University Governance

At Michigan Tech, the faculty, staff, students, and administration participate cooperatively in developing policies for academic governance. This approach is stated as an objective in the University's strategic plan, requiring both trust and shared responsibility.

The President is selected by the Board of Control (BOC), which is appointed by the governor of the State of Michigan. The BOC is charged with legal oversight of the University. A listing of the other organizational relationships within the University can be found in the front of the Handbook (See MTU Organizational Chart).

Shared Governance

A powerful vehicle for communication, shared governance reflects the fact that the University community has ready access to senior administrators. The provost communicates regularly with the campus community by meeting at least monthly with the "MOB" groups (academic deans and administrative directors) and the Academic Forum (academic deans and department chairs); annually with all departments on campus; and monthly with officers of the University Senate and Undergraduate Student Government. The provost also meets with Graduate Student Council officers.

The primary internal mechanisms for shared governance are the University Senate, Staff Council, Undergraduate Student Government, Graduate Student Council, and University, college, school, and departmental committees.

The Faculty Senate became the University Senate in 1995 with an expanded representation of professional staff. Senate and University task forces and committees have become a regular mechanism to address significant issues such as enhancing the Center for Teaching, Learning, and Faculty Development, writing the Faculty Handbook, and creating the Staff Handbook.

University Senate

Providing a voice in University governance for all faculty, researchers, and non-bargaining unit staff, the Senate's role is to review or recommend policy, in most instances as part of a process in which final authority rests with the Board of Control. The University Senate is also the principal forum for discussion of matters of general interest to the University community. While representation for faculty and researchers is organized around academic departments, MTU staff are grouped into nine non-academic units.

Constituents from each unit elect a senator and an alternate to three-year terms. By rule, the president and secretary of the University Senate must be tenured faculty members; the vice president must be a member of the non-bargaining unit staff. Every senator and alternate serves on a Senate committee. Committees generally consider any proposal or recommendation before they are considered by the organization as a whole.

The Senate normally meets every other Wednesday during the academic year from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Senators are asked to report meeting agendas to their units. Questions about the functioning of the University Senate should be directed to the Senate office.

Staff Council

The council was formed to advise the President and to serve as a liaison between employees and administrative officers on matters that may be referred to the Staff Council, that the Staff Council initiates, or that employees of the University may request. The Staff Council meets the second and fourth Monday of each month during the academic year, and once a month during the summer. For more information about the Staff Council, visit the Staff Council web site at: http://www.admin.mtu.edu/staff_council/

External Constituencies

Additionally, the University has extended the concept of shared governance to include external constituencies in identifying issues of importance to the University, especially opportunities and concerns. Mechanisms for involving external constituencies include the National Advisory Board, the Alumni Board, the Michigan Tech Fund Board, and industrial advisory boards at the department, school, and college levels.

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