Bowdoin College
PA-3: Inclusive and Participatory Governance

recommended for up to a three-year term. The SSAC will endeavor to keep abreast of College work- life issues that may affect support staff, propose ways that it can be improved in all areas, and reach out as needed with staff to share related information. A description of the Bowdoin Support Staff Advocacy Committee can be found here:

https://www.bowdoin.edu/ssac/index.html

Bowdoin's Committee on Governance and Faculty Affairs (GFA) is responsible for overseeing the faculty governance of the College. It establishes the agenda for faculty meetings, brings to the faculty issues of policy, and advises the president and dean on issues of direct interest to the faculty, including but not limited to compensation, workload, intellectual property, intellectual freedom, sabbaticals, voting eligibility, family leave, partner accommodations, the evaluation of teaching and professional activities, budget and financial priorities, etc. GFA also oversees the election and appointment of faculty committees, working to ensure equitable distribution of committee workload. It establishes working groups, as needed, and serves as a clearinghouse for issues brought to the committee’s attention from the faculty. Members of GFA represent the faculty at meetings of the board of trustees, attend trustee executive committee meetings, and meetings of the trustee committee on admissions, and report back to the GFA and the faculty as a whole as appropriate.

More on GFA can be found here:

https://www.bowdoin.edu/academic-affairs/shared-governance/committee-on-governance-and-faculty-  affairs.html

The Bowdoin College Board of Trustees is the institution's highest governing body. While no students, faculty, or staff are official voting members of the board of trustees, they do sit on several of the trustee committees.

For each meeting of the Board, two (2) faculty representatives, two (2) student representatives, and one (1) representative of the Alumni Council shall receive due notice, and shall be entitled to be present and to participate, but shall have no right to vote on any matters coming before the Board. For each meeting of the Executive Committee and the Beyond Bowdoin Committee, one (1) faculty representative, one (1) student representative, and one (1) representative of the Alumni Council shall receive due notice, and shall be entitled to be present and to participate, but shall have no right to vote on any matters coming before such Committee. For each meeting of the Academic Affairs Committee, the Committee on Inclusion, the Resources Committee, and the Student Experience Committee, one (1) faculty representative and one (1) student representative shall receive due notice, and shall be entitled to be present and to participate, but shall have no right to vote on any matters coming before such Committee. For each meeting of the Investment Committee, one (1) faculty representative shall receive due notice, and shall be entitled to be present and to participate, but shall have no right to vote on any matters coming before such Committee. For each meeting of the Subcommittee on Honors, two (2) faculty representatives shall receive due notice, and shall be entitled to be present and to participate, but shall have no right to vote on any matters coming before such Subcommittee. For a current list of faculty and student appointees to these committees, see pages 9 and 10 of the attached committees list 2023–2024 document.

Bowdoin and the Town of Brunswick host a Town-and-Gown Meeting comprised of senior college and Town administrators who meet three to four times per year. Items that are discussed typically include operational impacts, security, planning, and topics of mutual interest or concern.

In another area of stakeholder outreach, it is a Bowdoin College policy to conduct open neighborhood meetings for campus development or land use projects that impact abutting campus neighbors. Neighbors are notified by mail of the time and location of these meetings. The College uses these meetings as an opportunity to provide project details and solicit project comment from interested residential neighbors.

Additionally, the College’s Office of Residential Life hosts an annual Town-Gown Dinner to bring town elected and administrative leadership, college administrative leadership, and students leaders from across campus to discuss a variety of mutual community issues and build connections between the student body and the town. Students include leaders from student government, residential life, varsity sports captains, and leaders from multiple student clubs.