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College Governance Policy
Adopted by Board of Trustees: March 19, 1999

COLLEGE GOVERNANCE                      POLICY 2301

Introduction

Shoreline Community College District Number Seven is part of the State of Washington Community and Technical College System. As such, it comes under the general supervision and control of the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges.

The Board of Trustees of Shoreline Community College is responsible for the operation of the College in accordance with the policies, rules and regulations of the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges and the laws of the State of Washington. The Board of Trustees has the responsibility and obligation to promulgate appropriate policies that it deems necessary to the administration of the College. The Board of Trustees may, in accordance with legal provisions, delegate to the President any of its legal powers and duties.

Principles of Governance

The Board of Trustees believes that the College can best fulfill its educational responsibilities to students and to the larger community that it serves through a system of governance that

1. recognizes and is responsive to the basic constituencies of the campus, namely: students, faculty, classified staff, and administrative/exempt staff;
   
2. provides for these constituencies to work together cooperatively with maximum opportunity for joint planning and decision-making; and
   
3. recognizes the ultimate responsibility of the Board of Trustees for the operation of the College.

The following statements of principle should guide the development of a governance structure for the College:

1. The structure should provide a means for each constituency (students, faculty, classified staff, and administrative/exempt staff) to identify and articulate its views on matters of mutual concern.
   
2. The structure should provide a process whereby joint effort and consideration by constituencies may be brought to bear on planning and operational problems.
   
3. The structure should recognize the responsibility and authority of the President's Office and provide for administrative review and consideration of operational and planning decisions and/or recommendations.
   
4. The structure should provide appropriate channels of communication so that the campus community will be aware of issues under discussion and recommendations being considered, and have opportunity to provide input on these.
   
5. Above all, the governance structure should be characterized by a spirit of cooperation and joint effort utilizing the concepts of shared responsibility and decision-making to the greatest extent possible.

Board of Trustees

Role:

The Board of Trustees is responsible under the laws of the State of Washington for the governance and operation of the College. The Board may delegate to the College President responsibility for administering the College in accordance with laws and policies approved and/or sanctioned by the Board and further may delegate such authority to the College President that he/she will have final executive and administrative control of all matters affecting the College. The Board shall adopt all College policy and continually evaluate the success of the total College program.

College President

Role:

The President is the chief executive officer of the College, directly responsible to the Board of Trustees. He/she is responsible for administering the College, directly or by delegation, in accordance with laws and policies approved and/or sanctioned by the Board of Trustees. At the operational level, the President has final authority over all matters affecting the College.

Governance Steering Committee

Role:

The Governance Steering Committee will advise the College President regarding the overall governance structure and decision-making processes. This committee will make recommendations regarding such issues as a) the constituency make-up of the various governance bodies, b) what types of decisions should be directed to which governance bodies, c) whether new governance bodies need to be created or existing ones discontinued, d) an effective communications plan for governance issues, and e) a periodic evaluation of the effectiveness of the governance structure. In addition, should a governance body not be able to make a recommendation to the College President in a timely manner, or in cases where an urgent decision is needed, the Governance Steering Committee will be asked to make a recommendation to the President.

1.  The Governance Steering Committee shall be comprised of the following:

1. Three student representatives to be recommended to the College President by the Student Body Association President.
   
2. Three faculty representatives to be recommended to the College President by the President of the Shoreline Community College Federation of Teachers.
   
3. Three classified staff members, one each to be recommended to the College President by 1) the campus-wide classified staff bargaining unit, 2) the campus maintenance and operations classified staff bargaining unit, and 3) the group of classified staff who are not eligible for membership in either bargaining unit.
   
4. Three administrative/exempt staff to be appointed by the College President.

2.  The College President will appoint the individuals who are recommended by the constituency heads unless such appointments would result in a committee that lacks diversity and balance, in which case the College President will hold discussions with the constituency heads to secure different recommendations in order to establish a diverse and balanced committee.

3.  A minimum of seven members, with at least one from each of the four constituencies (students, faculty, classified staff, and administrative/exempt staff), shall be required for a quorum. Official action by the Governance Steering Committee shall be taken only when a quorum is present.

Governance Bodies

Role:

Various constituency-based governance bodies shall exist to address specific types of issues and decisions (i.e. curricular matters, academic issues, strategic planning, college policies, etc.). Some governance bodies may be permanent, on-going committees and others may exist to make recommendations about a specific decision or policy and then disband once their work has been accomplished. Governance bodies will be advisory to the appropriate Vice President or directly to the College President.

1. Following consultation with the Governance Steering Committee, the College President will create new governance bodies and/or discontinue existing ones, based on the needs of the College.
   
2. Generally, representatives to the various governance bodies will be recommended to the College President by their constituency heads. The College President will appoint the individuals who are recommended unless such appointments would result in a committee that lacks diversity and balance, in which case the College President will hold discussions with the constituency heads to secure different recommendations in order to establish a diverse and balanced committee.


On an exception basis, as determined by the College President, representatives to certain governance bodies may instead be elected by their constituencies.

3. The size of each governance body and the number of members from each constituency will be determined by the College President, based on the nature of the issues for which the committee is responsible. These decisions will be made after the President has received advice and recommendations from the Governance Steering Committee.

Communications System Regarding College Governance

The College shall establish and maintain a comprehensive communications system regarding college governance issues to ensure the timely and effective exchange of information regarding what issues are under consideration and what recommendations are being made to the President and Vice Presidents.

Adopted by Board of Trustees: June 20, 1997

Revision Recommended by Governance Steering Committee: Feb. 23, 1999

Revision Adopted by Board of Trustees: Mar. 19, 1999

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