Standard VII – Governance, Leadership, and Administration

1: Governance structure

A clearly articulated and transparent governance structure that outlines roles, responsibilities, and accountability for decision making by each constituency, including governing body, administration, faculty, staff and students. (SVII,C1,C2adh, C3c; RoA12, RoA13)

SUNY Geneseo is one of 64 campuses in the State University of New York (SUNY), the largest comprehensive system of higher education in the United States. SUNY operates through a governing body, the Board of Trustees (BoT), and a system administration. The state system sets broad policy; provides oversight and shared services; and facilitates inter-campus cooperation. Within overarching requirements established at the system level, Geneseo operates as an independent entity.

New York State Education Law, the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education, and the Regents Rules provide the principal framework for operating colleges and universities within New York State. Documents such as the Policies of the Board of Trustees, the Bylaws of the Board of Trustees, and the University-wide Policy and Procedure Library govern the policies and procedures within SUNY to which SUNY Geneseo must adhere.^[1]

At the campus level, a clear and robust system of shared governance ensures that programs and policies serve the public interest and are regularly reviewed for quality. Campus governance at Geneseo is shared and shaped by the combined and collaborative efforts of the College Council, faculty governance, the college administration, departmental governance, and the Student Association (SA).^[2] These governing bodies meet regularly, and they actively influence the mission and goals of the College. The college administration, led by the president of the College, is responsible for all college operations, including implementation of all academic and non-academic policies and procedures. The college president, as chair of the faculty, also has final authority for approval of academic policies and local approval of academic programs.

All Geneseo faculty and staff must comply with SUNY’s conflict of interest policy, New York State Public Officers Law 73, and New York State Public Officers Law 74.^[3] New York State public officers law also establishes annual reporting responsibilities for trustees and all university officials, designed to prevent actual or perceived conflicts of interest and ensure that their decisions serve the best interests of the university and are not influenced by political, financial, or personal interests.

The governing bodies and administrations, at both the system and campus level, are described below under the criteria which pertain to them specifically. The immediately following sections describe how faculty, staff, and students contribute to shared governance.

System-level faculty governance

(SVII.C1, C4e)

The SUNY University Faculty Senate (UFS) provides participation in shared governance for the faculty of SUNY’s state-operated and statutory campuses.^[4] UFS membership includes elected senators from each campus, between one and four depending on campus size. Geneseo has one senator. In its proceedings, UFS also routinely includes, as ex officio official observers, the leaders of campus governance bodies.

UFS is organized into sectors—groupings of campuses with similar educational focus, such as the university research centers or the colleges of technology/agriculture. SUNY Geneseo belongs to the university colleges sector, which focuses on liberal arts education and whose members are sometimes referred to as “comprehensive colleges.” The UFS Executive Committee is led by an elected president and vice president and contains a representative from each sector and one representative from SUNY system.

Meeting three times per year, UFS provides a communication channel between the faculty of the system and its administration. UFS resolutions commonly formalize faculty-initiated policy changes for consideration by the chancellor, campus presidents, campus governance bodies, or the BoT. Interactions between campus senators facilitate system-level cooperation and clarify shared concerns and academic issues.

Campus-level faculty governance

(SVIII.C1, C4e)

The faculty have primary responsibility for the educational program of the College, including curriculum, instruction, and research programs. Its governance structure is defined by the Constitution of the Faculty of SUNY Geneseo.^[5] BoT policies include academic staff as members of the faculty, and Geneseo’s faculty constitution extends membership to non-academic professional staff. The faculty are led by a presiding officer and six other faculty officers, all elected. All officers must be academics, except for the diversity, equity, and inclusion advisor. The official record of faculty governance is the College Senate Bulletin.^[6]

The College Senate is the primary representative governing body of the faculty. Along with academic department, academic at-large, and professional divisional representatives, membership includes both students (approximately 20 percent of the body) and administrators (approximately eight percent). The Executive Committee of the College Senate directs the business of the senate through five standing committees that focus on specific areas: the Committee on Undergraduate Curricula (UCC); the Committee on Undergraduate Academic Policies, Core, and Review (UPC); the Committee on Graduate Academic Affairs (GAAC); the Committee on Student Affairs (SAC); and the Committee on Faculty Affairs (FAC).^[7] Committees include representation from all constituent groups.

A few special-purpose committees of the faculty stand outside the senate: Nominations and Elections, Undergraduate Academic Standards (which reviews academic dismissals of students), Faculty Personnel, Professional Leave Review, and Faculty Budget and Resource Allocation.

