Shared Governance
Affirmation
In promotion of our mission, vision, and core values, Upper Iowa University affirms its commitment to shared governance.
Definition
Upper Iowa University defines shared governance as consistent and continued discussion, collaboration and communication amongst the members of the University community, including students, faculty, staff, administration and the Board of Trustees. This commitment includes encouraging ideas and input in decision-making processes by all community members for the purpose of determining strategic decisions and outcomes.
What It is Not
- While it is a helpful and productive path for many decisions, shared governance is not applicable to every University decision; operations, procedures and policy will guide many decisions.
- While participation is critical to its success, shared governance does not necessitate that we reach consensus.
- While it encourages ideas, feedback and initiatives to make the best decision, shared governance does not mean that all will be implemented.
Impacts
Through shared governance, we strive to nurture and strengthen a foundation of personal and institutional accountability, trust, collaboration, communication, transparency, inclusiveness, honesty, and integrity. Shared governance empowers participants to provide input and dialogue in the efforts to:
- Align institutional practice and direction with desired outcomes;
- Explore innovative opportunities and other issues as identified by community members;
- Resolve University challenges.
Getting Involved
For shared governance to work, we must all hold ourselves accountable to being active consumers of due process and following prescribed best practices in shared governance for feedback and/or decision making. We must ensure that we are informing decision maker(s) with the best available information and empowering/trusting them to make the best decision for UIU.
Here are a number of ways you can be involved in both shared governance and decisions that relate to shared governance:
- Actively participate in Faculty meetings, department meetings, Student Government Association, and similar opportunities related to governance.
- Attend President’s Communication Forums, University updates, and similar events; all President’s Council members are generally in attendance.
- Serve as an active participant on committees.
- Actively leverage meeting and committee participation to get your questions answered and issues addressed.
- Utilize the reporting structure by sharing information and feedback with your supervisor
- Regularly review official University communications, as these often detail opportunities for input.
- Submit opportunities and feedback to the Policy Committee or Compliance Committee.
Resources
Questions
If you have questions about shared governance at UIU, please contact the Office of Academic Affairs ([email protected]).
