Brief Description of Berea’s Campus Governance Structure

The campus governance structure allows for the inclusion and participation at various levels for all employees of the College. Avenues for participation in decision-making include: communication and sharing information, consultation, voice, and vote.

All non-student employees are members of the General Faculty and are eligible for committee service. Due to the size of the General Faculty, the General Assembly, a smaller body of representatives, serves as the voting body.

The General Assembly (GA) concerns itself with nonacademic affairs affecting the general welfare of the College and the fulfillment of its purposes. Within its purview are those matters not restricted to the College Faculty Assembly, including the labor program, financial aid, extracurricular activities, student conduct, residence hall life, College calendar, campus environment, some strategic planning initiatives, and the general working circumstances for staff.

The College Faculty Assembly (CFA) acts on both academic program matters and recommendations dealing with College Faculty personnel policies.

The Staff Forum, consisting of all non-student employees except those who are members of the College Faculty, provides an opportunity for staff to identify and address issues relevant to staff and to be involved in, informed of, discussions of major issues shaping the College’s future. It serves in an advisory capacity to administrators and decision-making bodies.

The Student Government Association (SGA) represents the interests of all students and appoints student representatives to most College committees. Student Government representatives also serve on the General Faculty Assembly.

The College and General Assemblies are organized to conduct their affairs primarily through five program councils and their subordinate committees. Each of these councils is responsible to either the College Faculty Assembly or General Assembly, and any recommendations for substantive changes in policy are subject to approval by one or the other body. The councils are: Academic Program, Faculty Status, Labor Program, Strategic Planning, and Student Life. Coordinating and overseeing all elements of the structure is an Executive Council. The functions and composition of the Executive Council and the five program councils and their related committees are described below.

Executive Council (EC)
The Executive Council coordinates the efforts of the various program councils and is generally responsible for the effective functioning of campus governance.

Faculty Assemblies Chair
The Faculty Assemblies Chair presides at meetings of the College and General Assemblies.

Faculty Secretary
The Faculty Secretary is the recorder of official proceedings of the College Faculty Assembly and the General Assembly meetings.

Awards Committee
The Awards Committee solicits nominations from the College community for honorary degree and Berea College Service Award candidates. After reviewing the nominations, it recommends candidates for approval by the appropriate bodies.

Committee for Socially Responsible Investing
The Committee for Socially Responsible Investing is charged with helping to understand and develop investment strategies in light of the Great Commitments.

Sustainability Committee
The Sustainability Committee advises, monitors, and reports on sustainability goals, progress, opportunities, and initiatives.

Academic Program Council (APC)
The Academic Program Council has comprehensive responsibility for the academic program, with specific responsibilities for curriculum planning, continual review of current programs, policy development, and general supervision of practices, requirements, and services affecting academic affairs.

Athletic Affairs Committee
The Athletic Affairs Committee has within its purview both intercollegiate and student activity clubs involved in athletic competition.

Committee on General Education (COGE)
The Committee on General Education, guided by the aims of the General Education curriculum, is charged with acting as the steering committee for the General Education curriculum.

Convocation Committee
The Convocation Committee is primarily concerned with annual program planning. It selects events and presentations that advance the College’s educational purpose and enriches the life of the campus and community.

Student Admissions and Academic Standing Committee (SAAS)
The Student Admissions and Academic Standing Committee monitors current policies and practices with regard to admission, scholarship, probation and suspension, and formulates policy recommendations.

Teacher Preparation Accountability Committee (TPAC)
The Teacher Preparation Accountability Committee engages in curriculum development, reviews applications for the teacher education program and student teaching, and serves as liaison between the teacher education program, the college community, and school partners.

Faculty Status Council (FSC)
The Faculty Status Council deals with questions of faculty status. The Council is responsible for policy review and recommendation to the College Faculty Assembly on College Faculty personnel matters.

Labor Program Council (LPC)
The Labor Program Council has as its principal concern interpreting and applying the vision for the Student Labor Program.

