Toward a Democratic Higher Education System: Professional Staff Perspectives on Their Participation in Shared Governance

Abstract

Professional staff, non-faculty employees who support the work of faculty and students, are one of the fastest-growing segments in the higher education workforce (Nadler et al., 2010; Mousavizadeh, 2021). Despite their expertise in a myriad of functional areas on a college campus, staff are not privileged as participants in the shared governance process as outlined by the American Association of University Professor’s 1966 Statement on Government of Colleges and Universities. Rather, three groups: the faculty, the board of trustees, and senior administration, particularly the president, are identified as the key stakeholders and participants. However, Staff Councils and organizations continue to increase their representation and participation in decision-making processes at colleges and universities across the country (Murray & Miller, 2011).

The purpose of this study is to understand the experience of staff members’ participation in shared governance through participation in a Staff Council or organization. Interviews were conducted with 20 staff members across five institutions and focused on a critical challenge that the Staff Council worked through. For the purpose of this study, college and university staff are individuals employed by a college or university to perform various administrative and support roles. Staff encompass a wide range of positions at an institution, responsible for supporting the overall functioning and operations of the institution. Staff play a crucial role in maintaining infrastructure, providing student services, managing administrative staff, and ensuring campus safety. With the understanding that there is institutional variation, this study does not consider members of an institution’s administration, including academic deans, administrative deans, provosts, vice presidents, or presidents as staff members. Sites selected were private institutions on the east coast of the United States and ranged in size from 1,500 students to 14,000 students. Qualitative research methods were utilized, including a case-study design and cross-case analysis to identify common and distinct themes across sites.

The findings of this study reveal that there are tangible benefits for institutions and institutional staff when there is a Staff Council on campus. Staff members who participate in Staff Councils gain confidence in their roles and as employees, develop relationships across the institution, which aids in their work and deepens their commitment to the institution. Staff Councils can help institutions identify, promote, and retain talented staff members. Further, Staff Councils diversify the pool of individuals, specifically women and those without terminal degrees, involved in decision-making processes. Prior research shows that when more people are involved in decision-making, there are better institutional outcomes (Kezar & Holcombe, 2017), which is essential in the current higher education landscape.