In SUNY, academic and professional employees are represented by an independent union, United University Professions (UUP). Correspondingly, some support staff find representation in the Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA) and others in the Public Employees Federation (PEF) or one of our two police unions. Issues such as workplace environment are therefore addressed in a collective bargaining agreement rather than through faculty governance. The membership of the college faculty and of UUP are nearly identical; the two organizations operate independently but cooperatively.

Student Association

(SVII.C1, C4e, C5, RoA12)

The Undergraduate Student Association (SA) is an independent 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to the advancement and development of undergraduate student life. Its responsibilities include allocating funds from the student activity fee to various student-centered services and programs. The SA governance structure is defined by a constitution.^[8] All undergraduate students are members of SA, and the membership is led by an elected president and executive committee.^[9] Student senators to the College Senate are appointed through SA.

The SA president and/or vice president have ex officio voting positions throughout the college governance structure, including the College Council, College Senate and its Executive Committee, Geneseo Foundation Board, and many of the committees of the College defined by the president in the faculty constitution. SA also serves as a conduit through which the administration selects student representation for specific initiatives.

As required by BoT policy, a biannual, campus-wide student referendum determines whether the student activity fee will continue to be mandatory. The referendum, together with an annual financial audit and budget review for clubs and organizations, ensures that funds are used in a responsible manner that students find worthwhile. Geneseo SA employs several professional staff, for whom there are annual evaluations. The SA vice president is responsible for conducting these evaluations and then closing the loop with those professionals to support continual development.

2: A legally constituted governing body

A legally constituted governing body that serves the public interest, has sufficient independence and expertise, ensures freedom from undue interference, oversees programs and policies, plays a policy role in financial affairs, appoints and evaluates the CEO, is informed by principles of best practice, complies with a conflict-of-interest policy, and supports the CEO in maintaining autonomy.

Governing bodies at both the system and campus levels provide a foundation from which the campus president and the College as a whole can act with the independence and autonomy necessary to provide programs, develop policies, and make financial decisions that serve the public interest.

System-level: SUNY Board of Trustees

(SVII.C1, C2abcdefgh, C3a; RoA12, RoA13)

The SUNY System is governed by a Board of Trustees (BoT) composed of 15 members, appointed by the governor of the State of New York, and the respective presidents of the SUNY Student Assembly, the Faculty Council of Community Colleges, and the University Faculty Senate, who serve ex officio.^[10] Since 2019, the chair of the BoT has been Dr. Merryl Tisch. The BoT shares responsibility for the system’s 30 community colleges with their respective county authorities, and it shares responsibility for the system’s five statutory colleges with their respective private universities. It has sole authority over the 29 state-operated four-year campuses, including SUNY Geneseo. The BoT has the legal authority, ultimate accountability, and oversight of the operations of SUNY Geneseo and the manner in which it fulfills its mission, including its academic and research programs, personnel policies, facilities, and budget allocation. In particular, the BoT:

• appoints the system administration senior staff, including the system chancellor;
• reviews the performance of the chancellor;
• appoints campus presidents;
• approves all degree programs and grants all degrees, diplomas, and certificates;
• establishes new campuses;
• determines tuition, which is uniform across all campuses;
• regulates student fees and charges;
• regulates at the broadest level the curricula, operations, and administration of the system.

The Statement on the Governance Role of a Trustee or Board Member, issued by the New York Board of Regents as guidance for trustees and board members of all New York institutions, articulates principles of good practice in board governance and stipulates that board members shall not interfere in the day-to-day operations of the state university or member campuses.^[11] BoT members must abide by New York State Public Officers Law 74,^[12] which requires that they not have any interest, financial or otherwise, which is in substantial conflict with the proper discharge of their duties. Education Law Article 8^[13] holds the BoT accountable for advancing the state university’s mission and ensuring the fiscal integrity and prudent financial management of campuses and the system as a whole by requiring it to submit annual reports and a five-year capital master plan to the Governor and the legislature and to commission annual independent audits that are submitted to the State Comptroller.^[14]

New academic degree programs must pass through a series of approvals. After proposal by a campus academic department, a program requires approval by Geneseo’s provost, undergraduate curriculum committee, senate, and president; the SUNY provost (after an intra-SUNY comment period); the BoT; the New York State Education Department (NYSED); and the New York State Board of Regents.^[15] Changes to less than 33% of an existing program can be approved locally, while greater changes must be approved at the SUNY system and state levels.

