Connecticut College students, faculty, staff and administrators are committed to a system of governance in which the perspectives of all groups are considered in the institution's decision-making process.

The Shared Governance Covenant was created because of a desire to strengthen this bond among students, administration and faculty. It was drafted and approved by the Student Government Association in 2000 and adopted and signed at the first State of the College address on Feb. 7, 2001. The covenant is signed by the President of the College, the Student Government Association President and the chairs of the faculty and staff representative bodies each year to reaffirm the commitment to shared decision-making and mutual respect and collaboration between all of the various groups on campus.

The Covenant

We, the students of Connecticut College, represented by the Student Government Association (SGA), believe in the principles of shared governance. This ideal delineates that separate constituencies within a community should all be represented and heard equitably with respect to the concerns, policies, and issues that affect them. Fidelity to the principles of shared governance allows all participants to be informed and involved in the decision-making process at all levels of the institution while respecting confidentiality.

The principles of shared governance are central to the mission of Connecticut College. The four governing bodies - SGA, the Faculty Steering and Conference Committee (FSCC), the Staff Council, and the Administration - must always co-operate in accordance with these principles. However, the SGA believes that the bonds of shared governance need to be strengthened to ensure open channels of communication and collaboration in the institution.

We, the students of Connecticut College, represented by SGA, believe that agreement on the following points will better serve the principles of shared governance and continuously strengthen the bonds of cooperation among the existing governing bodies of Connecticut College moving forward.

  1. The four governing bodies shall operate with confidence that the SGA, whose members are elected by the students, is the representative body of the students. The SGA is the primary venue with which the FSCC, Staff Council, and the Administration shall consult and communicate with the entire student body. As elected officials, the members of SGA are responsible for bringing these concerns, questions, and issues to the attention of the student body.
  2. SGA will ensure that student voice is represented on all relevant college committees and that SGA, as representatives of the student body, will be in communication and collaboration with the other three governing bodies throughout each semester.
  3. In order to ensure the ideals and beliefs of shared governance are upheld at Connecticut College, a commission shall be established. The Commission of Shared Governance shall meet at least once each semester to evaluate the Covenant, examine the processes of shared governance, and examine the relationships among the four governing bodies. The Commission shall comprise of the following: the President of the College; one Dean, chosen by the President of the College; the President of SGA; one student-at-large, elected by the SGA Assembly; the Chair of FSCC; one faculty-at-large, appointed by FSCC; the Chair of Staff Council; and, one staff-at-large, elected by the Staff Council. The President of SGA shall be responsible for presiding over the meetings of this commission.
  4. Amendments to this covenant shall be approved by all four branches and passed with a simple majority vote by the SGA Assembly.

Voted Through SGA General Assembly 2021-22 unanimously on December 9, 2021.