Overall Rating Silver - expired
Overall Score 49.31
Liaison Keaton Schrank
Submission Date June 12, 2014
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.0

Westminster University - Utah
PA-3: Governance

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 3.00 / 3.00 Kyle Wray
Sustainability Fellow
Environmental Center
"---" 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:

ASWC is the student government of Westminster College. Students fund its budget with student fees, select its leadership through elections, and benefit from the programming, grants, and services that it offers. There is a 30 member student senate which all students can run for. There are also elected positions available as president, vice president, inter club council president, and chief justice. There are many appointed positions. All students have the ability to vote in elections.


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 president sits on the Board of Trustees. There are also many other appointed members that sit on committees and boards that govern the institution, and an appointment process for those positions is currently being worked on and put in place. Elections are held every year in which students are allowed to vote on candidates.


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 Yes
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:

In regards to strategic planning and mission/vision, the college completed a strategic plan this year, in which students were involved at every process. Also, the final strategic plan and vision statement were voted on by the student senate. New policies have placed students on both the curriculum committee and the liberal education committee, which make decisions about changes to academics at the college. There is a student representative on the financial aid and finance committee. Student government plays a large role in the communication and prioritization of programs, and in the coming year they will be working to ensure there is even greater student involvement.


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:

The staff has a Staff Council that is elected by the staff. One of the Staff Councils' many jobs is to place staff onto committees, task forces, and work groups that carry out many of the functions on campus. Some of those committees have governance and oversight responsibilities.


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:

The Chair on the Staff Council is invited to participate on the President’s Cabinet, which has some governance responsibilities.


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 Yes

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

Staff serve on the Strategic Planning Council and on various steering committees which help shape the vision and goals of the college. An example is in the last strategic plan there were at least 3 all staff sessions to receive input on the vision and goals of the college.

Staff are often called on to help establish campus wide policies or initiatives. For example, the Office of Environmental Health and Safety is tasked with helping to draft the Workplace Violence Prevention policy and plan.

The Strategic Planning Council is an ongoing work group that helps keep the college moving on its long term strategies and initiatives and has two non-administrative staff on that council.

Staff often serve on committees dedicated to sustainability, which include the use and expanding of physical resources.

Staff have several members that are non-administrative who serve on the President’s Budget Advisory Committee.

This is a work in progress, in which staff council is striving to bring transparency in processes and decision making.

Staff are often given freedom to affect their own areas in terms of project generation, sustainability. Staff also receive representation through the staff council to have staff members placed on committees that prioritize programs or hiring committees for new programs.


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 regular all-faculty meetings in which policies for faculty are voted on. Also faculty have a Senate (voted on by the faculty) that represents faculty opinion to the Administration. Faculty itself, according to our bylaws, have governance responsibilities which is why faculty are able to vote on school matters.


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:

Senate Chair and Faculty Chair attend board meetings and the President’s Cabinet.


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 ---
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 have spots on all the committees that establish mission, vision and values, campus wide programs, and long term planning, and have 3 spots on the Strategic Planning Council. Faculty have representation on the President’s Budget Advisory Committee.
Faculty are the main driving force for search committees and are part of almost all search committees. Faculty have spots on committees that establish priorities for programs and projects.


The website URL where information about the institution’s governance structure is available:
---

Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
---

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.