| Overall Rating | Gold - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 69.26 |
| Liaison | Gioia Thompson |
| Submission Date | March 1, 2017 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
University of Vermont
PA-3: Participatory Governance
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
3.00 / 3.00 |
Gioia
Thompson Sustainability Strategist UVM Office of Sustainability |
Do the institution’s students have a representative body through which they can participate in governance (e.g. a student council)? :
Do the institution’s students have an elected representative on the institution’s highest governing body?:
A brief description of the bodies and mechanisms through which students are engaged in governance, including information to support each affirmative response above:
The Student Government Association (SGA) represents the opinions, ideas and beliefs of the undergraduate student body, with an executive council and a senator. Weekly meetings during the academic year include open an open forum. Undergraduate students have two non-voting representatives on the UVM Board of Trustees committees that are selected by their peers in SGA.
SGA supports a Peer mentoring and Peer Advising Program in collaboration with the University Advising Center. SGA also recognizes and provides support to about 170 student clubs. More than 80% of University of Vermont students are involved in a club.
The Graduate Student Senate (GSS) promotes the wellbeing of graduate students and encourages a stronger, more unified voice for the graduate student body. Its purpose is to cultivate both the academic and nonacademic activities of the graduate student body and enhance all aspects of graduate school life at the University of Vermont. The GSS consists of an executive council and senators representing the many graduate programs in the Graduate College. Graduate students have two non-voting representatives on the UVM Board of Trustees committees that are selected by their peers in the Graduate Student Senate.
Two students trustees are members of the UVM Board of Trustees. They must be full-time students at UVM (each of whom must be 18 years of age) and are elected by the Associated Directors for Appointment of the University of Vermont and State Agriculture College Student Trustees, Inc. One student is appointed annually in February for a two-year term. Representatives from Student Government Association and the Graduate Student Senate have seats as voting members on all of the Faculty Senate's standing Committees, except the Professional Standards Committee - where student participation would be inappropriate.
Do the institution’s staff members have a representative body through which they can participate in governance (e.g. a staff council)?:
Do the institution’s non-supervisory staff members have an elected representative on the institution’s highest governing body?:
A brief description of the bodies and mechanisms through which staff are engaged in governance, including information to support each affirmative response above:
The staff have two non-voting representatives on the UVM Board of Trustees committees that are selected by the Staff Council.The Staff Council Office facilities the process for recruiting and appointing staff representatives to the Audit, EPIR and BFI Committees of the Board. Any staff member may apply to serve. Most of the current representatives are in non-supervisory roles. Staff Council serves as an advocate for staff by seeking out and responding to their ideas and concerns, representing them to the University administration, and keeping staff informed of University initiatives. See http://www.uvm.edu/staffcouncil/
Do the institution’s teaching and research faculty have a representative body through which they can participate in governance (e.g. a faculty senate)?:
Do the institution’s teaching and research faculty have an elected representative on the institution’s highest governing body? :
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 have two non-voting representatives on the UVM Board of Trustees committees that are selected by their peers in the Faculty Senate.
Authority in matters related to the academic mission of the University is vested in the faculty by the Board of Trustees. This authority is exercised in the Faculty Senate by behalf. Meetings of the Faculty Senate are presided over by a Senate President and elected senators with voting privileges and by committees authorized to act on their Vice-President and follow a town-meeting format at which all University faculty members have a voice. See https://www.uvm.edu/faculty_senate
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?:
A copy of the written policies and procedures:
The policies and procedures:
The Campus Master Plan serves as the repository of knowledge for stakeholders as well as campus planners. Campus Planning Services prides itself in promoting collaborative processes to ensure diverse perspectives are considered in all of its planning efforts to ultimately meet the needs and be in the best interests of the University. Campus Planning Services includes a staff member dedicated to managing city/institutional relations related to land use and regulatory functions.
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 | Yes |
| Private sector organizations | Yes |
| Civil society (e.g. NGOs, NPOs) | Yes |
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 nine Vermont State legislators on Board of Trustees represent stakeholder interests in all three arenas above. All Board meetings are open to the public and include a public comment period. The Board of Trustees consists of 25 members (9 legislative, 9 self-perpetuating, 3 gubernatorial, and 2 students; the Governor and the President of the University of Vermont serve as ex-officio members during their terms of office). Each member serves a 6-year term, with the exception of the student members who serve 2 year terms. All terms begin on March 1. In odd-numbered years, three members are elected by the Vermont General Assembly for six-year terms, and the nine trustees so chosen constitute the Board of the Vermont Agricultural College established in 1865. In even-numbered years, three members are elected to six-year terms by a self-perpetuating board of nine trustees who constitute the Board of the University of Vermont founded in 1791. Three trustees are appointed by the Governor of Vermont, one during each odd-numbered year. Each year, one of two students who serve as trustees is selected by the Associate Directors for the Appointment of The University of Vermont and State Agricultural College Student Trustees, Inc., for a two-year term. See http://www.uvm.edu/trustees/.
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.