Standard 3: Governance
3.1 The institution has legal authority to operate from all jurisdictions in which services are delivered and it has received authority from all appropriate regulatory agencies. It has a system of governance that facilitates the successful accomplishment of its mission and purposes. In multi-institution systems, the division of responsibility and authority between the system office and the institution is clearly defined. The responsibilities and relationships among the governing board, administration, staff and faculty are prescribed in governance documents and in a table of organization accurately reflecting the actual lines of authority within the institution. The institution’s internal system of governance reflects the appropriate and responsible participation of its constituencies and promotes regular and effective communication among them.
3.2 The institution has a governing board that is the legally constituted body responsible for the quality and integrity of the institution and has the authority to achieve institutional purposes. The duties, responsibility, operating procedures and structure of the board are clearly defined in a published governance document. Its membership includes representation reflecting the public interest. The public interest requirement recognizes that institutions do serve a public purpose when they provide educational experiences that benefit not only the individual student but society as well. Public representation is defined as those members of the board who are not administrators, faculty or staff members of the institution (or are directly related to such) and who in no way benefit from the operation. In addition, public representatives are free from present or potential conflicts of interest. The chief executive officer of the institution may be a member of the governing board, but should not serve as its chair. The governing board of the institution has a program for board turnover and development and new board member recruitment and orientation. The board routinely conducts a self-assessment, using the results for improvement.
3.3 The institution has a chief executive officer appointed by the board and whose full-time or major responsibilities are to the institution’s mission and goals. A qualified administrative staff, appropriately separate from the governing board and accountable to the chief executive officer, has the responsibility for the implementation and management of policies of the institution. The organizational structure reflects the needs of the institution and is responsive to administrative requirements, constituent needs and the community it serves. Groups providing advisory information to the institution function within the established parameters of the institution. All institutional programs, including continuing education, off campus locations, distance education and international programs are incorporated into the administrative management system of the institution.
3.4 The extent of various college constituents’ involvement, with particular attention to the role of the faculty, in the formulation of educational policy is clearly defined. Within the context of the institution’s system of governance, the faculty is accorded the right and exercises its responsibility to provide a substantive voice in matters of educational programs, faculty personnel and other aspects of the institutional policy that relate to its areas of responsibility and expertise.
3.5 An atmosphere of trust and focused commitment to the mission of the institution is evident, as is a collegial atmosphere that encourages communication among all of the institution’s constituents. The system of governance makes provisions for consideration of student views and judgments in those matters in which students have a direct and reasonable interest.
3.6 The institution assesses the effectiveness of its system of management and governance, using the results for its improvement.