The Board of Trustees sets minimum general education requirements. Campuses have significant flexibility in implementing these requirements and the option to add local requirements. However, if a student completes the system general education requirements at one campus (including community colleges) and then transfers to another campus, the receiving campus must recognize this completion.^[16]

Campus level: College Council

(SVII.C1, C2abcdfghi, C3a, C5; RoA12, RoA13)

At the campus level, the Geneseo College Council, akin to a local board of trustees, plays advisory, regulatory, and advocacy roles. Nine council members, including the chair, are appointed by the governor of the state; the tenth position is a campus-elected student representative. Seven of the gubernatorial appointment positions are currently filled, while two remain vacant. Current chair Robert Wayland-Smith has served for over 20 years and is a parent to two alumni. The remaining appointed council members have served between five and 13 years. The president of Geneseo’s student association is the tenth member of the College Council, changing annually by election.^[17]

Members participate on the council without financial compensation; act without respect to political, financial, or other interests; and must comply with SUNY’s conflict of interest policy.^[18] The council meets four times per year, with the president, the president’s cabinet, and the faculty presiding officer as regular participating attendees. It reviews and makes recommendations on the president’s major plans and approves policies governing the conduct and behavior of students.^[19] When necessary, the council conducts the search process for a new president of the College and recommends candidates to the SUNY BoT for appointment.

Council members bring institutional knowledge, expertise in finance and business, understanding of the broader Geneseo, NY community, varied perspectives, and a strong sense of connection to the College, enabling them to work effectively with the college’s administration and fulfill their role as intermediary between the College and BoT. Chair Wayland-Smith observes that the council’s role is largely defined by the president. He feels the council to be valued, included in discussions of important issues, and influential. For example, the council provided input and comments in the recent 2019 revision of the college’s sexual harassment policy. Similarly, in fulfillment of its role to oversee policies governing the conduct and behavior of students, in 2019 the council approved a change to the student code of conduct concerning academic dishonesty.^[20]

The Association of Council Members and College Trustees of The State University of New York (ACT) Handbook provides College Council members with best practices in SUNY board governance.^[21] ACT maintains a website, conducts an annual conference, and publishes newsletters to promote the effectiveness of college councils. The ACT Handbook recommends that council chairs schedule and preside over self-evaluations by the council to improve effectiveness.^[22] According to Wayland-Smith, the council does not have a recent history of conducting formal assessment, but is now (Spring 2022) completing a survey-based assessment activity that addresses key council functions (advisory, regulatory, and advocacy).

3: Chief Executive Officer

A CEO who reports to the governing body, has appropriate credentials and experience, has authority and autonomy to fulfill the position’s responsibilities, and has the assistance of qualified administrators. (SVII.C1, C2f, C3abcd, C4e)

The chief executive officer (president) of each campus is appointed by the SUNY Board of Trustees (BoT) on recommendation from its respective college council. The BoT appointed President Denise A. Battles as the chief administrative officer of SUNY Geneseo in 2015 following a search governed by SUNY’s guidelines for conducting a presidential search.^[23] President Battles reports to the SUNY chancellor and BoT and promotes SUNY Geneseo’s development and effectiveness.

The president’s duties and responsibilities are outlined in SUNY’s Policies of the Board of Trustees, Article IX.^[24] The chancellor is charged by the BoT with evaluating and assessing the president’s performance every three years through a presidential evaluation process.^[25]

President Battles is credentialed and experienced to serve as SUNY Geneseo’s president. She received her baccalaureate degree in geology from Colgate University (Hamilton, NY) in 1984, and her PhD in geology from the University of California, Los Angeles, in 1990.^[26] Before becoming Geneseo’s president, she served as a faculty member and administrator in a series of progressively responsible positions, including associate dean, dean, and provost. In addition, Battles has served in a leadership role in multiple higher education associations. She served as president of the Council of Colleges of Arts and Sciences; vice president and president-elect of the Association of Chief Academic Officers; chair of the board for the American Council on Education’s Council of Fellows; president and board of directors member of the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges; and on the board of directors of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities.

Policies of the Board of Trustees describes the responsibilities of the president (technically, chief administrative officer) and addresses that individual’s authority and autonomy.^[27] Specifically, “The chief administrative officer shall supervise the members of the professional and non-academic staff of such college and shall appoint or recommend to the Chancellor and the Board of Trustees persons for appointment as members of the professional staff of the college. The chief administrative officer shall prepare and recommend the annual budget requests of the college and shall report and make recommendations to the Chancellor and the Board of Trustees and the college council concerning the operation, plans, and development of the college. The chief administrative officer shall make all appointments of employees to positions at the college in the classified service of the civil service of the State.”