Strategic Planning Council (SPC)
The Strategic Planning Council conducts continuous planning for institutional change based on the mission of the College, interpreted in light of opportunities and constraints created by changing internal and external circumstances.

Student Life Council (SLC)
The Student Life Council develops policy with respect to rules for student conduct, and policy for nonacademic aspects of campus life affecting students.

Accessibility Advisory Committee
The Accessibility Advisory Committee advises the President and the Administrative Committee on accessibility-related issues, analyzes campus policies and procedures pertaining to compliance with applicable federal and state mandates, and promotes the awareness of accessibility issues across the campus.

Administrative Committee (AC)
The Administrative Committee is responsible to the Board of Trustees and the President of the College for matters of finance, physical properties, and internal management of the College. All instructional and operating departments of the institution are organized under a member of this committee.

Administrative Leadership Council (ALC)
The Administrative Leadership Council was formed in the fall of 2012. The purpose of the ALC is to keep staff and faculty in leadership roles involved and informed in significant leadership matters on campus. The Council, which meets three times per term, does not serve as a decision-making entity. Each meeting agenda includes reports from various areas on campus, discussion on specific topics, and time for open discussion and questions. The ALC includes the Administrative Committee, Division Council, Directors, and Associate Vice Presidents.

Benefits Committee
The Benefits Committee is a subcommittee of the Budget Committee that serves as an advisory body to the Administrative Committee and the Budget Committee in the matter of employee benefits plans.

Budget Committee
The Budget Committee serves as an advisory body to the President in the preparation of the annual budget.

Campus Conduct Hearing Board (CCHB)
The Hearing Board serves as a pool of persons from which panels are selected to hold formal hearings on matters presented to it. For staff hearings, these matters may include individual complaints of discrimination, sexual harassment, or other employment-related grievances which apply to all employees of the College. For students, the Board hears all suspendable nonacademic cases of student misconduct, including violations of the Student Conduct Regulations and misconduct arising from the student labor program or financial aid programs.

Division Council (DC)
The Division Council serves as an advisory body to assist the Dean of Faculty on all matters pertaining to the academic division. The Council meets regularly with the Dean of Faculty to discuss, identify, inform, and recommend policies and decisions.

Faculty Advisors to the Student Government Association
The Faculty Advisors to the Student Government Association provide guidance in the development of policies, practices, and other procedures that pertain to the student body.

Faculty Appeals Committee
The Committee hears appeals of tenure and promotion recommendations, cases involving termination for cause of tenured members of the faculty, and cases involving alleged violation of academic freedom.

Faculty Liaison to the Board of Trustees
The Faculty Liaison to the Board of Trustees attends the meetings of the full Board, participating with voice but not vote. The Faculty Liaison reports on the Board meetings to the College Faculty Assembly and General Faculty Assembly.

Enrollment Policies Committee (EPC)
The Enrollment Policies Committee is primarily concerned with matters of enrollment management and related procedural matters. It sets goals each year for freshman, transfer, and returning student admissions, monitors retention and graduation rates, rules on student requests for leaves of absence, and coordinates planning among the offices represented on the Committee. This committee also ensures quality of education offered through consortial relationships.

President’s Council
The President’s Council, formed in the fall of 2013, serves as an advisory council to the President and the Administrative Committee; it is not a decision-making entity. The focus of the Council is on policy matters that have broad scope at the College and it provides an opportunity for increased communication across various programs and offices. Membership includes: Administrative Committee members, ARCT Administrator, Assistant VP for Student Life, Associate VP for Academic Affairs, Associate VP for Marketing and Communications, Dean of Labor, Director of Alumni Relations, Director of Human Resources, Director of Public Safety, Director of Student Crafts, Executive Council Past-Chair, General Counsel, and Student Government Association President.

Safety Committee
The Safety Committee is responsible for coordinating and directing safety efforts on campus.

Staff Liaison to the Board of Trustees
The Staff Liaison to the Board of Trustees attends the meetings of the full Board, participating with voice but not vote. The Faculty Liaison reports on the Board meetings to the Staff Forum and General Assembly.