Governance at Howard Community College
I. Governance
II. Principles of Governance
III. Description of Groups Involved in Governance
IV. Key Decisions of the Organization
V. Organizational Chart
I. Governance
Governance is the process of involving employees in defining and benchmarking the organization’s core work, in developing the strategic goals and objectives, and in formulating academic and administrative policies and procedures, to ensure alignment with core ends. Employees also have a responsibility for continuous improvement and responsiveness to the community or stakeholders the college serves.
The board of trustees supports internal governance by stating in board policy that the president may not “make decisions except by a process where openness and fairness are maintained.” Each spring, the college submits the mission, vision, values, and strategic goals for board approval. The following winter, the college presents the integrated strategic plan and budget for board approval. The board has the ultimate decision-making authority for the college, but values the input of the college through a defined process of governance.
The first Commission on the Future report stated:
“HCC is an agile organization that anticipates the needs of students and stakeholders. It continuously reexamines traditional roles, and makes changes in organizational structures and values to meet new opportunities. HCC recognizes that the college is, and will be increasingly asked, to serve functions beyond its traditional degree programs, and that these emerging functions will require new skills, competencies, resources, and new organizational goals and structures.”
Internal governance at HCC includes several avenues to encourage the investment of employees in the day-to-day and the long-term decision-making of the college. They are as follows:
1. Each employee is a member of a core work unit (team) within one of the functional units (academic affairs, student services, administration and finance, information technology, president’s area). This team has the responsibility of defining the core work of the unit, setting performance measures, establishing benchmarks, and devising strategies and tactics to achieve these benchmarks. The team leader or administrator has the responsibility to engage the group in this process.
The input of the core work unit travels through the regular reporting channels.
2. Each employee is also a member of one of four constituency groups who elect representatives. These groups are support group, professional/technical, administrators, and faculty. For example, all faculty can participate in the faculty forum, which has a broad role in reviewing academic standards, curriculum, and other factors that impact the learning climate for students and faculty.
In addition to the employee constituency groups, the college has a representative student group – the student government association.
Each one of the five constituency groups has a liaison on the president’s team. Input from these groups can be forwarded via their liaison to the president’s team or through their leadership to the augmented team.
Each employee constituency group elects three members to the college council. This group reviews and recommends changes in policies and procedures as it addresses those issues affecting more than a single constituency.
3. Each employee/student (via his/her own role on campus or his/her constituency representative) is also connected to the major cross-functional teams. Each of the cross-functional teams has a liaison that is a member of the president’s team. Input of these teams can be addressed via their liaison to the president’s team.
4. Each employee/student (via his/her own role on campus or his/her constituency representative) is connected to the planning council. It is the largest representative group on campus. The council is expected to engage in continuous environmental scanning to assist in determining the college’s strategic direction and to help the college determine priorities for the expenditure of human and financial resources.
5. The college also gathers input from external groups. The Commission on the Future (COF) is one of several groups of representatives of the community that advise the college and help the college to be a responsive community college. Other groups include academic advising committees, the technology advisory board, and the Howard Community College Educational Foundation, Inc.
II. Principles of Governance
1. The board of trustees is the college’s legal governing body. The seven trustees are appointed by the Governor for six-year terms. The trustees establish board policy and govern through core ends. The board is committed to the participation of employees in the planning and decision-making of the organization.
2. Employees are directly involved in their core work, which reflects the daily operational needs of the college to serve its students and clients – the day-in, day-out work that delivers services to students.
3. Employees and students who are representatives of constituent groups should communicate with the constituents they represent.
4. The development of curriculum content is the primary role of faculty. The administration has the responsibility to be sure that new programs are developed as needed by the community. The faculty should be responsive to employers, transfer institutions, and students in the development of curricula.
5. Employees are involved in the development of the college’s strategic and operating plan and budget through their core work groups, and representatives on the planning council.
6. The president and the president’s team are responsible for distilling all the input from the functional units, constituency groups, and the planning council into one plan and budget, which is submitted to the board for approval.
7. Students are to be represented in as many venues as possible throughout the college, including cross-functional teams, planning council, and college council. SGA officers should make appointments to these groups. Noncredit students should also be asked to serve in various roles. The salary and benefits committee is one team that is composed solely of employee representatives.
