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student participation in governance
Student Participation in Governance
There is a long tradition in higher education of student participation in all aspects of decision-making, from course committees right through to governing body participation. The work of internal staff and student governors is set out in the
CUC Guide for Members of Higher Education Governing Bodies:
- "The representation of staff and students on the governing body is important in all institutions".
- "Members nominated by particular constituencies should not act as if delegated by the group they represent. No member may be bound, when speaking or voting, by mandates given to him/her, except when acting under approved arrangements as a proxy for another member of the governing body".
- "The governing body should exercise its responsibilities in a corporate manner: that is to say, decisions should be taken collectively by all members acting as a body".
- "Certain items may be declared 'reserved', that is, business which for reasons of confidentiality is not open to discussion by the whole governing body".
These requirements mean that staff and student governors have an important role to play on all governing bodies, but are bound by the same responsibilities as all other members. These shared responsibilities are an important element of governance, and in many institutions there is a strong desire to strengthen collective responsibility and to avoid 'them and us' type distinctions between internal and independent governors.
A fuller account of the role of student and staff governors is provided in Chapter 6 of
Getting to Grips with Being a Governor originally published by SCOP. Paper copies are available from GuildHE (020 7387 7711)
In 
Scotland, the SPARQS initiative has been developed to support students in institutional decision making.
More information for staff and student governors.
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