The Future of Shared Governance

Abstract

Healthy shared governance is foundational for a healthy university but few governing board members, administrators, or faculty members understand what shared governance is. Healthy shared governance is inextricably linked to the knowledge - creation mission of both the university and the academic profession, academic freedom, peer review, and faculty professionalism.

The reason so few among the key stakeholder groups involved in shared governance understand these relationships is that higher education has failed to provide education on these topics to the stakeholder groups.

This article defines healthy shared governance and explains why a university or college governing board wants healthy shared governance. It analyzes the major barriers to healthy shared governance.

Keywords: Colleges, universities, shared governance, faculty governance, academic freedom, faculty professionalism, higher education