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A final report from the shared governance task force

Dear Roanoke College Community,

Today marks a significant milestone in our college's ongoing commitment to shared governance. I am delighted to share with you the final report from our Shared Governance Task Force, whose year-long work has produced a thoughtful framework for strengthening collaboration, transparency, and inclusive decision-making at Roanoke College.

When I established this task force in spring 2024, I asked them to design a shared governance structure that would be "deliberative, clear, inclusive, transparent, agile, and conducive to rapid innovation." What they have delivered exceeds those expectations. This report represents the kind of relationship-centered, future-focused work that exemplifies our best values as an academic community.

The task force - comprised of representatives from our Board of Trustees, administration, faculty, staff, and students - has modeled the very collaborative spirit we hope to see flourish across campus. Through weekly meetings, thoughtful deliberation, and sustained engagement over two semesters, they have created not just recommendations, but a roadmap for how we can work together more effectively in service of our students and our mission.

Their work has produced several key deliverables:

  • Clear definitions of shared governance that emphasize collaboration and iterative process
  • Guiding principles rooted in institutional focus, inclusiveness, trust, and transparency
  • Detailed role descriptions for each constituency, including a new framework for staff participation through a proposed Staff Council
  • Practical processes for decision-making that balance inclusivity with the agility our rapidly changing environment demands
  • A policy workflow that provides clear pathways for institutional decision-making

Perhaps most importantly, they have recommended the creation of a standing cross-estate shared governance council that will continue developing, monitoring, and assessing our shared governance practices. This ongoing commitment ensures that shared governance remains a living, evolving aspect of our institutional culture rather than a static framework.

I want to extend my deepest gratitude to every task force member who contributed to this work. Your dedication, wisdom, and collaborative spirit have strengthened not only this initiative but our entire community. You have demonstrated that when we bring together diverse perspectives in service of a common goal, we achieve something far greater than any one of us could accomplish alone.

As we move forward with implementing these recommendations, I am establishing the Roanoke College Shared Governance Council as called for in the report. This standing council will serve as an advisory body, help develop best practices, and ensure our shared governance culture continues to evolve thoughtfully. The council will be comprised of 11 members:

  • A Staff Moderator
  • The Faculty Moderator, one school Dean (selected by the deans), and the Vice President of Academic Affairs
  • The President and Vice President of the Student Government Association
  • The President of the College and Chief of Staff
  • AVP of Human Resources
  • At large staff member elected by the staff council
  • One Trustee of the College

The work ahead requires all of us. As the report reminds us, "shared governance is a unique collective responsibility" that "thrives in an atmosphere of respect and trust." Each of us has a role to play in creating the kind of collaborative, transparent, and innovative culture that will serve Roanoke College well in the years ahead.

I encourage you to read the full report and to engage with the ongoing work of shared governance in whatever capacity feels meaningful to you. This is our opportunity to lead by example and contribute meaningfully to the national conversation on shared governance in higher education.

The future of Roanoke College is ours to create, and documents like this remind me why I remain so hopeful about what we can accomplish together.

Gratefully,

Frank Shushok, Jr.