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Shared Governance Update

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Office of the President, Dr. Richard Walker

August 26, 2025

Dear Faculty and Staff,

During the 89th Texas Legislative session, SB37 was passed, which addresses a number of items at institutions of higher education. Included in the legislation is the requirement that each university system adopt policies related to faculty councils and shared governance.

At the UHS Board of Regents Meeting last week, BOR policies and bylaws were adopted to be in compliance with state law.

  • BOR Policy 21.13 Faculty Council – Effective September 1, 2025 – Defines Faculty Council and lays out requirements.
  • BOR Bylaw 2.7 Shared Governance – Defines Shared Governance in the UH System.

As a result of the BOR policy and bylaw changes, UHCL MAP 01.A.06 University Shared Governance Policy specifying the processes and committee structure has been retired. Furthermore, MAP 01.A.01 Administrative Policy Creation, Revision and Retirement Procedures has been revised to create the Policy Advisory Committee (PAC) for administrative and business policy review. The PAC will be chaired by the Director of the Office of Compliance and will have representation from faculty, staff, and students.

The creation, revision, and retirement of academic policies will continue to be administered by the Office of the Provost. The revised specifics of this process will be developed following the creation of the Faculty Council on September 1, 2025.

Shared Governance

Per BOR Bylaw 2.7 Shared Governance, all UH System institutions will be governed by a principle of shared governance, which is a structured decision-making process in which the Board of Regents exercises ultimate authority and responsibility for institutional oversight, financial stewardship, and policy implementation. It allows for appropriate consultation with faculty, staff, administrators, and other stakeholders on academic policy and institutional operations. As of September 1, 2025, the shared governance structure at UHCL will be as follows:

  • Three representative groups make up our shared governance structure: the Faculty Council, University Staff Association, and Student Government. These three groups, composed of elected and/or appointed representatives, are advisory in nature and are the avenues through which consultation is done, and any recommendations are made as part of shared governance.
  • Divisional, college, and departmental advisory groups and committees may continue to operate as needed, providing input from their respective areas. These remain advisory and at the discretion of the responsible vice president or dean.
  • Ad hoc committees or task forces may be created for specific purposes with a defined timeframe for operation and dissolution.

You can read more about the updated definition and philosophy of shared governance and its structure on our Shared Governance website.

Thank you for your commitment as we implement these changes and work together to support UHCL's shared governance and policy processes.

Sincerely,

Richard Walker, Ed.D. 
President