Shared Governance in higher education refers to the particular roles the board, executive leadership, and faculty play in accomplishing a school’s mission. This document seeks to capture how Shared Governance is lived out at Pacific School of Religion, including how collaborative processes are engaged to involve students, staff, and other stakeholders.
Pacific School of Religion is one of the most diverse educational institutions in theological education and plays a key role in an expanding network of educational, religious, and social change partners committed to the preparation of spiritually rooted leaders to create a world where all can thrive. Founded as an independent institution with inter-denominational commitments, PSR has always understood the importance and value of collaboration in the decision-making processes of the school, including:
- the school’s very beginnings by its New England Congregationalists founders who believed in the importance of collaboration and democratic decision-making as both a theological and political practice
- an unwavering commitment to academic freedom and the practices of shared governance in educational institutions
- a level of diversity that benefits from and requires that we lean into our legacy and practices of collaborative leadership as we acknowledge and address the impact of inequality and marginalization
We advance our mission to “prepare spiritually rooted leaders to create a world where all can thrive” by grounding strategic decision-making processes in policies and practices that build trust and gain insight from across a wide range of stakeholders. In these processes we honor that people come from various cultural traditions and ecclesiastical practices, hold diverse forms of knowledge and authority, and operate within systems that regulate the academy, faith communities, and not-for-profit and private organizations. In addition, legal and regulatory expectations give shape to the way various stakeholders contribute to the school’s decision-making processes as captured in the following sections.
- Students: The PSR Bylaws provide for a student to be nominated by the student body to serve as a full member of the board of trustees, with voice and vote. The nomination, like all trustee nominations, goes to the full board for a vote (4.02.b) and the Student Trustee serves for a two-year term. Student leadership also participates in the selection of students to serve as non-voting representatives on board committees. In addition, board meetings are open to all students to participate as observers and often include an opportunity for the board to engage with students, whether through plenary sessions or small group discussions.
- Staff: PSR staff are entrusted with significant freedom in the execution of their areas as guided by the school’s strategic documents and the individual’s job description. Most of the staff serve at the level of director or above. Staff meet monthly and select two representatives to serve on the Staff Personnel Advisory Committee. Staff select a Staff Representative to the board, who participates in all board meetings with voice but no vote. Staff also select a representative for all board committees. Board meetings are open to all staff to participate as observers and often include an opportunity for the board to hear directly from staff on matters of current interest, whether through written or oral reports.
- Faculty: The Bylaws outline the governance role of faculty over academic affairs (XIII) and provide for Board oversight of rostered (composed of Ranked Faculty–tenure/tenure-track and contract–and Faculty Associates) faculty employment decisions. In addition to specific stipulations regarding the curriculum, academic requirements, and faculty matters, the Bylaws indicate that the “Faculty shall be responsible to the Board through the President of the School and its actions shall be subject to the review and control of the Board.” Minutes of faculty meetings and faculty committee meetings are recorded and available to the full faculty. Faculty select a Faculty Representative to the board, who participates in all board meetings with voice but no vote. Faculty also select a representative for all board committees. Most board meetings also include an opportunity for trustees to hear directly from faculty on matters of current interest, whether through written or oral reports.
- Executive Leadership: The President serves as chief executive officer of the school and is accountable to the Board of Trustees for exercising “general supervision over all affairs of the institution and bring such matters to the attention of the Board as are necessary to keep it fully informed” (Bylaws, Article X). The President is “a member of the Faculty and the presiding officer at its meetings.” President Vásquez-Levy has elected to delegate the responsibility for presiding over the faculty meetings to the VP of Academic Affairs and Dean. The Bylaws also broadly define the role of the Dean (XI) and other Vice Presidents (XII), who have areas of responsibility specified by the President and the Board. The President is charged with bringing communications to the Board from the faculty, including, but not limited to, any formal resolution of the faculty requiring approval by the Board of Trustees. Common examples of such resolutions include faculty review and promotion decisions, revisions to the Faculty Manual, and approval of motions to graduate students. The President also ensures that faculty, staff, and students receive regular updates on board meetings and decisions.
- Board of Trustees: The school’s bylaws define the Board of Trustees as the highest authority for the school:
The Board shall have the power to manage the affairs and the property of the corporation and to carry out any other functions that are permitted by the Articles of Incorporation and by these Bylaws, except insofar as such powers are limited by law.
Key examples of the board’s role are the setting of the school’s mission and strategic direction as well as the approval of budget and allocation of institutional assets and resources. Following a Policy Governance (Carver) model, the bylaws outline the board’s specific authority with a focus on the organizational purposes (ends) and specific delegation to the President and Administration on organizational issues (means). Limitations are named to that delegation that specifically relate to rostered faculty appointments, promotion, and removal in order to reflect a commitment to shared governance and academic freedom.
The Bylaws describe the Board’s role in governance, prescribing how board members are selected (IV) and their powers (V) and responsibilities (VI). Bylaws also set requirements for annual and regular meetings, stipulate procedures for voting (VIII), and define the roles of Board officers and committees (VII and IX)
Modes of Governance
PSR uses a framework of “modes” as described by Chait et al. (in the book Governance as Leadership: Reframing the Work of Nonprofit Boards): Generative, Strategic, and Fiduciary. These modes move from expansive participation in brainstorming (strategic) to the more defined decisions based on roles (fiduciary). In significant institutional decisions, the generative process is as expansive as possible, involving both internal and external stakeholders to understand the situation we are seeking to address and consider a broad spectrum of possibilities. The strategic takes the form of strategic planning. Priorities emerging from each area are consolidated into a single document. Fiduciary processes take place within each specific area—with faculty having full fiduciary responsibility for curriculum and course content and the board on areas of finance and institutional direction.
How to Participate
PSR’s strength and distinctiveness comes from the rich diversity of our community. There are numerous opportunities to participate in shaping our shared work together, including by participating in forums, regularly scheduled meetings, serving on committees, or offering input to representatives. Participating in shared decision-making is an opportunity for people across campus to come together to share ideas, make a difference, and gain professional experience. No matter what your role at the school, we encourage everyone to get engaged in shaping PSR’s present and future. Inquire from the leadership of your respective stakeholder group (students, staff, faculty, etc.) about the ways you can contribute. Implementing shared governance requires a commitment to building trust and a willingness to engage in constructive conflict resolution as needed.