Each fall, President Battles submits an annual report for the previous fiscal year to SUNY, making it available to the BoT, the chancellor, the college council, and the faculty and staff.^[28] The report provides budget data and high-level outcomes and achievements for a given fiscal year, and it demonstrates an effective governance structure. In addition, at the start of each academic year, President Battles addresses the institution’s successes, challenges, and opportunities at an opening convocation.^[29] President Battles’ responsibilities include oversight of Geneseo’s institutional effectiveness plan, which may be found on the Geneseo website.^[30]

Early in her tenure, President Battles launched the development of a five-year strategic plan, Geneseo 2021: Seeing Beyond the Horizon.^[31] In association with that development, the College refined its mission and values and wrote a vision statement. As described in Chapter 1, she has charged the Strategic Planning Group with developing a new plan and drafting new mission, values, and vision statements, as a result of which new mission and values language was adopted in Fall 2021.

In her role as chief executive officer, President Battles is assisted by eight well-qualified cabinet members: five vice presidents, a chief diversity officer, a chief communications and marketing officer, and a chief of staff.^[32] A vice president with clearly defined roles and responsibilities leads each of five administrative divisions: Academic Affairs, Finance and Administration, Student and Campus Life, Enrollment Management, and College Advancement.^[33] Various other senior administrators assist these vice presidents.

4: Administration

An administration of appropriate size and clear organization structure, with members credentialed in accordance with the institution’s mission and possessing skills, time, assistance, technology, and systems to perform their duties. An administration that regularly engages with faculty and students and follows systematic procedures for evaluating units.

System-level: SUNY system administration

(SVII.C1, C2e, C3d)

The chief executive officer of the SUNY system is the chancellor, a position held from August 2020 to January 2022 by Jim Malatras, PhD.^[34] Other positions in the SUNY senior staff of particular significance to the College are the SUNY provost, the senior vice chancellor for finance, the senior vice chancellor for strategic initiatives and chief diversity officer, and the senior vice chancellor for capital facilities.^[35]

The system administration, led by the chancellor, develops initiatives for the BoT’s consideration and implements the board’s plans and policies. In particular, the chancellor is responsible for

• evaluating the performance of each campus president;
• providing centralized financial, legal, academic, external relations, audit, student life, and human resources services and support to each campus;
• providing oversight, coordination, and reporting in response to requests by state agencies.

SUNY administration has oversight of the college’s financial plans as well as its financial health and viability. The College submits a financial management strategy to SUNY administration each year.^[36] (Owing to the COVID-19 pandemic and related financial crisis, SUNY did not require a submission for 2020-21.) SUNY does not control the use of budgeted allocations but ensures that the campus has made appropriate plans to address shortfalls or overages of cash, operating deficit, or surplus.

Campus-level administration

(SVII.C4abcdf)

The College Handbook documents Geneseo’s organization and reporting structure.^[37] For a college of roughly 5,000 students, the administration is appropriately sized and has relevant experience to assist the president in fulfilling their role and responsibilities. The 879 employees include 506 employees in Academic Affairs (including academic faculty); 200 in Administration and Finance; 109 in Student and Campus Life; 27 in Enrollment Management; 19 in College Advancement, two in Research Foundation, and 18 in the Office of the President, which includes the offices of Diversity and Equity and Communications and Marketing.

Since the college’s last self-study, leadership has changed in all eight cabinet positions. Stacey Robertson was appointed as provost and vice president for academic affairs in 2017, Julie Buehler as vice president for finance and administration in 2019, Costas Solomou as vice president for enrollment management in 2019, Michael Taberski as vice president for student and campus life in 2020, Ellen Leverich as vice president of advancement in 2020, Kerri Howell as chief communications officer in 2020, and Wendi Kinney as chief of staff in 2019. The college’s first chief diversity officer, robbie routenberg, was hired in 2017 and appointed following a national search in 2018 to lead the college’s diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts and to advance the broader aim of creating an inclusive and supportive campus climate.

President Battles holds weekly cabinet meetings throughout the year to discuss matters of importance. Each member of her cabinet is evaluated annually based on a performance program that includes short- and long-term goals. Other College administrators are similarly evaluated based on annual performance program goals and objectives.^[38]

Each cabinet member works with knowledgeable staff who provide them with the support and expertise needed to effectively advise the president on college-related matters and policy.^[39] Their positions are indicated in the chart of the college’s organizational structure.

