Georgia College & State University

Administrative Committee Charter

September 12, 2005

Name:             University Senate Bylaws and Governing Concepts Committee

Rationale:       

·         Guidance is needed to reduce ambiguity concerning where and how to address specific issues; i.e. determining what is University Senate business, finding categories for that business and clarifying how to determine what is ‘passed’ and what is ‘reviewed.’

o        The role of ‘review’ is a newly-identified, additional function of shared governance and must be supported through revision of University Senate Bylaws and subsequent operational procedures.

·         Guidance is needed to monitor and recommend strategies to build the capacity of the university to engage in shared governance such as expanded representation in providing input and clarification of committee functions.

·         To promote flexibility in the continued development of shared governance, operational guidelines were removed from Institutional Statutes and must be relocated, discarded or revised. 

·         Given two years of experience in implementation, University Senate Bylaws should be reviewed to increase the capacity of the university to engage in effective scholarship, service, teaching and learning by implementing effective policy developed through shared governance.  

Purpose:        

·         Review concepts/ideas that guide the governance process and review University Senate Bylaws to determine how effective these are in advancing the guiding concepts/ideas and effective governance processes.

·         Propose categories for University Senate business in the University Senate Bylaws including the clarification and definition of policy and review roles.

·         Review current shared governance documents, receive input from the university community, and recommend revisions to US Bylaws.

·         Encourage sustained input from the university community prior to US action on policy considerations.

·         Encourage innovative ways to expand representation in policy recommendations and ownership of university outcomes as they relate to educational goals.

o        Streamline the process of staff involvement through shared governance utilizing existing committee structures and integrate this process with Staff Council.

o        Streamline the process of student involvement through shared governance utilizing existing committee structures and integrate this process with the Student Government Association.

·         Function as a teaching and learning community in building the capacity of the university to engage in shared governance.

·         Provide teachable points of view internally and across campus based on facilitating a culture shift from a focus on shared governance stopping ‘bad’ policy to a focus on developing ‘good’ policy.

Reports to:      Advisory to the President and to the University Senate

Membership:  

Dorothy Leland (ex officio), J. W. Good (chair), Craig Turner (revision tracking), Betty Block, Ken Farr, Lee Gillis, Anne Gormly, Jude Hirsch, Neil Jones, Cheryl Reynolds, Quintus Sibley, Mike Whitfield

Responsibilities:         

·         Review current literature and experiences with shared governance and policy development to determine what works, what does not work, and what should be implemented beyond correcting what does not work

·         Hold sufficient workshops, meetings and/or hearings to review accumulated issues, identify others, agree on compiled revisions and policy organization.

·         Issue meeting invitations and/or establish hearings as needed for clarification and feedback on issues and drafts.

·         Prepare US Bylaws revisions.

·         Function as a teaching and learning community with all contributing to the education of others based on their reflection, research and expertise in shared governance.

Products:       

·         University Senate Bylaws revision recommendations with            changes noted in existing official documents

·         Other advisory recommendations as needed to the President and the University Senate

Timeline:        

·         Committee meetings will be scheduled at 1:00 pm on selected ECUS meeting dates. 

·         Bylaws revisions will be completed by the committee and recommended to ECUS during January 2006.