III. Description of Groups involved in Governance
Group Name | Description |
Administrative Group (Constituency Group) | The administrative group is a constituency group representing the interests of administrators. Representatives are elected to be officers and members of cross-functional teams. |
Augmented Team | The augmented team, which meets monthly during the academic year, is an advisory group to the president’s team. This group consists of the heads of constituency groups and invited representatives of cross-functional or functional groups for the purpose of dealing with issues of importance to the college. |
College Council | The college council is an official channel of communication and deliberation within the college. It reviews and recommends changes in policies and procedures, chooses employees of the year, and recommends college-wide solicitations (such as the United Way campaign) to president’s team. The council contains three members from each of the four employee constituencies at the college (administrators, professional/technical, faculty, support) and one student. |
Core Work Units | The organization is divided into work groups that form each functional area; the organizational chart shows this structure. Each core work unit annually reviews the mission of that unit, defines or updates the core work, sets and reports on benchmarks, and develops strategies and tactics to achieve those benchmarks. Each core work unit also makes requests for resources for that unit. The team leaders – mid-managers across the organization – have the responsibility of involving people in planning. Mid-managers are also responsible for communication about what happens to requests and recommendations. The core work team has to find the most effective ways to perform work and use limited resources effectively. This challenge is the most fundamental aspect of college governance. |
Curriculum and Instruction Committee | The curriculum and instruction committee is responsible for reviewing and approving recommended programs, transfer patterns, course changes, and new programs. New programs must be approved by the board of trustees. The committee’s membership includes an appointed faculty chair, a representative from each academic division including continuing education, the director of the transfer center, an additional representative from admissions and advising, and a student government association representative. In addition, the vice president of academic affairs, associate vice president of academic affairs, director of the library, primary catalog editor for the academic affairs area, registrar, an information technology representative, and a support group representative are ex-officio members of the committee. The committee meets once each month from September through May. Additional meetings may be scheduled as needed. The chair of the curriculum and instruction committee also chairs a subcommittee that reviews courses that are being proposed for the general education core. The subcommittee meets several times a year depending on the number of general education core submissions. |
Diversity Committee | The diversity committee reviews and plans annual college-wide diversity activities, participates in employment search committees, provides input on important college policies, develops (facilitates and recommends) appropriate employee diversity training, performs diversity-related fact-finding activities as needed, periodically reviews and revises the HCC diversity plan, and responds to current diversity issues affecting the college community. (See administrative procedure 61.10.01 for membership.) |
Enrollment Management Team | The enrollment management team is comprised of the representatives from the key areas involved in the enrollment process, including admissions and advising, marketing, financial aid, registration, information technology, continuing education, welcome center, research and planning, academic support and career services, academic affairs, administration and finance, faculty, and students. Selection of the membership is done by the co-chairs of the enrollment management team and the vice presidents. The enrollment management team is a college-wide effort to better manage enrollment processes and provide opportunity for future growth. To support this effort, the enrollment management team was formed in November 1999 to develop strategies and implement programs that will provide optimal opportunities to enhance recruitment, retention, and graduation rates. |
Facilities and Sustainability Team (FAST) | The facilities and sustainability team is responsible for providing leadership in the advancement of sustainability through campus facilities and programs that are environmentally and socially responsible. The committee strives to develop a comprehensive plan to achieve climate neutrality complemented by an inclusive capital improvements program. To respond to the needs of HCC students, employees, and college community, the committee endeavors to provide the knowledge, skills and practices required to create a thriving, ethical and sustainable environment. The committee is representative of college constituents and students who are responsible for gathering input from and disseminating information to their areas. |
Faculty Forum(Constituency Group) | The faculty forum is a constituency group representing the interest of the faculty. This group has by-laws, which describes its purpose and process for electing representatives. Representatives are elected to be officers and members of cross-functional teams. |
Professional Development Team | The professional development team, representing college constituents, develops lists of general and job specific knowledge and competencies that employees should possess and outlines training needs that are relevant, convenient, and effective. Individual areas such as human resources, information technology, faculty development, and continuing education/workforce development will continue to offer the training. The professional development team will be responsible for recommending to the president’s team priorities for training. |
Planning Council | The planning council is a working group established in fall 1998, representing all constituencies and the main cross-functional teams. The membership list is examined each fall by president's team to be sure ties to all college operations are maintained. The purpose of the council is to develop a multi-year strategic plan by distilling ideas from its members and by scanning the environment. The plan is aligned with HCC’s mission, vision, and values, and board of trustees' core ends. In time for the fall budget development process, the planning council reviews and recommends annual action plans to complement the strategic plan to the president's team. Along with the core work unit requests, this plan forms the basis for the integrated strategic plan and budget presented to the board in January of each year. |
