| Overall Rating | Gold - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 68.35 |
| Liaison | Alexis Reyes |
| Submission Date | Oct. 29, 2015 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
Pomona College
PA-3: Governance
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
3.00 / 3.00 |
Janice
Hudgings Dean of the College Dean's Office |
Do all enrolled students, regardless of type or status, have an avenue to participate in one or more governance bodies (through direct participation or the election of representatives)?:
A brief description of the mechanisms through which students have an avenue to participate in one or more governance bodies:
Each spring the student body elects representatives to a student Senate as well as to various committees on the College’s Board of Trustees. Certain positions on the student Senate are de-facto members of certain board of trustee committees. For example, the student body Vice President for Finance sits on the Trustee Finance Committee.
Is there at least one student representative on the institution’s governing body who was elected by peers or appointed by a representative student body or organization?:
A brief description of student representation on the governing body, including how the representatives are selected:
There are student-at-large positions on the Board of Trustees committees such as the Facilities and Environment Committee, Finance Committee, Academic Affairs Committee and the Student Affairs Committee. Additionally, every fall, the Board of Trustees holds its annual Student-Trustee retreat where any student who signs up can attend and have access to talk with trustees about important issues at the college.
Do students have a formal role in decision-making in regard to the following?:
| Yes or No | |
| Establishing organizational mission, vision, and/or goals | Yes |
| Establishing new policies, programs, or initiatives | Yes |
| Strategic and long-term planning | Yes |
| Existing or prospective physical resources | Yes |
| Budgeting, staffing and financial planning | Yes |
| Communications processes and transparency practices | Yes |
| Prioritization of programs and projects | Yes |
A brief description of the formal student role in regard to each area indicated, including examples from the previous three years:
As previously stated, there are student-at-large positions on the Board of Trustees committees such as the Facilities and Environment Committee, Finance Committee, Academic Affairs Committee and the Student Affairs Committee. Additionally, every fall, the Board of Trustees holds its annual Student-Trustee retreat where any student who signs up can attend and have access to talk with trustees about important issues at the college.
Do all staff, regardless of type or status, have an avenue to participate in one or more governance bodies (through direct participation or the election of representatives)?:
A brief description of the mechanisms through which all staff have an avenue to participate in one or more governance bodies:
Elections onto Staff Council occur through a nomination process. All staff members, regardless of position, title, or status, are able to be nominated by their peers or any other staff member to represent their departmental division on Staff Council. Nominees are voted onto Staff Council by the entire staff from within their departments.
Is there at least one non-supervisory staff representative on the institution’s governing body who was elected by peers or appointed by a representative staff body or organization?:
A brief description of non-supervisory staff representation on the governing body, including how the representatives are selected:
Four of the ten individuals on the Staff Council in 2014-2015 do not supervise other staff. The election process starts with nominations from staff departments and then an email voting process by department for each of those nominated.
Do non-supervisory staff have a formal role in decision-making in regard to the following? :
| Yes or No | |
| Establishing organizational mission, vision, and/or goals | --- |
| Establishing new policies, programs, or initiatives | --- |
| Strategic and long-term planning | --- |
| Existing or prospective physical resources | --- |
| Budgeting, staffing and financial planning | --- |
| Communications processes and transparency practices | Yes |
| Prioritization of programs and projects | Yes |
A brief description of the formal staff role in regard to each area indicated, including examples from the previous three years:
The Staff Council of Pomona College is a vehicle for consultation between staff and responsible administrators in the interest of effective communication among the campus community. Activities include social gatherings, Staff Forums for discussion of concerns and interests regarding practices and procedures affecting staff, and monthly meetings of the Council members. The Council also provides assistance to the administration in terms of selecting staff to serve on College committees.
Do all faculty, regardless of type or status, have an avenue to participate in one or more governance bodies (through direct participation or the election of representatives)?:
A brief description of the mechanisms through which all faculty (including adjunct faculty) have an avenue to participate in one or more governance bodies:
Voting faculty (only faculty on tenure-track or other continuing appointments) participate in governance bodies including their academic departments, faculty meetings, and numerous elected and appointed committees.
Is there at least one teaching or research faculty representative on the institution’s governing body who was elected by peers or appointed by a representative faculty body or organization?:
A brief description of faculty representation on the governing body, including how the representatives are selected:
Although there are no faculty on the Board of Trustees itself, faculty representatives serve as voting members of several committees of the Board of Trustees (Advancement, Educational Quality, Facilities and Environment, Finance, Honorary Degrees, and Student Affairs). They are selected by the faculty through the regular committee nomination process of the Faculty Executive Committee.
Do faculty have a formal role in decision-making in regard to the following?:
| Yes or No | |
| Establishing organizational mission, vision, and/or goals | Yes |
| Establishing new policies, programs, or initiatives | Yes |
| Strategic and long-term planning | Yes |
| Existing or prospective physical resources | Yes |
| Budgeting, staffing and financial planning | Yes |
| Communications processes and transparency practices | Yes |
| Prioritization of programs and projects | Yes |
A brief description of the formal faculty role in regard to each area indicated, including examples from the previous three years:
Faculty play a formal role in decision-making in all of the above areas through faculty meetings, where they both initiate and approve/disapprove a range of policies and practices—this year, for example, they approved a new policy on student course load as well as a revision to the criteria for tenure and promotion--and through service on committees. Those committees include the Faculty Executive Committee, which “pays special attention to the broader policies, especially institutional policies, that are of interest and concern to all of the faculty, bringing proposed changes (and new policies) to the full faculty for approval” and also assesses faculty budget priorities; the Faculty Personnel Committee, which “gives counsel on recommendations which the President may make to the Cabinet on original appointments, reappointments, promotions, and tenure” and on “any other questions raised by the President, members of the committee, officers of the College, or by faculty actions”; and the Cabinet, which advises and consents on reappointment, promotion, and tenure decisions in addition to considering “general questions of College policy” (2013-14 Faculty Handbook, pp. 16, 20). For a full list of faculty bodies and their governance roles, see the Pomona College Faculty Handbook (URL below).
The website URL where information about the institution’s governance structure is available:
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.