Serving on Academic Senate Committees: A Guide for Prospective Student Representatives

Welcome to the Academic Senate! The Academic Senate is the local governing body of Queensborough Community College and it is made up of several committees, which consist of both faculty and student representatives. These committees are central to the formulation and implementation of important campus-wide policies. As a student Committee member, you speak for your colleagues and have the opportunity to influence college polices. This is an important responsibility, a useful professional experience and a valuable service to your college.

Shared Governance

"Shared governance" refers to the decisions made on our campus that require input from Faculty, Staff, Administration, and Students. If you are being given the opportunity to serve on a committee of the Academic Senate, you probably already serve as a representative (senator) on the Queensborough Student Senate, which is the governance body for students. It is possible that you are also an officer of the Student Association, in which case you would serve as one of the eight student members on the Academic Senate.

At Queensborough, the Faculty make up the majority of the Academic Senate (with 42 members, plus department chairs); and faculty are also the largest number you will find on any committee of the Academic Senate, but every committee has one President's Designee, who represents Queensborough's administration; and student members, who represent the student perspective.

Academic Senate Committees:

View the list of the Committees of the Academic Senate. Each one is charged by the "Bylaws of the Academic Senate" to oversee one or more areas of concern at Queensborough Community College. There is, for example, a committee concerned with parking on campus (The Committee on Environment, Quality of Life, and Disability Matters). There is another committee that oversees issues related to the Cafeteria and the Vending Machines (The Committee on Vendor Services). And there are Committees that oversee the Curricula students study (the Committee on Curriculum), and on line courses (the eLearning Committee).

When you choose a committee to serve on, you should consider:

• When does the Committee meet? Will this fit with your class and work schedule? Your representation of your fellow students is important, so make sure you choose a committee you can attend
• What are your interests?

A few committees, like Course and Standing, and Admissions, may not invite you to every meeting; other committees, like Student Activities or Curriculum, may require your presence at every meeting. Some committees may even require you to read something on line before the meeting takes place. You should consult the Committee guide for your committee to find out what would be expected of you on each committee, but you should also feel free to ask the Chair of each committee, if you have questions!

Whatever committee you choose, you have the gratitude of the Academic Senate for becoming a Student Representative!