Overall Rating Silver - expired
Overall Score 49.46
Liaison Margaret Bounds
Submission Date March 2, 2018
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

Connecticut College
PA-3: Participatory Governance

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 0.75 / 3.00 Margaret Bounds
Director of Sustainability
Office of Sustainability
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Do the institution’s students have a representative body through which they can participate in governance (e.g. a student council)? :
Yes

Do the institution’s students have an elected representative on the institution’s highest governing body?:
No

A brief description of the bodies and mechanisms through which students are engaged in governance, including information to support each affirmative response above:

The mission of the Student Government Association (SGA) is to increase school unity and spirit all along while serving as a direct liaison between the student body, administration, and faculty. The purpose of the SGA is to consider issues and to formulate policies in areas primarily or exclusively involving the student body. Such areas shall include, but not be limited to, matters of social, academic and co-curricular policies. The association also seeks to provide extended channels of communication, increased areas of cooperation and a greater acceptance of shared responsibility between faculty, administration and the student body in matters of general and academic interests. SGA is composed of elected class president's, elected senators representing each residence hall, and an elected executive board (President, Vice President, Chief of Communications, Chief of Finance, Chair of Academic Affairs, Chair of Honor Council, Chair of Residential Affairs, Chair of Student Activities Council, Chair of Equity and Inclusion, and Chief of Sustainability).


Do the institution’s staff members have a representative body through which they can participate in governance (e.g. a staff council)?:
Yes

Do the institution’s non-supervisory staff members have an elected representative on the institution’s highest governing body?:
No

A brief description of the bodies and mechanisms through which staff are engaged in governance, including information to support each affirmative response above:

The Connecticut College Staff Council serves as an advocate for staff by seeking out and responding to ideas and concerns. Staff Council provides a means for staff to enhance the work environment and realize staff's full potential within the campus community.

The Council shall:
1) Serve as a representative leadership body for staff by working directly with the President, Senior Administrators, the Faculty Steering and Conference Committee (FSCC), the Student Government Association (SGA), and other relevant College entities
2) Recognize and advance the many ways in which staff contribute to the successful operations of the College
3) Foster staff, faculty and student relations
4) Support staff to address concerns related to work environment
5) Enhance communication regarding College initiatives
6) Encourage staff development and provide opportunities for engagement in governance of the College
7) Nurture a cohesive and diverse community

Staff Council consists of ongoing full or part-time employees with position titles up to and including the level of Director. All representatives are voted into membership by their division or department peers. The number of representatives is intended to reflect the proportion of staff in each division or department to the entire staff.


Do the institution’s teaching and research faculty have a representative body through which they can participate in governance (e.g. a faculty senate)?:
Yes

Do the institution’s teaching and research faculty have an elected representative on the institution’s highest governing body? :
No

A brief description of the bodies and mechanisms through which teaching and research faculty are engaged in governance, including information to support each affirmative response above:

The Faculty Steering and Conference Committee (FSCC) provides leadership for the faculty as a whole on all matters of College policy. In this capacity, the committee has a dual responsibility;
(1) to act as the voice of the faculty in various forums and
(2) to provide faculty leadership in matters concerning the entire College.
The FSCC represents the faculty in conference with the Board of Trustees, students and the administration. In all its functions, the committee represents the interests of the entire faculty.

The term of each of the six members of the Faculty Steering and Conference Committee is two years. Three members will be selected each year. A member may not serve consecutive full terms but is eligible to serve again after an interim of one full year. After the election of the committee, the chair elect will be chosen by the faculty from among the three newly chosen committee members on a separate ballot.


Does the institution have written policies and procedures to identify and engage external stakeholders (i.e. local residents) in land use planning, capital investment projects, and other institutional decisions that affect the community?:
No

A copy of the written policies and procedures:
---

The policies and procedures:
---

Does the institution have formal participatory or shared governance bodies through which community members representing the interests of the following stakeholder groups can regularly participate in institutional governance?:
Yes or No
Local government and/or educational organizations No
Private sector organizations No
Civil society (e.g. NGOs, NPOs) No

A brief description of the bodies and mechanisms through which external stakeholders are engaged in institutional governance (including information about each stakeholder group selected above):
---

The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
---

Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
---

The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.