Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 66.38
Liaison Olivia Shehan
Submission Date Nov. 13, 2018
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

Wellesley College
PA-3: Participatory Governance

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 0.75 / 3.00 Dorothea Von Herder
Sustainability Coordinator
Facilites
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Part 1

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?:
No

If yes to either of the above, provide:

A brief description of the bodies and mechanisms through which students are engaged in governance, including information to support each affirmative response above:
All students are given the opportunity to participate in student government within the residential hall system and the college at large. Students have the opportunity to serve on nearly all governing bodies at the college. There are many committees that have openings for students to serve on, including the sustainability committee. Students are elected to serve as student representatives on the Board of Trustees and on the Subcommittee of Proxy Voter, two of the highest governing bodies on campus.

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

If yes to either of the above, provide:

A brief description of the bodies and mechanisms through which staff are engaged in governance, including information to support each affirmative response above:
The Wellesley College Subcommittee of Proxy Voting is a group charged with the responsibility of voting on behalf of all members of the College. Unlike other institutions who rely on their investment managers to proxy vote for them, the SPV is composed of trustees, faculty, and students. Wellesley's commitment to exercising its rights as a responsible shareholder distinguishes it from these peers; most intuitions rely on their investment managers to vote proxies for them.

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

If yes to either of the above, provide:

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:
The Subcommittee of Proxy Voting gives Wellesley College faculty an avenue to participate in college governance by guiding the college's financial decisions. Also, the Academic Council, which includes several faculty members, determines policies relating to the academic, social, and religious life of the students.

Part 2

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:
---

The policies and procedures:
---

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 No
Private sector organizations No
Civil society (e.g. NGOs, NPOs) No

If yes to one or more of the above, provide:

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):
---

Optional Fields 

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:
Articles of Governance: http://www.wellesley.edu/sites/default/files/assets/departments/provost/files/legislation_book_i_17-18_final_0.pdf http://www.wellesley.edu/administration/committees http://www.wellesley.edu/provost/committees

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.