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Message from the Chair
Shared Governance Participation Should Be Your Personal Priority
The UB Foundation is listed as a member of the Association of Governing Boards (AGB), an association that brings together College and University foundations and other entities in the pursuit of Board best practices. On the AGB Website under Shared Governance it states “Ultimately, shared governance is one of higher education’s most distinctive values and is key to the institutional success of all colleges and universities. It brings stakeholders together around passion for the institution and “ensures the inclusion of a range of voices and ideas in the formulation of goals, priorities, and strategies.”4 Together, these collaborative voices focus on holistic, strategic directions for the future.
Article One of the Professional Staff Senate Constitution ratified in 1972 states “The PSS shall operate, in accordance with the policies set forth by the Board of Trustees of the State University of New York, as a recognized part of the University’s shared governance system, and shall, as appropriate, work jointly with others within the five pillars of shared governance: faculty, staff, students, administration and councils.”
In a 2009 Chronicle of Higher Education article, Gary A. Olson, president of Daemen University, defined shared governance as “a delicate balance between faculty and staff participation in planning and decision-making, on the one hand, and administrative accountability on the other.”
After 17 months on the job as your Chair, I am sure of a few truths as it relates to shared governance at UB.
- Synergy gained by collaboration of the five pillar groups (faculty, staff, students, administration, and councils) and applied to most problems or opportunities for UB will often result in a better outcome than those pursued by any one member of the 5 Pillar Group on its own.
- Involvement in the operation of the Senates affords staff the opportunity to take a more fulfilling approach to a rewarding career at the University by allowing involvement in ways often far different than those availed through their job. Administrators are wise to advocate for their staff’s involvement in the PSS. Affording staff an opportunity for wider institutional knowledge and problem-solving resources pays off back at the department. Giving them a chance to practice communication and leadership skills by learning more about how to positively express themselves and build consensus as a volunteer will be a second dividend.
- The view of shared governance as a partner has improved on campus but needs to improve further. In a recent poll I conducted with the Campus Governance Leaders of the other Four-year SUNY Campuses, I learned that UB is in the minority of SUNY Institutions that do not include their senate leaders at the table for their university or College Council meetings. Of the 62% of campuses that responded, 75% of those leaders are at the council table. And while only 17% of those individuals have a council vote, 63% are always asked to report to the council on their activities when meetings are convened. Making this change at UB would be a positive step forward.
- Shared Governance is celebrated on the statewide level in the SUNY University Faculty Senate, and output of that process is often operationalized by the SUNY Chancellor and his administration. The system works and we are at the table participating.
I hope that the evolution of effective shared governance on campus continues. University at Buffalo Goals and aspirations will be reached more effectively and more quickly through shared governance.
A 1990’s tagline that chemical company BASF at one time used said, “We don’t make the products you buy, we make a lot of the products you buy better.” The same can be said about our staff role here at UB. We may not teach the class or do the research, but we make the outcomes of those pursuits better through everyday support.
Happy Shared Governance Month.
Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges. (2024, July 10) Shared Governance-AGB. AGB. https://agb.org/knowledge-center/board-fundamentals/shared-governance/
AAC & U. (2022, January). AAC &U. Retrieved February 19, 2025, from https://www.aacu.org/liberaleducation/articles/pieces-of-the-puzzle
Don Erb, Chairman UB Professional Staff Senate
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