Governance

Knowledge and Character for Leadership and Service

Introduction

All members of the community comprising Providence College and Seminary (“Institution”) are responsible to work toward the ongoing fulfillment of its mutually agreed upon mission within the bounds of the Institutional policies approved by the Board of Governors (“Board”).

The Board is elected by members of the Corporation, to be responsible to the Corporation, its constituents (faculty, staff, students, alumni), its accrediting agencies, the government, and all other stakeholders, for the integrity and well-being of the Institution. The Board formally delegates appropriate authority and responsibility for policy development and implementation to the Cabinet and Senate. The Board shall approve all governing policies before they are implemented.

“Governing policies” include the institutional mission and strategic plan, the annual plan of work, and other policies that govern institution-wide activities (e.g., governance, budgets, campus master plan, and the Covenants of Faith and Community Life). Oversight implementation of policies is the role of Cabinet. Policy recommendations may be initiated by the Board, the Cabinet, or the Senate and will be heard by the other bodies before final approval is given by the Board.

The Board of Governors

The Board shall consist of those persons elected by the Corporation from time to time for a four-year term with no term limitations. In addition, the President, a representative from the Senate from among its elected members, a representative from the Cabinet, and one student elected by the student bodies from each of the College and the Seminary shall be members of the Board. All members, elected and ex-officio, shall be members with vote.

The Board, working with the President where applicable, is responsible for the stewardship of the Institution, its purpose, viability, vitality, and integrity.

The Cabinet

The Cabinet shall consist of executive management of the Institution as appointed by the Board upon recommendation of the President and shall include the chief academic officer from each of the College and the Seminary.

 The Board delegates to the Cabinet primary authority and responsibility for management of the Institution and for all non-curricular and non-academic matters. The role of the Cabinet is management, that is, implementation of policy decisions arising from the governing bodies and approved by the Board.

The Senate

The Senate shall include:

a) the President

b) the Provost (chair)

c) one dean from each faculty

d) regular faculty members numbering at least twice the number of members in (a)-(c) above evenly coming from each faculty and including the Registrar and the Library Director

e) the Director of Student Development

f) the Director of Athletics

g) one student from each school

All members shall have a vote, except the Provost.

The Board delegates to the Senate primary authority and responsibility for curricular, co-curricular and other program matters. The role of the Senate is policy formation with regard to curriculum and other programmatic areas (e.g., student development, athletics, records), educational assessment, accreditation, and the promotion of general educational vitality. The Senate shall maintain a set of bylaws by which it will operate and which will include standing committees. The Senate shall have authority to appoint ad hoc committees and delegate authority to such as needed.