Covid-19 is, among many other things, a test of a college’s commitment to shared governance.
It is absolutely possible to continue shared governance while campuses are closed.
This doesn’t mean after-fact-updates; it means bringing the community into the decision process.
It is absolutely possible to continue shared governance while campuses are closed.
This doesn’t mean after-fact-updates; it means bringing the community into the decision process.
There will be times when decisions have to be made fast and leaders need the ability to act.
Their ability to act without confronting significant conflict is partly based on the trust they’ve built up and how they’ve approached decisions before the crisis.
Their ability to act without confronting significant conflict is partly based on the trust they’ve built up and how they’ve approached decisions before the crisis.
Faculty, staff, and students are more willing to give leaders space to act if there’s been transparent sharing of information, honesty around challenges and priorities, and actions that show respect for shared decision-making.
Leaders needed to have built up that trust capital.
Leaders needed to have built up that trust capital.
So what I see happening at some institutions is not just leaders having to make hard decisions.
But leaders having to make hard decisions with low or no trust capital among key groups.
Which makes hard decisions, especially around the budget, almost impossible w/out conflict.
But leaders having to make hard decisions with low or no trust capital among key groups.
Which makes hard decisions, especially around the budget, almost impossible w/out conflict.
What happens is a leader with low trust capital tries to explain the magnitude of the challenges & the need for, say, budget cuts.
People don’t trust their framing of issues, don’t believe the causes of problems, suspect mismanagement, and question wisdom of the strategy.
People don’t trust their framing of issues, don’t believe the causes of problems, suspect mismanagement, and question wisdom of the strategy.
They raise these questions often because of past decision processes.
Times when information was withheld or shared governance was jettisoned.
They say if this is what happened in the past, why should we trust you now?
Times when information was withheld or shared governance was jettisoned.
They say if this is what happened in the past, why should we trust you now?
Now, having been involved in faculty senate quite a bit, let me say this:
Faculty often talk a big game around shared governance but are asleep at the wheel most of the time.
Shared governance is hard work and means showing up in good times and bad.
Faculty often talk a big game around shared governance but are asleep at the wheel most of the time.
Shared governance is hard work and means showing up in good times and bad.
One of the big issues right now in building up trust capital is that leaders don’t have much time.
Presidential tenures are getting shorter. Expectations are high and tough to meet these days.
Some leaders are navigating covid-19 in their first year, which is very hard.
Presidential tenures are getting shorter. Expectations are high and tough to meet these days.
Some leaders are navigating covid-19 in their first year, which is very hard.
It’s also the case that some leaders inherit negative trust capital.
Their predecessor left a mess that they’re trying to clean up.
They’ve got an uphill climb to rebuild trust capital, and many decisions now are derailed by past wounds.
Their predecessor left a mess that they’re trying to clean up.
They’ve got an uphill climb to rebuild trust capital, and many decisions now are derailed by past wounds.
All of which is to say that we’re going to see a lot of conflict and turmoil on campuses.
Some of it is going to framed as faculty being reactionary to change or not understanding issues.
I think that misses how crucial it is for leaders to have invested in trust capital.
Some of it is going to framed as faculty being reactionary to change or not understanding issues.
I think that misses how crucial it is for leaders to have invested in trust capital.
Leaders can still work hard *now* to do that: transparency, honesty, shared governance. You will need this trust capital later.
Faculty and staff need to do their part, too, as good-faith partners. Join your senate, introduce motions, volunteer for committees, read budget docs.
Faculty and staff need to do their part, too, as good-faith partners. Join your senate, introduce motions, volunteer for committees, read budget docs.
This doesn’t explain or solve everything. There will still be conflict and even true mismanagement.
But I think the relationship between leaders and key constituents—how decision processes happened in the past—is key to understanding what’s happening now & what’s to come.
(end)
But I think the relationship between leaders and key constituents—how decision processes happened in the past—is key to understanding what’s happening now & what’s to come.
(end)
If you’d prefer to read this in article form, excusing the typos and such
