Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 74.57
Liaison Brandon Trelstad
Submission Date Dec. 20, 2019
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

Oregon State University
PA-3: Participatory Governance

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 3.00 / 3.00 Leticia Cavazos
Sustainability Program Specialist
Sustainability Office
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Part 1

Do the institution’s students have a representative body through which they can participate in governance (e.g. a student council)? :
Yes

Do the institution’s students have an elected representative on the institution’s highest governing body?:
Yes

If yes to either of the above, provide:

A brief description of the bodies and mechanisms through which students are engaged in governance, including information to support each affirmative response above:
There are multiple paths for students to become engaged in one of several governance bodies. Opportunities within academic departments are too many to number but core opportunities include: -Associated Students of Oregon State University, including the Executive branch, House and Senate -Student Fees Committee -Coalition of Graduate Employees -OSU Board of Trustees More information at http://asosu.oregonstate.edu/branches The OSU Board of Trustees is required to include one student member. This member is from the elected leadership of ASOSU. More information at http://leadership.oregonstate.edu/trustees/governance

Do the institution’s staff members have a representative body through which they can participate in governance (e.g. a staff council)?:
Yes

Do the institution’s non-supervisory staff members have an elected representative on the institution’s highest governing body?:
Yes

If yes to either of the above, provide:

A brief description of the bodies and mechanisms through which staff are engaged in governance, including information to support each affirmative response above:
The Service Employees International Union provides mechanisms for represented employees to be part of collective bargaining and other governance actions and policies. Staff also have the opportunity to serve on university committees, task forces and work groups. The OSU Board of Trustees is required to include one staff member. This member is appointed in consultation with the representative union. This union is the representative staff organization at OSU. Union leadership is elected by union members. More information at http://local083.seiu503.org/ and http://leadership.oregonstate.edu/trustees/governance

Do the institution’s teaching and research faculty have a representative body through which they can participate in governance (e.g. a faculty senate)?:
Yes

Do the institution’s teaching and research faculty have an elected representative on the institution’s highest governing body? :
Yes

If yes to either of the above, provide:

A brief description of the bodies and mechanisms through which teaching and research faculty are engaged in governance, including information to support each affirmative response above:
The Faculty Senate provides governance opportunities for instructional, research and professional faculty: http://senate.oregonstate.edu/ The OSU Board of Trustees is required to include one faculty member. This member is appointed in consultation with the Faculty Senate. Faculty Senate senators are elected by their peers and this body is considered representative of faculty interests in all administrative and academic units. More information at http://senate.oregonstate.edu/ and http://leadership.oregonstate.edu/trustees/governance

Part 2

Does the institution have written policies and procedures to identify and engage external stakeholders (i.e. local residents) in land use planning, capital investment projects, and other institutional decisions that affect the community?:
Yes

A copy of the written policies and procedures:
MOU City of Corvallis OSU (00495518).PDF

The policies and procedures:
The Collaboration Corvallis process that began in 2012 resulted in an MOU between the City and OSU that outlined the continuing framework and expectations for ongoing communications and collaboration. The MOU provides a structure for the City and OSU to continue working together to address important future opportunities, needs and issues that impact the City, OSU and the Corvallis community. Among the issues to be addressed are: community and campus livability, transportation impacts and improvements including traffic and parking; housing; community issues of importance such as climate change and safety. Opportunities to be addressed include but are not limited to: cultural and educational enrichment; social justice; diversity; environmental protection and enhancement; and economic development and stability. The full MOU is uploaded within the STARS Reporting Tool. In early 2015 and in collaboration with university leadership, the City Council identified OSU-City relations as one of its Council Goals. On January 20, 2015, the Council initiated a review of the Comprehensive Plan, limiting the scope to a review of Findings and Policies related to OSU, and appointed a task force that convened in February 2015 to review the Comprehensive Plan. That group, consisting of four Planning Commissioners and three City Councilors, evaluated the relevant Findings and Policies, and made recommendations to City Council for changes based on that work in late 2015. On December 7, 2015, the City Council directed staff to initiate the Comprehensive Plan Amendment process to bring those recommendations and other discussion and recommendations to the Planning Commission and City Council for review.

Does the institution have formal participatory or shared governance bodies through which community members representing the interests of the following stakeholder groups can regularly participate in institutional governance?:
Yes or No
Local government and/or educational organizations Yes
Private sector organizations Yes
Civil society (e.g. NGOs, NPOs) Yes

If yes to one or more of the above, provide:

A brief description of the bodies and mechanisms through which external stakeholders are engaged in institutional governance (including information about each stakeholder group selected above):
Academic colleges and administrative divisions rely on advisory boards and advisory councils to stay connected to industry partners, non profit organizations with shared interests as well as governmental organizations. Common membership on these advisory boards and advisory councils includes employees or leaders from each stakeholder group above. As an example, OSU's College of Business Advisory Councils are listed here, with membership: https://business.oregonstate.edu/AdvisoryCouncils/advisory-council-service

Optional Fields 

The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:
http://leadership.oregonstate.edu/

Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.