SGA votes to combine shared governance committees

SGA voted in an emergency meeting Wednesday to combine the Institutional Governance Oversight Committee and the Academic Governance Oversight Committee into one, becoming the Shared Governance Oversight Committee.

Julie Isaacson and and Mike McDaniel, co-chairs of Governance Task Force, explained the difference between the two committees: the IGOC reviews institutional governance procedures and performance and functions as a committee on committees, while the AGOC serves as a liaison to the chancellor. It reviews academic governance procedures and performance and addresses issues and makes recommendations regarding policies/procedures contained in the Faculty Handbook.

"Shared governance is not authority and it is not power. Make no mistake that the absolute power and absolute authority for this university resides in Gov. Mike Beebe's office," McDaniel said. "He exercises that power and authority to appoint the Board of Trustees, and we all work with that Board of Trustees."

Senate members' main concern was whether or not they would lose a voice on the committee by combining them.

"With them having to merge both committees is great," Shunqetta Cunningham, graduate student senator, said. "But I, well some of us, still have some concerns about the proposal that was presented to us. I'm sure we, as a Senate, will get together and talk this over. Our main concern is not to lose student representation on these committees."

Many of the senate representatives that attended the meeting assumed it would mainly be an informational meeting and that they would not be rushed to vote on a proposal immediately. Isaacson assured them they were not losing a voice by voting today.

"I encourage you, the senate members, to get vocal, express your concerns, and to be the voice of the students," SGA President Ryan Beaird said.

When presented with the proposal earlier this month, the Staff Senate was not so keen on the proposed structure for the new SGOC. They argued it was not representative of the current constituency groups on campus.

However, the SGA voted unanimously in support of merging both oversight committees as one. Their plan is to review the proposal and make any recommendations deemed fitting to best represent the student body.