The Department of Computing and Information Technology (CIT) manages multiple software systems and platforms that support the day-to-day work of administration and advance students’ success. These include Ellucian Banner, KnightWeb, Event Management System, Canvas Learning Management System, and Drupal web content management system. Some newer software systems include Slate (Enrollment Management System), EAB Navigate (Student Success Management System), Ellucian Advance, PNC (health record keeping) and a bespoke voting system for the College Senate.

Shared governance

(SVII.C1, C4ae)

It is primarily through the shared governance process that the College administration systematically and continuously engages with faculty and students. Committees and task forces at Geneseo typically afford representation to all shared governance constituencies. Article X of the faculty constitution formalizes such representation for six standing committees of the College (as distinct from committees of the senate and of the faculty). Together, these committees help establish a context in which administration, faculty, and students work together to plan college operations. The committees are the Research Council, the Strategic Planning Group (SPG), the College Assessment Council (CAC), the Budget Priorities Committee (BPC), the Honorary Degree and Speaker Committee, and the General Education Committee.

The SPG, chaired by the provost, is the primary locus for long-range planning. Administrative, divisional, and department plans and goals are expected to align with the goals and objectives of the strategic plan, and resource allocation is tied in part to this alignment. The SPG is tasked in the college Institutional Effectiveness Plan^[40] with monitoring progress towards strategic plan objectives.

The BPC, co-chaired by the vice president for finance and administration and the past presiding officer of the faculty, plays a key consultative role with the president. In February 2019, President Battles temporarily expanded the membership of the BPC and charged the group with canvassing the campus community to develop a list of potential revenue-enhancing and expense-reducing efforts. The president established an ambitious goal of identifying $3.2 million of incremental revenue or cost savings. The final report in June 2019 listed both immediate-action items and longer-range plans with a potential impact of $4.5 million, although some of these were associated with negative impacts.^[41]

Partner organizations

(SVII.C3d, C4b, RoA12)

Some functions of college operations are completed through legally separate organizations, which are closely integrated with the College.

Campus Auxiliary Services

Campus Auxiliary Services (CAS) is a not-for-profit company dedicated to serving SUNY Geneseo. The executive director reports to a board of directors and has a “dotted-line” relationship to the vice president for finance and administration. The board comprises campus administrators, faculty, students, and members of the community (typically alumni), as outlined in a contract with SUNY and executed at the individual campus level.^[42] CAS employees are not employees of Geneseo. CAS receives infrastructure and support from the College but also has administrative departments to support proprietary operations. Those include human resources, finance and accounting, facilities, marketing, supply chain, and information technology.

CAS provides several non-academic services on an exclusive basis, as detailed in the contract with SUNY. The Division of On-Campus Restaurants and Cafés is the largest. CAS owns and operates properties and manages contracts with external service providers on behalf of the College. Examples include vending, bus/transportation services, and relations with national brands (Barnes & Noble, Starbucks). CAS provides the following additional services: catering, laundry facilities, ID cards, refuse and recycling and fiscal agent services. CAS runs retail, pay-one-price, and national brand operations at seven locations on campus. During the academic year, operations run almost 24/7.

In addition to student employment opportunities, CAS provides financial support to the College in the form of rent for CAS-occupied spaces, program funding, grants, scholarships, and various annual donations. Contracts with outside vendors typically include contributions returned to the College in the form of commissions, grants, and internships.

Geneseo Foundation

The Geneseo Foundation provides financial support, leadership, and advocacy to the college community while fostering engagement with donors to enhance the unique Geneseo experience for students and build an endowment for the future. The foundation ensures a strong base of private-sector support by leading and advising on fundraising, gift and grant management, volunteer support, alumni engagement, and visibility, and by serving as advisors to the president and senior leadership of the College. Responsibility for governance of the foundation is vested in a board of directors composed of alumni, parents of alumni, and college representatives.^[43] The vice president for college advancement serves as executive director, reporting regularly to the board, taking responsibility for the management of all funds in its accounts, and ensuring their proper stewardship. All board members must annually affirm in writing their adherence to a conflict of interest policy.^[44] The foundation is the principal mechanism for the receipt and administration of charitable contributions and grants for the benefit of the College. It is a not-for-profit corporation organized under the laws of the State of New York and is classified by the IRS as a public charity under sections 509(a)1 and 170(b)1(A)(iv) of the Internal Revenue Code. It also meets the requirements of section 501(c)3. Gifts to the foundation are tax-deductible.

