is being realized by the policies and procedures employed in the University. VCU Faculty Senate has an appointed representative that reports and raises faculty concerns to the Board of Visitors.

The Division of Community Engagement assists VCU’s faculty, staff, and students who are involved with service-learning classes or community-based research projects; we address the continuing studies and professional development needs of adults in the region and beyond; we offer programs for the community through the resources of the Mary and Frances Youth Center and the Carver Neighborhood space; we have launched ASPiRE, VCU's first living-learning residential hall with a focus on community engagement, and much more. The Division also administers the Council for Community Engagement, a representative body from all academic and academic-support units committed to creating a culture of community engagement at VCU. Recognized as a community-engaged institution by the Carnegie Foundation, VCU is one of only 54 universities to be designated by the Carnegie Foundation as “Community Engaged” with “Very High Research Activity.” As outlined in VCU's Quest for Distinction, the Division of Community Engagement is prepared to lead the university in becoming a national model for community engagement and regional impact. By serving as a portal for access, the division connects the university with the larger community and engages faculty, staff and students in service. Additionally a full-time neighborhood outreach director works closely with the community, the VCU Police external relations officer and the VCU Neighborhood Team. In addition, a VCU neighborhood liaison group was established in 2013. With representatives from Carver, the Fan, Jackson Ward, Oregon Hill and Randolph, the group strives to share information and resources, pursue common goals and develop activities that enhance our communities.