Worcester Polytechnic Institute
PA-3: Governance

The Student Government Association (SGA) at WPI acts as the voice for the undergraduate student body and encourages open communication between students and the WPI community. The SGA's mission is to improve the quality of student life at the university, both academically and socially, by addressing student needs and concerns, providing financial structure for WPI's student clubs and organizations, and representing the student body in a professional manner. The Graduate Student Government (GSG) is the governing body of the graduate student population at WPI. Its slogan is "Promoting Graduate Life," and it fulfills this goal by being an effective graduate student voice, communicating with faculty and administration, and providing academic and social functions for new and existing graduate students. Membership in both student governments is determined through annual elections. In addition, residential students can participate in their Hall Council, which organizes hall events and advocates on behalf of hall residents. Hall Council members are selected via an election process. Similarly, members of fraternities and sororities are represented through the Interfraternity Council (IFC) or PanHellenic Council.

The presidents of both the undergraduate and graduate student governments participate in the Board of Trustee meetings three times a year, and present formally to the Trustees during the Student Affairs Committee meeting. Students also serve as members of Faculty Governance committees including the Committee on Academic Policy, Committee on Academic Operations, Committee on Graduate Studies and Research, and Committee on Advising and Student Life. Students also serve on the strategic planning committee. In addition, graduate and undergraduate student representatives served as members of the President and Provost Search Committees. In one example of student influence on campus, the Student Government Association led the effort to make WPI a tobacco free campus.

Staff are appointed to serve on the Fringe Benefits Committee or the Human Resources Advisory Committee.

The HR Advisory Group, to which employees are appointed, was formed as a direct result of the most recent employee opinion survey. The survey identified a number of areas where the university could be doing a better job at making WPI a greater place to work. The HR Advisory Group initially worked on prioritizing areas of need, and then on initiating projects that would help to make improvements in these areas. Three examples that resulted from this initiative include the Woman's Leadership Network, WPI wiki, and support for supervising student workers. Employees are also appointed to serve on the Fringe Benefits Committee. Additionally, feedback sessions were held this year for all staff (supervisory & non-supervisory) so their perspectives could be considered in decision-making.

All members of the faculty may participate in monthly faculty meetings and vote in faculty elections. Among other things, these elections select faculty representatives for a variety of standing and ad hoc committees and also to determine the Secretary of the Faculty.

The Secretary of the Faculty, a position elected from among the faculty, is present during meetings of the Corporation and may participate fully in all discussions and deliberations. The secretary does not have a formal vote, as this is a responsibility unique to Trustees and cannot be delegated. In addition, to strengthen shared governance and foster good communication, the Trustees appoint two tenured or tenure-track members of the Faculty to each of the five Board committees: Academic Planning, Student Affairs, Budget and Finance, Facilities and Campus Infrastructure, and Marketing. Faculty members of Board committees will have voting privileges, and are considered full, participating members of the committee, not simply observers. The Board of Trustees’ Committee on Nominations and Governance makes the appointments from slates of nominees prepared by the Faculty Committee on Governance (COG).

Faculty are represented on virtually all committees. In addition to participating in Board committees on Academic Planning, Student Affairs, Budget and Finance, Facilities and Campus Infrastructure, and Marketing, faculty representatives participate in the following standing committees of the faculty: Committee on Governance, Committee on Academic Policy, Committee on Academic Operations, Committee on Graduate Studies and Research, Committee on Tenure and Academic Freedom, Committee on Appointments and Promotions, Committee on Advising and Student Life, Committee on Administrative and Financial Policy, and the Faculty Review Committee.