Credit Language
PA 3: Institutional Governance – version 3.0
Indicators
- 3.1 Student participation in governance
- 3.2 Academic staff participation in governance
- 3.3 Non-academic staff participation in governance
- 3.4 Community participation in governance
Questions & Answers
How has this credit changed between STARS Version 2 and Version 3?
- There are more opportunities provided to earn partial points in these indicators.
- Gender equity has been dropped from this credit due to the challenges associated with identifying the gender of governing board members. See also new indicators that address gender identity in Social Equity and Wellbeing & Work.
- A comprehensive list of differences can be found in the STARS 3.0 Summary of changes.
What is considered a “highest decision-making body”?
The group of people that is vested with the authority to exercise governance over the institution (e.g., the power to hire and fire the institution’s chief executive). This body might be called the board of trustees, governors, overseers, regents, or visitors. For institutions that are part of larger systems, the highest governing body is often a system-wide board unless the institution is administered by its own governing board.
Do students and/or staff on the highest decision-making body have to be voting members to count for this credit?
Partial points are available for institutions whose students and/or staff are members, but do not have voting rights on the institution’s highest decision-making body. Full points can be earned if students/staff have voting rights on the institution’s highest decision-making body.
Can representatives of a subcommittee of the highest decision-making body count under this credit?
No, in order to earn points, students and/or staff representatives must be “official” members of the highest governing body. Simply attending or reporting at meetings is not sufficient, nor is participating on a subcommittee of the highest governing body.
Suggestions for Institutions
- The highest decision-making body is referenced under multiple Indicators and should be the same across all indicators. Check to make sure the selected body meets the STARS 3.0 definition.
- Institutions that are part of a state or regional university system typically have a system-wide highest-decision-making body.
Potential Data Quality Issues
- Affirmative responses for Students/Academic staff/Non-academic staff must be supported in the descriptive field. To qualify, institutions should reference student governments, faculty councils, staff councils, collective bargaining units, or similar.
- Responses must reference the institution’s highest decision-making body, which is vested with the authority to exercise governance over the institution. For institutions that are part of larger systems, the highest governing body is typically the system-wide board.
- Indicator 3.4. Responses should reference governing bodies through which local community-based organizations can democratically participate in governance (e.g., multi-stakeholder “town and gown” committee or an institutional board or council that includes a representative from a local residents’ association). If claiming one or more ad hoc mechanisms to consult local community members on institutional decisions, plans, or policies, responses must reference efforts in the prior 3 years.