Shared Governance Advisory Group | 2022-2023
Following the "Resolution to Restore Shared Governance at KU," which was published by the University Senate in Spring 2022, Chancellor Douglas Girod co-published a Charge to Define Shared Governance at KU Lawrence-Edwards with University Governance. This document detailed the context of the charges and the membership of the core team that would become the FY2023 Shared Governance Advisory Group, which included leaders both from Governance and from various academic and administrative units. The charges themselves, which were divided into four phases, focused on defining the ownership and processes of decision-making, as well as expectations for how such planning should be communicated to the university community. In addition to these clarifications, the charges called for a university culture vision statement that would reflect behavioral and scholarly expectations for the community.
The Advisory Group worked throughout the 2022-2023 academic year to discuss the varied facets of shared governance and to address each of the four charges. In August 2022, University Governance hosted an open forum (video below) with the Provost to hear feedback and share updates on the shared governance initiative. After further meeting and planning, co-leaders Ani Kokobobo and Nicole Hodges-Persley joined the Chancellor in a video update to discuss the importance and significance of shared governance.
In February 2023, the group invited faculty, staff, and students to a visioning event to brainstorm the necessary components and priorities of a new vision statement. The group's co-leaders used this feedback to create KU's "Culture Charter for an Exceptional Learning Community," which has been sponsored by the Office of the Provost as the IRISE Culture Charter. The Advisory Group published discussion of each of the charges and their core recommendations in a final report that was sent to the Chancellor in June 2023 and to University Governance later in the summer.
Advisory Group Outcomes
Final Report (pdf)
Culture Charter
Members
- Vice Provost for DEIB – Nicole Hodges Persley
- University Senate President – Ani Kokobobo
- Vice Provost for Human Resources – Mike Rounds
- University Senate President – Ani Kokobobo
- University Senate President-Elect – Kristin Villa
- Faculty Senate President – Nate Brunsell
- Faculty Senate President-Elect – Victor Gonzalez
- Staff Senate President – Jessica Chilcoat
- Staff Senate President-Elect – Chris Wallace
- Student Body President – Sadie Williams
- Student Body Vice President – Alessia Garcia
- Graduate Student Body President – Hollie Hall
- Distinguished Professors Representative - Richard Levy
- Vice Provost for DEIB – Nicole Hodges Persley
- Vice Provost for Student Affairs – Tammara Durham
- Vice Provost for Human Resources – Mike Rounds
- Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs – Lou Mulligan (Interim)
- Dean – Ann Brill
- Dean – Stuart Day
- Vice Chancellor for Strategic Communications – Karla Leeper
- General Counsel – Brian White
- Associate Vice Chancellor – John Curran
Charges
Goal: The purpose of this phase will be to create a shared vision of an exceptional learning community and of the ways in which we will engage with each other as faculty, students, staff and administration in research and discovery, learning and education, and service and stewardship.
Outcomes:
- A vision statement that describes the culture and behaviors we each expect from ourselves and all members of our community in order to foster and promote a culture that supports learning and discovery.
- The vision statement will be shared for input and suggestions for adoption activities through focus groups of students, staff, faculty, chairs and directors, deans and vice provosts.
- Communications strategy and activities to facilitate integration of the vision in all campus units.
Timeframe: October 2022 to January 2023
Goal: The purpose of this phase will be to create a shared understanding of distinct roles and responsibilities for governance and administration that will allow all community members to engage with each other as faculty, students, staff and administration in research and discovery, learning and education, and service and stewardship.
Outcomes:
The core group will make recommendations to be endorsed by the Provost and approved by the Chancellor to clarify roles and responsibilities of each stake-holder group in shared governance, specifically to:
- Clarify roles, responsibilities: who has the authority to make which decisions; what can relevant constituencies expect from individuals in these roles, including governance roles.
- Identify areas in which governance would have more direct input and provide perspectives in accordance with shared governance principles (e.g., program review, curriculum, policy making, etc.).
- Determine what campus outreach (“listening sessions,” “department visits,” “event attendance,” etc.) each role would undertake.
Timeframe: January to April 2023
Goal: The purpose of this phase will be to create a shared vision of processes for decision-making and communication that will allow all community members to engage with each other as faculty, students, staff and administration in research and discovery, learning and education, and service and stewardship.
Outcomes:
The core group will make recommendations to be endorsed by the Provost and approved by the Chancellor regarding changes in process to improve decision-making and communication, specifically:
In decisions that affect constituents, integrate a stage for meaningful input from governance, immediately affected groups, campus experts, and others.
Create a process for sharing data involved in decision-making and facilitate opportunities for faculty and staff to validate.
Communicate to campus about decisions in advance of/during/after implementation.
Timeframe: December 2022 to February 2023
Goal: The purpose of this phase will be to create a shared understanding of distinct roles and responsibilities for governance and administration in strategic and fiscal planning that will allow all community members to engage with each other as faculty, students, staff and administration in research and discovery, learning and education, and service and stewardship.
Outcomes:
The core group will make recommendations to be endorsed by the Provost and approved by the Chancellor to clarify roles and responsibilities of each stake-holder group for strategic and fiscal planning, specifically to:
Communicate regularly about financial situation and plans around finances and buildings to governance/community.
Integrate campus constituents in strategic planning for the university.
Vice Provost for Finance Jason Hornberger and Executive Vice Chancellor/CFO Jeff DeWitt will participate in this phase.
Timeframe: February to May 2023
