Much of the work of the senate is accomplished through its 19 councils and committees. Senate committees have a combination of faculty, student, staff and administrative members. The administrators are important liaisons to the university offices that carry out functions relevant to the committee. For example, the chief information officer and the director of libraries are members of the Council on Distance Education, Libraries, and Information Technology.
Background
In order to enhance our system of shared governance, the relationship between senate committees and administrators/administrative offices should be strong for all committees. In an article in the Chronicle of Higher Education titled "Exactly What is ‘Shared Governance'?" Gary Olson writes, “True shared governance attempts to balance maximum participation in decision making with clear accountability.” This year, emphasis will be placed on making sure that these interactions are collaborative and productive.
What's Next
What does shared governance look like at Ohio State? The Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges, in its 2017 white paper, Shared Governance: Changing with the Times, states that shared governance is a “shared and clearly articulated commitment to trust, collaboration, communication, transparency, inclusiveness, honesty and integrity.” At Ohio State, shared governance includes a shared commitment between the faculty, students, staff and the administration including the president, the provost and the Board of Trustees. The University Senate actively seeks to bridge communication between these constituent groups. Having two students as voting members of the board, and a faculty member as a member of the board's Academic Affairs and Student Life committee helps connect the university to the board. The faculty leaders would like to see the board consider ways to further strengthen the voice of faculty in the operation of the board and its committees.