Resources

Checklists

In August

  • Ask for updated membership roster
  • Reach out to committee members to schedule a time to meet
  • Chair first meeting and elect a Chairperson (responsible for leading the meetings, organizing the meetings and their locations, setting the agenda) and Secretary (responsible for taking minutes and turning them into the Governance Secretary)
  • Establish tentative meeting schedule

In April

  • Make sure that the Annual Report is turned in to the Executive Coordinator and Secretary for University Governance; you will receive guidance by email and more information is always available on the website
  • Ask for the appropriate council to make any needed changes to the membership or responsibilities of the committee
  • Review the responsibilities of the committee and its members in the Faculty and Professional Personnel Handbook
  • Attend all meetings
  • Report back to any constituents on the progress of the committee
  • Be proactive about finding business the committee can address
  • Don’t forget to document your services in Digital Measures/Faculty Success
  • Run for committee leadership if you’re able to
  • Review the responsibilities of the committee and its members in the Faculty and Professional Personnel Handbook
  • Schedule and attend all committee meetings
  • Prepare and send out the agenda for each meeting (in consultation with the Secretary and any administrative personnel assigned to the committee)
  • Report action items that need to move through the governance system to the Governance Secretary in a timely manner
  • Familiarize yourself with Roberts Rule’s of Order and other trainings available to help run efficient and inclusive meetings Cheat Sheet
  • Report committee progress to any overseeing governance councils, as well as attending to introduce and answer questions about action items when necessary
  • Work with Secretary of the committee to complete and turn in the End of Year Report
  • Attend all committee meetings and take minutes
  • Turn minutes into the Executive Coordinator and Secretary for University Governance on a regular basis
  • Keep attendance for all members of the committee; include with minutes
  • Work in conjunction with the Chair of the committee to complete and turn in the end of the year report
  • If not able to attend a meeting, inform the chair and make arrangements for minutes to be taken by another member of the committee; reach out to Governance Secretary if unable to find a replacement
  • Attend Professional Personnel Council meetings (including the last meeting of the year in April when new representatives are on duty)
  • Report information from the meetings back to your area
  • Meet with members of your area and bring their concerns to PPC
  • Introduce items of business by emailing them to the Governance Secretary or using the website’s self-service option
  • Represent PPC as directed to committees and report back on action item progress
  • Attend Faculty Council meetings (including the last meeting of the year in April when new representatives are on duty)
  • Report information from the meetings back to your department
  • Meet with members of your area and bring their concerns to Faculty Council (including asking questions of the Provost during each meeting)
  • Introduce items of business by emailing them to the Governance Secretary or using the website’s self-service option
  • Represent Faculty Council as directed to committees and report back on action item progress
  • Attend University Senate meetings (including the last meeting of the year in April when new senators are on duty)
  • Report information from the meetings back to your area
  • Meet with members of your area and bring their concerns to University Senate (including asking questions of the President during each meeting)
  • Introduce items of business by emailing them to the Governance Secretary or using the website’s self-service option
  • Represent University Senate as directed to committees and report back on action item progress

What Exactly is Shared Governance?

This article from the Chronicle of Higher Education serves as a really good introduction to the shared governance concept, and is perfect for those just getting started with the governance system.

How To Make Shared Governance Work

This article talks about some of the best practices that institutions can implement to improve their governance systems. It highlights the need for effective communication and the necessity of including stakeholders of all kinds.

Showing Off Our Shared Governance Zoom Meeting

In March 2023, Ball State’s governance leaders participated in a public Zoom session to present on the governance system here at Ball State. The Chairs of Senate, Faculty Council and Professional Personnel Council all explained what their bodies do, how their membership is set up, and how they interact with other governance bodies. Committees and how to get involved are also discussed.

How to Run a Good Meeting

Continuously improving the quality of meetings and making sure that all meetings are useful, concise and inclusive is a major focus of the training we do for governance leaders. This article is highly recommended for committee chairs, council chairs and ex-officios

Meeting Today's Governance Challenges: A Synthesis of the Literature and Examination of a Future Agenda for Scholarship

This is a great summary of the scholarship on governance at institutions of higher education. It contains a chronological timeline of the development of the literature on the issue, which contains a lot of insight for anyone participating in governance at any level. It also discusses the approaches that have been used to study shared governance, highlighting the relative merits of each era of scholarship. Finally, it presents an agenda for the future of scholarship on shared governance, to show what we still don’t know and what is missing in the current body of work on the subject.

Shared Governance in Higher Education

This article breaks down a few elements of shared governance and takes a look at the trends at play in an age of great change in higher education. Its content is not designed to be an introduction to shared governance and associated concepts, but rather to analyze the various roadblocks to effective governance and the literature on how to alleviate them. The real highlight of this article is its appendix; there are lots of examples of effective governance, case studies and other really useful information.

How to Write a Resolution

TO: University Senate, Faculty Council or Professional Personnel Council
FROM: (Person introducing the resolution)
RE: (Title of the Resolution)
Date:

RATIONALE: (Explanation of the problem that exists the resolution is trying to resolve.)

(Write Whereas statements of facts that need to be established) Example Below

WHEREAS: The Sky is Blue

WHEREAS: Many pernicious groups are attempting to teach students that the Sky is Red

RESOLUTION: (The action that will be taken to resolve the problem stated above)

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the University Senate acknowledges the fact that the Sky is Blue, and requires that be what is taught to students at Ball State University

Now That You’ve Written Your Resolution, What Do You Do?

Introducing a resolution to a governance body can be intimidating. With our updated tools, we’ve done our best to make it as easy as possible.

If you’re a member of the governance body where you’re trying to introduce your resolution: Click the Self-Service tab on the website, choose “Resolution” from the drop-down box, and upload your file. Once it’s received, it will be added to the next agenda of the council.

If you’re not a member of the governance body where you’re trying to introduce your resolution: You will need to get a member of the body to sponsor your resolution. If you have a representative on the committee, ask them to do it! If you don’t, reach out to the chair of the council. They will help get the resolution introduced to the body as soon as possible.