Overall Rating Gold
Overall Score 73.99
Liaison Mary-Lee Townsend
Submission Date Oct. 20, 2021

STARS v2.2

Western University
PA-3: Inclusive and Participatory Governance

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 3.00 / 3.00 Heather Hyde
Director, Sustainability
Sustainability Office
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Part 1. Shared governance bodies

Does the institution have formal participatory or shared governance bodies through which the following stakeholders can regularly participate in the governance of the institution?:
Yes or No
Students Yes
Academic staff Yes
Non-academic staff Yes

A brief description of the institution’s formal participatory or shared governance bodies:
The University Senate consists of members from Administration, all Faculties and Schools, staff, undergraduate and graduate students, representatives of Affiliated Colleges and observers. It is responsible for the academic policy of the University

The University Students’ Council (USC) is a student-led organization that first and foremost exists to advocate for and represent undergraduate students at Western University. Since 1965, we have grown beyond an advocacy organization, becoming one of the largest student governments in Canada and one of the largest not-for-profits in London, Ontario Canada. Each day, we work to support, improve and enhance your student experience, because we believe that students have the power to change the world.

The President's Advisory Committee for Environment and Sustainability (PACES) is tasked with fulfilling ambitious but attainable goals related to campus sustainability and to improve awareness of sustainability initiatives and opportunities campus-wide. The committee is comprised of members from various staff departments, academic specialties, and student organizations.

UWOSA (The University of Western Ontario Staff Association) is an independent union representing approximately 900 administrative and technical staff at Western University. UWOSA has members in every Faculty and Service unit including downtown continuing education, research facilities off campus and teaching hospitals in and around London, ON. Their members fulfill clerical and administrative roles; work as technicians in teaching and research laboratories, libraries, computing facilities, and machine shop; staff residences and retail services; and work as drivers and storekeepers.

PMA (Professional and Managerial Association) Western is an organization of professionals and managers at Western University Canada which shares the University’s values of excellence in education, research and service. We strive to be active, contributing, valued, and consulted partners in a university community that encourages innovation and shared decision making. The PMA provides leadership, promotes excellence, and represents its members within the university community.

Part 2. Campus stakeholder representation in governance

Total number of individuals on the institution’s highest governing body:
28

Number of students representing their peers as official members of the institution’s highest governing body:
3

Number of academic staff representing their peers as official members of the institution’s highest governing body:
4

Number of non-academic staff representing their peers as official members of the institution’s highest governing body:
2

Part 3. Gender equity in governance

Number of women serving as official members of the institution’s highest governing body:
13

Percentage of official members of the highest governing body that are women:
46.43

Website URL where information about the institution’s highest governing body may be found:

Part 4. Community engagement bodies

Does the institution host or support one or more formal bodies through which external stakeholders have a regular voice in institutional decisions that affect them?:
Yes

A brief description of the campus-community council or equivalent body that gives external stakeholders a regular voice in institutional decisions that affect them:
Senior Administration participates in Town and Gown meetings with the City of London. The Town and Gown Association of Ontario is the trusted, coordinated voice for post-secondary students, post-secondary institutions, municipalities, first responders, residents, and property managers in Ontario communities that host post-secondary institutions. We share information, facilitate connections, and mediate relationships among our diverse group of stakeholders to promote vibrant cohesive communities for everyone.

The Western University Leadership Team has an Executive Director of Government Relations and Strategic Partnerships, which looks to involve governmental bodies, non profits and NGOs to support research endeavors that may have an impact on the community.
https://president.uwo.ca/leadership/pwhite.html

Optional Fields 

Number of people from underrepresented groups serving as official members of the institution’s highest governing body.:
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Website URL where information about the institution’s governance structure is available:
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.