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STCC All Unit Congress: About

What is Shared Governance?

Below are some articles that explain the importance of shared governance and feature some of the models used across the United States. 

Shared Governance Is a Strength During the COVID-19 Crisis - Inside Higher Ed, 2020

Exactly What Is 'Shared Governance?' - Chronicle of Higher Education, 2009. 

Transforming Institutions Through Shared Governance - Trusteeship Magazine, 2012

Shared Governance: Changing with the Times - an Association of Governing Boards White Paper (2017)

Shared Governance - Resources from the American Association of University Professors

Principles of Academic Governance during the COVID-19 Pandemic - from the American Association of University Professors

About the AUC

Vision Statement
Springfield Technical Community College values the academic tradition of Shared Governance as essential to the success of a world-class, comprehensive educational institution.

Mission Statement
Shared Governance contributes to the effectiveness of the College in meeting its stated mission and to the quality of life for the members of its community. 

Through the Shared Governance Constitution, the College provides a vehicle whereby administration, faculty, staff, and students are able to communicate with each other and offer counsel regarding issues of campus life and the future of the institution.

It is incumbent upon each constituency of the College community to value and ensure the integrity and effectiveness of Shared Governance.

Goals

Goals & Objectives

The purpose of Shared Governance at Springfield Technical Community College is to provide each constituency (administration, faculty, unit professional staff, classified staff, and students) an opportunity to share in the responsibility of decision-making for the Institution. This goal is realized through the creation of a working partnership with common overall goals and objectives for the institution while recognizing different areas of authority and responsibility, different areas of expertise and perspective, and different needs and wants. Each constituency is obligated to ensure wide participation in the Shared Governance process and is committed to building an open, honest community where freedom of expressing and participation are uncompromisingly protected and where civility is strongly affirmed. 

Shared Governance also has as its goal the maintenance of a process whereby quality and excellence are continuously pursued in all endeavors of the college community. Shared Governance delegates decision making to the most appropriate level of involvement, thus utilizing the expertise of those most directly involved. Shared Governance empowers the community to act by consensus within the framework of shared institutional mission, goals, and objectives, and subjet to the final authority of the Board of Trustees and the President of the College, as provided by law.