Shared Governance

The College Senate provides a forum for all stakeholders to review and provide input on proposed changes in policies and procedures. The College Senate is composed of faculty, staff, and administrators from both academic programs and Workforce Development. The College Senate facilitates broad institutional dialogue, allowing careful vetting and revisions of proposals from multiple stakeholders. It has an essential role in developing sound, mission-aligned policy recommendations consistent with VCCS guidelines. 

For more information, visit the College Senate web page.

Faculty Senate works collegially with administration as an advocate for both Workforce and academic faculty and mediates faculty concerns with administration. Faculty Senate also serves as the formal channel through which the administration fulfils its commitment to consult with faculty on matters that impact their work, including academic policy, curriculum, faculty hiring & evaluation, professional development, and support services for faculty. While some decisions must be made quickly, early and timely consultation whenever feasible strengthens transparency, trust, and shared responsibility.  

For more information, visit the Faculty Senate web page.

The Staff Senate’s role in shared governance is to advocate for the interest of staff across the college, and to contribute to informed and impactful decisions by administration by drawing from the staff’s special expertise in college operations, relevant policies, best practices, and institutional memory. Similarly to the Faculty Senate’s dual role, Staff Senate is also the formal pathway through which administration fulfils its obligation to consult staff in advance of initiating proposals and changes impacting staff.  

For more information, visit the Staff Senate web page.

The SGA engages students in the planning and implementing of educational and social events for the campus community. As part of the shared governance structure, SGA representatives serve on a number of committees and the College Senate. 

For more information, visit the SGA web page.

CFAC allows faculty representatives from all VCCS colleges a place in participatory governance. PVCC’s CFAC representative mediates system-wide concerns of faculty to the VCCS and provides updates on VCCS initiatives to PVCC faculty and stakeholders. 

The College Board ensures representation of community stakeholders in the governance of the college. An advisory body composed of representatives from the college’s service regions, the College Board is responsible for assuring that the college is responsive to the needs of the community, and that the college’s actions align with its mission as well as with policies from the VCCS and State Board.  

The President’s Leadership Advisory Council consists of co-chairs of the Senates, academic deans, the executive director for marketing and communications, the Chancellor’s Faculty Advisory Committee representative, and the President's Cabinet. It serves as a forum to further communication between stakeholders, share perspectives, and anticipate emerging issues.