SUNY Geneseo Alumni Association

The SUNY Geneseo Alumni Association (SGAA) is the official alumni association of the College. It is governed by a board of 21 directors who meet twice annually.^[45] The SGAA board fosters lifelong connections among alumni and the College through inclusive experiences, educational opportunities, and meaningful communication. The SGAA board works in collaboration with key partners to support the mission, vision, and values of the College. The president of the College and vice president for college advancement are ex officio members of the board. The executive committee consists of the SGAA president, the vice president, the secretary, the immediate past president, and the director of alumni relations.

SUNY Research Foundation

The SUNY system channels all external grants and contracts awarded to state-operated campuses through a central clearinghouse, the Research Foundation for the State University of New York (RF). The RF is a private, non-profit, tax-exempt education 501(c)(3) corporation. Through Geneseo’s RF operations manager and grants management office, the RF provides the necessary administrative systems, policies, and processes to support sponsored programs and grants management in compliance with all SUNY, sponsor, and government requirements. Pursuant to SUNY policy and federal law, the RF also holds title to intellectual property (IP) developed at SUNY and provides comprehensive IP and technology transfer services to faculty, staff, and students. Over the past five years, Geneseo has received approximately 24 new awards each year, with annual expenditures close to $1.4 million.

5: Assessment

Periodic assessment of the effectiveness of governance, leadership, and administration. (SVII.C2f, C3a, C4f, C5)

Faculty governance takes an integrated approach to assessment, with continual reflection on efficacy. For example, in Fall 2019, the Curricular Design Working Group (CDWG), charged with proposing a redesigned curriculum and general education requirements, having laid important conceptual groundwork, needed to progress more quickly to a concrete proposal. A leadership team consisting of key CDWG members, the senate chair, and the provost was swiftly assembled to meet biweekly and organize efforts to move a proposal across the finish line. The proposal passed the College Senate in Spring 2021, despite a pause for the pandemic. In another example, during summer 2021 a team developed a proposal for certain low-impact curriculum changes to be approved without a full Senate vote, in order to streamline the workload. That proposal was amended and adopted in fall 2021.

College leadership is evaluated annually, according to performance plans established for the academic year, save the president, who undergoes a system-administered comprehensive three-year review. Review of the president is conducted by the SUNY System Chancellor and incorporates the results of a survey conducted by SUNY System of a wide range of constituent groups, including faculty, students, College Council, Foundation Board, alumni, other administrators, and professional staff. Review of cabinet members is completed by the president and takes into consideration each cabinet member’s achievements relative to annually developed short-term and long-term objectives.

The College Assessment Council (CAC) oversees, collects, and responds to assessment of all units of the College. The CAC can also advance resource requests based on assessment data to the SPG and BPC. Departments, both academic and administrative, contribute annual assessment reports to a wiki, where they are visible to the campus community.^[46] The CAC has recently adopted the practice of replying to the assessment work of each unit, with the goal of improving assessment processes and the use of results across the college. A central element of this supportive role is an annual event called ASSESStivus, which provides training and resources on assessment.

The College participates in the following surveys: HERI Faculty Survey, Collaborative on Academic Careers in Higher Education Faculty Job Satisfaction Survey (COACHE), and Great Colleges To Work For. These provide actionable assessments of campus climate. Geneseo has implemented a number of initiatives in reaction to the feedback from these surveys, including:

• developing a new exit survey, in collaboration with the Office of Diversity and Equity, that is administered by a third party with data provided to the College every quarter;
• launching a new leadership development program;
• developing a Career Advancement Policy;
• enhancing systems and programs for employee onboarding;
• developing a “Promoting the Respectful Workplace” policy and program in collaboration with college labor unions;
• developing a certificate titled Advancing Cultural Competency.

Conclusion

The government and administration of the college allow it to realize its mission and goals, and benefit the institution, students, and other stakeholders. The college has education as its primary purpose and operates with sufficient autonomy.

Points of pride

Shared Governance at SUNY Geneseo is highly collaborative and intersectional, both in defined structure and in everyday practice.

Suggestions

• The University Faculty Senate is currently developing a rubric for assessment of shared governance systems at the campus level. When this is complete, Geneseo should use it to assess our own systems.
• The campus president should continue to advocate with the Governor’s office for appointments to fill the vacant seats on the College Council.

Recommendations

None.