University Governance
Board of Trustees
The Board of Trustees is the governing body of the University. The Board has the full power and legal authority to do all things deemed necessary and expedient in the governance, management, and control of the business and affairs of the University. Some of the Board’s responsibilities include determining and defining the mission and goals of the University; establishing, reviewing and approving major changes in the University’s educational programming; and approving and authorizing all earned degrees upon recommendation of the President and the faculty. The Board delegates certain responsibilities to the President and various administrative officers of the University.
University
Faculty
The University faculty is the legislative body in matters pertaining to the admission, registration, instruction, and discipline of students and in matters related to academic procedures and educational policies. All legislation of the faculty is subject to the approval of the board of trustees. Abstracts of the minutes of the faculty are sent to the board of trustees. The faculty may delegate any of its responsibilities to an officer of the University, to a committee, or to any other group. The University faculty, acting with the approval of the board of trustees, grants all degrees conferred by the University.
The Student Senate
Established in the spring of
1988, the Student Senate provides an opportunity for students to discuss and
express their views on student issues and to make recommendations or pass
resolutions on these matters. The Senate has responsibility for the allocation
of funds to student organizations as well as the recognition of student
organizations. Forty-five senators are elected based upon living group by the
undergraduate student body. Elections are held in the late spring for
upperclassmen and in September for freshmen. Responsibilities, such as
selecting student representatives to the Board of Trustees and to certain
faculty committees are the
Graduate Student Senate
The Graduate Student Senate (GSS)
serves as the representing body of the graduate student community in all
matters pertinent to the graduate programs and graduate student life. Their
mission is to act as a liaison between graduate students and administrative
bodies, as well as encourage social interaction and communication among
graduate students. The council is run entirely by students. The graduate
student office is located in the Christmas-Saucon. Meetings
are held in the Catacombs, in the basement of the
Faculty Committees
The University has faculty committees that are standing committees of the faculty. Unless instructed otherwise, applications for student membership on most committees should be referred to the chairperson of the committee. Description of the committees can be found in the Rules and Procedures of the Faculty on the Provost’s Office website: http://www.lehigh.edu/~inprv/rules_procedures.html .
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