This webpage outlines the processes by which the ACC Shared Governance Review Council (“the Council”) will handle requests for review and make its annual report. These were established to comply with the principles and processes of shared governance as determined by Board Policy BGC, Councils and Faculty Senates, and Administrative Rule 2.0703.01, Shared Governance Process.

The Council monitors the implementation of and compliance with college policies and administrative rules concerning shared governance. The Council is guided in its deliberation by the values and principles of shared governance articulated in college and board policy.

Except in points specified in these guidelines or other ACC policies or procedures, the Council adopts Robert’s Rules of Order as determining its procedures. 

Requests for Review

Submission Process

  1. The Council Chair is responsible for timely and effective processing of Review Requests. The council will work to complete Full Reviews within 60 days from confirmation of submission.
  2. Members of the ACC community submit Review Requests to the Council Chair in a manner determined by the Council. The Council will provide a mechanism for assuring the degree of anonymity desired by the Petitioner, except that the Petitioner must be identified to the Chair.
  3. The Council Chair certifies that the Petitioner was an ACC employee or currently-enrolled student at the time that the Review Request was submitted. Review Requests by others may be accepted by a two-thirds majority vote.  
  4. The Council Chair notifies the Petitioner of the receipt of the Review Request within five working days of submission. The chair may engage in a preliminary interview of the Petitioner for the purpose of gaining sufficient information to assist the Council in determine whether it should accept this Request.
  5. The scope of investigation for any particular Review Request is limited to the allegations and circumstances specifically raised in the Review Request. For this reason, the petitioner must specify as accurately as possible in what way the policies or principles of shared governance were violated.

Review Process

  1. The Council Chair shall convene a meeting of the Council to address the Review Request in a timely manner. Any member of the Council who is either a petitioner in a Review Request or is otherwise materially connected with a Review Request will absent herself or himself from all discussions related to this Review Request by the Council or any subcommittee thereof except insofar as she or he is invited before the Council or Subcommittee to be interviewed.
  2. The Council Chair shall present the Review Request to the Council, along with any relevant information that may have been gained from a preliminary interview, and the Council will make one of three decisions:
  3. To reject the Review Request
  4. To seek more information prior to deciding whether to accept the Review Request
  5. To accept the Review Request
  6. If the Council decides to reject the Review Request, the Council Chair shall notify the Petitioner in writing of the grounds for the rejection.
  7. If the Council decides to seek more information prior to deciding whether to accept the Review Request, the Chair shall appoint a three person subcommittee to gain such information as seems relevant to the decision (which may require engaging in such interviews as seem appropriate), and to present the information to the Council at a meeting scheduled by the Chair in a timely manner. At this next meeting, the Council will again make a decision from among the options in 1.A.2.
  8. If the Council decides to accept the Review Request, the Council will then decide whether to review the request as a Committee of the Whole, or to assign the request view to a Subcommittee for Review.
  9. A Subcommittee for Review shall include three members, from three different constituencies, appointed by the Council Chair.
  10. A Subcommittee for Review shall select a Chair who shall
    1. organize the activities of the subcommittee
    2. regularly update the Council on its progress, and
    3. arrange with the Council Chair to convene a meeting at which to present its report.
  11. Whether the review is by a Committee of the Whole or by a Subcommittee for Review, the reviewing committee shall investigate the review request by gathering such information and interviewing such persons as the committee chooses.
  12. If the review is by a Subcommittee for Review, the Subcommittee shall present a report to the Council upon completing its review. The council shall then either
  13. Accept the Subcommittee’s report as it stands as the findings of the Council
  14. Modify the Subcommittee’s report and accept it as modified
  15. Reject the Subcommittee’s report and engage in a review of the request as a Committee of the Whole
  16. If the review is by a Committee of the Whole, upon completing its review, the Council will prepare a report.
  17. Whether the review is by a Committee of the Whole or by a Subcommittee for Review, the report must
    1. specify the circumstances, processes, or actions that resulted in violation of shared governance policies or principles, if any,
    2. propose specific recommendations to address structural or other impediments to the implementation of shared governance policies or principles, as needed, and
    3. identify the particular Respondent(s) in the college community who will be responsible for reviewing the Council’s report and for addressing the concerns and recommendations raised in the report, if recommendations are forthcoming.
  18. In all cases, the Report must be approved by majority vote of the Council.

C.  Final Report and Recommendation

  1. The Council Chair forwards the Council’s Report to the Respondent(s), who must acknowledge receipt of the Report within five working days.
  2. The Respondent(s) completes the process by responding, in writing, to the report within thirty days of receipt. This response becomes part of the final report. The Council Chair ensures that response is submitted to the Council and published with the Council’s Report.
  3. The Council Chair forwards the final Report to the petitioner, if appropriate.
  4. The Council Chair ensures that the final report is disseminated to the ACC community, to the President, and to the appropriate administrators.

Shared Governance Report

Report Elements

  1. Review and recommendations concerning shared governance in the College, including compliance with existing policies and procedures.
  2. Annual review of representation on college representative bodies. The Council may recommend changes to assure appropriate and adequate representation.

Reporting Process

  1. The Chair is responsible for the development of the Council’s report, which requires a majority vote of approval by the Council.
  2. The Chair is responsible for the presentation of the report to the Board, the Administration, and the ACC community at the July Board meeting.