Learning Resources

Abstract: The concept of shared governance is at the cornerstone of any planning process at American colleges and universities. Respecting this need for representation, however, has created an atmosphere in which participants in the planning process have come to view their role as that of oversight aimed at protecting a constituency more than insight intended to help move an institution forward. This article suggests a strategy that can address the criticism of higher education's inertia when it comes to moving from planning to decision making while maintaining the participative management style of shared governance.