It is called shared governance. Faculty presidents and provosts must let major issues go before faculty counsels. After the faculty agrees, which is never, the president can usually move on with his/her decisions.
Shared governance flies in the face of quick and effective decision making. They are not commpatible. It doesn't work.
Still, tradition is not called tradition for nothing. It has always been done that way...meaning it is not supposed to change. In effect, change is trying to be affected by people whose governing model does not allow for change.
The lines between bosses and colleagues in traditional university are blurred. Deans and faculty members are friends. And, everyone knows it is hard to command a friend to do anything.
In shared governance, says the president of one university, may actually be a deterrent to high education.
The proponents of shared governance say that shared governance is the end objective. Maybe so, but it also means terribly slow response to any obvious and needed changes in an institution.
What do you think?
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