Cornell University
PA-3: Governance

Cornell has a system of campus governance that involves all the members of the campus community in making decisions that impact life at the University. Shared Governance includes the Faculty Senate, the Student Assembly (undergraduate), the Employee Assembly, the University Assembly and the Graduate and Professional Student Assembly. The Student Assembly is the undergraduate student government at Cornell University, and deals with quality of life issues for students, making sure that student issues are heard and addressed. The assembly has legislative authority over the policies of the Office of the Dean of Students and the Department of Campus Life, and establishes the undergraduate Student Activity Fee and guidelines for its distribution. Every Cornell student has the opportunity to voice concerns during the open microphone period held at the beginning of each meeting. The Graduate and Professional Student Assembly brings together Cornell’s 7,000 graduate and professional (M.B.A., J.D., D.V.M.) students to address non-academic issues of common concern. Drawing upon the strengths of our diverse constituencies, we work with the university administration to improve the quality of life at the University. The GPSA engages the needs and concerns of its constituents, communicating these directly to the University administration. They also appoint graduate and professional students to university committees, where they have a direct voice in decision-making processes.

Student Assembly: Each spring nineteen students are elected to represent the undergraduate population, holding at-large and undergraduate college seats, and seats that represent minority, international, and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or questioning students. Each fall one transfer and three first-year representatives are elected. Grad & Professional Student Assembly: In the spring, the GPSA members caucus by area (Humanities, Social Sciences, Biological Sciences, Physical Sciences) to elect a total of fourteen voting members for the following academic year; the three Ithaca-campus professional schools directly elect one voting member each. At the first GPSA meeting in the Fall semester, two Masters-degree seats are elected to that year’s body of voting members. The voting members vote on any issues that require such action at the monthly GPSA business meetings. Depending on its size, each field selects either one or two representatives to the GPSA in the fall. Professional schools each elect three field representatives. The voting members elect the officers, who meet regularly with the Graduate School deans and central university administration, as well as committee chairs and graduate and professional student representatives to the University Assembly.

In addition to the opportunities to affect policies, decision, goals through shared governance, Cornell is one of the few universities in the country with two students, two faculty, and one employee as full voting members on their 64-member Board of Trustees. Trustees help determine major policy directions and have an important role in safeguarding the integrity of the university. Trustees serve on numerous committees and task forces of the Board and as ex-officials of the Student and Employee Assemblies.

The EA consists of nineteen members committed to providing employees with a means of continuous involvement in the governance of the affairs and life of the University. Working closely with members of the administration, the EA encourages a higher visibility for employees as community members, more equal participation with faculty and students in the policy-making process, and an increased sense of community among all constituencies through shared responsibilities.

The Assembly consists of nineteen voting members, of whom six represent exempt employees, six represent non-exempt employees, one represents the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station at Geneva, hereafter referred to as the Geneva campus, and six represent all employees, regardless of job classification or location.

All members of the Employee Assembly, both supervisory and non-supervisory staff, have equal voting rights on all matters before the Assembly. Some examples are: Resolution 3: Division of HR & RED Committee, Appreciation Resolution 4: Regarding 2011 Staff Engagement Survey College & Unit Follow-up Resolution 5: Vice President of Human Resources and Safety Services Appreciation Resolution 6: Workload/Workload Imbalance Committees, Appreciation Resolution 7: Supervisor Feedback Committee, Appreciation Resolution 8: Career Opportunities Committee, Appreciation Resolution 9: Employee Survey Team, Appreciation

Faculty Senate Except for the powers reserved to the University Faculty (see page 14), and subject to the power of the University Faculty to postpone or nullify any action of the Senate, all the powers and functions of the University Faculty are delegated to the Faculty Senate. The Senate has the following specific powers: (1) to select its officers; (2) to approve or reject nominees presented by the Nominations and Elections Committee for election by the University Faculty; (3) to approve or reject the list of members and chairs presented by the Nominations and Elections Committee for appointed committees; and (4) to adopt, amend, or repeal bylaws or other procedures relating to the conduct of its business and the duties and functions of its officers and committees.

Except for the powers reserved to the University Faculty (see page 14), and subject to the power of the University Faculty to postpone or nullify any action of the Senate, all the powers and functions of the University Faculty are delegated to the Faculty Senate. The Senate has the following specific powers: (1) to select its officers; (2) to approve or reject nominees presented by the Nominations and Elections Committee for election by the University Faculty; (3) to approve or reject the list of members and chairs presented by the Nominations and Elections Committee for appointed committees; and (4) to adopt, amend, or repeal bylaws or other procedures relating to the conduct of its business and the duties and functions of its officers and committees. Faculty Senate Membership: The president, the dean of the faculty, the associate dean and secretary of the faculty, and the Ithaca-based faculty trustees are ex officio voting members. There is one representative from the Cornell Association of Professors Emeriti; and nine members (three of whom must be non-tenured) elected at large by the University Faculty. Constituency members are elected by the various academic units in Ithaca and Geneva. Each constituency has at least one seat on the Senate, except that constituencies with fewer than five voting faculty members may combine with another constituency to establish a joint seat. Constituencies with more than 25 voting faculty members will have a second Senate seat. In addition, constituencies may elect an alternate senator to serve if the regularly elected senator is unable to do so. All members serve three-year terms, with terms commencing July 1.

http://theuniversityfaculty.cornell.edu/pdfs/GOVERNANCE372007.pdf Expressing Support for the Cornell University Climate Action Plan Cornell Investment and Divestment Strategies for a Sustainable Future