President’s Team | The president’s team, consisting of the president, vice-presidents, executive director of planning, research, and organizational development, executive director of public relations and marketing, and the director of board relations/special projects, manages the operations of the college and receives the recommendations of the functional units, planning council, college council, etc. The president’s team is responsible for reviewing the work of various constituencies and developing an “integrated strategic and operating plan and budget” to submit to the board every January. This plan and budget is reviewed with the planning council for input before submission to the board. |
Professional/Technical Group
(Constituency Group) | The professional/technical group is a constituency group representing the interests of the professional/technical staff. Representatives are elected to be officers and members of cross-functional teams. |
Health and Safety Committee | The health and safety committee is a cross-functional team responsible for making recommendations to the college community on issues of security, emergency management, risk management, ADA compliance, and life safety. The team recommends purchases or improvements to maintain a safe campus environment as well as makes suggestions for college policy and procedures on health and safety issues. |
Salary and Benefits Committee | The salary and benefits committee is a cross-functional team with responsibility to represent the college’s employees in matters of salary and benefits. All employee constituency groups are represented on this committee. Recommendations are considered for incorporation into the integrated strategic and operating plan. |
Students
(Constituency Group) | The Student Government Association (SGA) is a constituency group representing the interests of the students. Students elect SGA representatives according to the SGA Constitution. Officers appoint members of the student senate to cross-functional teams. |
Support Group (Constituency Group) | The support group is a constituency group representing the interests of the support group employees. Representatives are elected to be officers and members of cross-functional teams. |
Technology Team | The technology cross-functional team assists with keeping the college’s technology infrastructure and applications current and robust to meet the educational and business needs of the college community. The team assists with technology planning, advancements, applications, policies, standardization, and end-user competencies. This cross-functional team is composed of campus technology leaders and staff from all constituency groups. |
Other Teams and Committees
Many other teams and committees function on the campus. They are encouraged to post a mission, membership, and anticipated outcomes as well. They are linked to one of the major groups listed in this document. Current examples include the Related Issues Committee, Core Team, Developmental Education Team, Academic Standing Team, Retention Committee, Special Events Team, etc.
IV. Key Decisions of the Organization
Integrated Core Work and Strategic Plan and Budget
This plan combines the strategic plan and the operating plan and budget. Each January, the board approves this plan and budget, which is submitted to the county government for approval. Operating plans include:
Academic Plan
The academic plan outlines the major directions in academic program development, distance learning, instructional technology integration, program and outcomes assessment, faculty professional development, and learning resources deployment. The vice president of academic affairs oversees a process to revise the formal academic plan every year. Strategic components of the academic plan are reviewed by the planning council for inclusion in the integrated core work and strategic plan and budget.
Core Work Unit Plans
Each core work unit develops its work plan, setting benchmarks and performance measures.
Enrollment Management Plan
The enrollment management team develops its action plan for the upcoming year to meet the established enrollment goals. The plan is linked to core work and the strategic plan and is reviewed by the planning council, as appropriate, for alignment with the college’s strategic plan.
Diversity Plan
The diversity committee develops its action plan for the upcoming year to meet the established diversity goals. The plan is then reviewed by the president for alignment with the college’s values and the core values of the board of trustees. Strategic components of the diversity plan are reviewed for inclusion in the integrated core work and strategic plan and budget.
Facilities Master Plan
The facilities master plan establishes a framework for the physical growth and infrastructure on the campus for the foreseeable future. Based on projected enrollment growth and space needs, it is the foundation for recommendations on improvements to current buildings, proposed site locations for future buildings, and land use plans for the next 20 years. The vice president of administration and finance oversees a process to update the formal facilities master plan every five years. The plan is the basis for the capital budget submissions each year, which is reviewed by the facilities and sustainability team and included in the strategic plan.
Operating Plan
The college’s operating plan is the day-to-day activity described in core work and determined by core work units in functional areas (see organizational plan).
Student Services Plan
the vice president of student services' staff delineates its activities for the current fiscal year.
Strategic Plan
Each year, the planning council reviews or develops the mission, vision, values, and strategic goals for the college. The strategic plan moves the college as a whole in new or expanded directions.
Technology Plan
The technology team develops its action plan for the upcoming year to meet the established technology goals. The plan is linked to the college’s strategic plan and is reviewed by the planning council, as appropriate, for alignment with the college’s strategic plan.
V. Organizational Chart
