Shared governance is a foundational principle of higher education. It recognizes that the strength of an institution depends on meaningful participation by those who carry distinct responsibilities for its academic, operational and student-centered mission. Faculty, professional staff, administration, governing boards, and students each bring essential perspectives to the development of policies and decisions that shape the institution.
Within the State University of New York (SUNY), shared governance is advanced through three primary system-level representative bodies: the University Faculty Senate (UFS), the Faculty Council of Community Colleges (FCCC), and the Student Assembly (SA). These bodies engage with one another, with SUNY System Administration and with the SUNY Board of Trustees to ensure that diverse constituent voices inform systemwide priorities and institutional change.
The SUNY Board of Trustees approved the creation of the University Faculty Senate on October 8, 1953. Article VII of the SUNY Policies of the Board of Trustees designates the Senate as "the official agency through which the University Faculty engages in the governance" across SUNY's state-operated and statutory campuses. The Senate serves as a deliberative body on educational policies and other professional matters and as a resource on governance for University academic and professional employees. The Senate provides feedback to the Chancellor, Provost and other senior administrative officers of SUNY on policies and initiatives coming from SUNY System Administration. Since July 2007, the President of the University Faculty Senate has served as a non-voting member of the SUNY Board of Trustees.
The Faculty Council of Community Colleges operates within SUNY as the official statewide governance body representing the faculty of SUNY's 30 community colleges, pursuant to 8 NYCRR § 606. The Faculty Council first convened in May 1967, in Albany, New York, and developed as a parallel governance structure to the University Faculty Senate. Together, the Faculty Council and the University Faculty Senate collaborate on matters of common concern in the conduct of University affairs. Since July 2011, the President of the Faculty Council of Community Colleges has served as a non-voting member of the SUNY Board of Trustees.
The SUNY Student Assembly was established in 1973, through Article XVII of the SUNY Policies of the Board of Trustees as the official organization through which students participate in University-wide governance. The Student Assembly serves as a direct line of communication between SUNY’s students, the Chancellor, SUNY System Administration, and the SUNY Board of Trustees. On August 5, 1975, the Governor signed legislation creating a student trustee position on the SUNY Board of Trustees. Today, the President of the Student Assembly also serves as the Student Trustee and is a voting member of the SUNY Board of Trustees.
When practiced well, shared governance is not simply a process for consultation; it is a structure for collaboration, trust-building, and better decision-making. By bringing together groups with different roles, responsibilities, and perspectives, shared governance helps institutions navigate complexity, implement change thoughtfully, and remain focused on their academic mission and the students they serve.