How to serve on or chair a committee

Committee work is an essential part of your service to the ¶¶Òõ¶ÌÊÓƵ community and is a cornerstone of . Shared governance means shared responsibility—between faculty, administrative staff, and the board of trustees—for the smooth and successful management of the college’s curriculum, policies, processes, and resources. After your first year as a faculty member, you may be elected or appointed to a committee. You may even be elected to serve as chair or secretary, both of which are important responsibilities. For appointed positions, the Faculty Coordinating Committee (FCC) works with the provost to assign faculty. If you have a particular interest in a committee, mention your interest to the chair or other member of FCC.

As intimidating (or boring) as it may sound, committee work at ¶¶Òõ¶ÌÊÓƵ can be hugely enjoyable and rewarding. The benefits include:

• Getting to know your colleagues from other areas of campus
• Gaining new knowledge and skills
• Opportunities to share your knowledge and experiences to help shape policy
• Opportunities to develop and demonstrate your leadership skills
• Deepening your understanding of institutional values and practice
• Broadening your understanding of issues impacting higher education
• Making positive change for the benefit of the entire community

One important final point: please remember that you serve as a representative of the faculty and often of your divisional colleagues when you sit on a committee. While you are always thinking and deciding as an individual, reminding yourself that you have an obligation to represent the views of a larger constituency can guide your decision-making in valuable ways.