About PCC

Shared governance at PCC: Our journey, together

Dear Community,

PCC is rebuilding shared governance because the way we’ve been operating for decades no longer matches the college that we are, or the one that we know our community needs us to be. Our current system grew organically over decades – some committees with deep history, others created to solve short-term problems that became permanent. The result is a patchwork of structures that make it difficult to understand where decisions live. Our community needs us to be nimble, but our current decision-making structure is slowing us down and leaving out people whose expertise can make us better.

So we want to fix it – for real. We could dress up our current model and call it good enough, but instead, we are acknowledging that we don’t have every answer. What we do have are the conditions and the community energy to build something better. We know that roles need to be clearer, decision pathways need to be visible, and we all need to be connected.

We don’t know yet where every boundary sits or how our culture will need to shift to support the structure we want to create, but we do know that we want to create it with you. We are currently in the process of testing definitions, revising expectations, mapping relationships, and naming tensions out loud rather than working around them.

We invite our community to be a part of wrestling with our working drafts so that the final product can work for the people who will use it.

In Partnership,

Dr. B

Goal statement

Our goal is to co-create a shared governance system that is easy to navigate, clear in how decisions are made, transparent about both authority and areas where we are still learning, flexible as the college grows, and grounded in our mission and shared commitment to student success.

This page is a snapshot of where we are right now, what we’ve done so far, what’s coming next, and how you can shape it. This is a living page, and its content will shift as we learn. Check back frequently for updates.

Why shared governance, and why now?

PCC has been through monumental change over the last few years. We’ve restructured divisions, reorganized functions, rethought student services, merged departments, and shifted into a model that asks us to work more collaboratively across campuses than ever before. What once worked in our four-college model no longer fits the size, complexity, and interconnectedness of today’s PCC.

As we’ve moved through this transformation, our community has surfaced real and recurring challenges, and made it clear to us that people want a system that helps us work together, not one we have to work around.

Why now?

Because PCC has reached a scale and a pace of change where informal habits, legacy committees, and ad hoc problem-solving are no longer enough. One College requires shared structures, shared language, and shared expectations. Shared governance is how we will build the coordination necessary for the college we’ve become, and the college we are still becoming.

Our working definition of shared governance

Shared governance at PCC is a unified approach to institutional decision-making that creates meaningful connections between stakeholders, processes, and priorities. It recognizes that while our college includes diverse roles and perspectives, we are ultimately one community with a shared purpose.

This approach:

  • Acknowledges interdependence because no group does its work in a vacuum.
  • Values the diverse expertise that our faculty, staff, students, and administrators bring different kinds of knowledge.
  • Creates visible links between input and outcomes so that people see how their perspectives informed a decision,

Our shared governance commitments

We’re anchoring this work in four core commitments:

  1. Democracy is a practice, not a procedure.
    We believe democratic values show up in how we work together: through dialogue, consultation, shared problem-solving, recommendation, and, when appropriate, voting. Our goal is meaningful and inclusive governance.
  2. Authority must be transparent.
    The Board and President hold legal and fiduciary responsibilities that cannot be delegated. Leadership authority and shared governance are not in opposition; they coexist. Our job is to make who decides what, and how input shapes those decisions, visible and predictable.
  3. Clarity turns intention into impact.
    Clear roles and decision pathways help us move from “process without progress” to decisions that stick. When we know who leads, who advises, and who decides, people can focus their energy where it matters most.
  4. Sharing information is sharing power.
    PCC administration has a responsibility to communicate clearly, consistently, and early. The community has a responsibility to use that information to shape outcomes. Governance is stronger when information flows both ways and when people know where to bring their questions and ideas.
What will you commit to?

Send your thoughts to governance-group@pcc.edu and help us shape our community commitments.

Where we are in the process

Recent milestones

What’s next

In the next phase of work, we are:

  • Accepting applications for our Shared Governance Taskforce.
  • Refining definitions and roles based on feedback from co‑chairs and councils.
  • Drafting and testing the Shared Governance Operations Manual, including decision pathways, charter requirements, membership expectations, and communication norms.
  • Mapping relationships between groups so people can see how councils, committees, and workgroups connect.
  • Clarifying which groups are “shared governance” (and which are not) and why.
  • Building an FAQ that responds directly to questions raised by co‑chairs and other stakeholders.
  • Designing support for co‑chairs and members (orientation, training, tools) to make participation feel doable in a capacity‑constrained environment.

Who’s involved and what they do

We’ve named key “players” in PCC’s shared governance ecosystem:

  • Board of Directors: Sets broad institutional direction, approves policies, and holds final authority on institutional policy, budget, and strategic direction.
  • President: Bridges board policy and day‑to‑day operations; makes final administrative decisions within board‑delegated authority; creates conditions for shared governance to work and communicates decisions and rationales.
  • President’s Cabinet: Provides institutional and operational expertise; analyzes feasibility and resource implications; and supports implementation of governance recommendations.
  • Governance co‑chairs: Co‑lead governance groups; set agendas; facilitate meetings; represent recommendations to decision‑makers; and communicate outcomes back to their constituencies.
  • Standing members and resident experts: Bring stakeholder perspectives and subject‑matter expertise; research issues; deliberate; and develop recommendations grounded in evidence and equity.
  • Student representatives: Ensure student experiences and priorities are front and center; challenge assumptions; and help evaluate decisions through a student success lens.
  • Executive sponsors: Champion the group’s work with Cabinet/President; clarify context and constraints; connect groups to needed data and expertise; and ensure recommendations receive appropriate consideration.
  • Committee staff: Provide logistical and technical support; manage scheduling and records; maintain continuity as membership changes.

What kinds of groups are part of shared governance?

To reduce confusion and duplication, we’re working to establish a standard set of group types:

  • Councils: Permanent, college‑wide shared governance bodies addressing ongoing institutional priorities. Councils may hold decision‑making authority within a defined scope.
  • Committees: Standing or time‑bound groups (often under a council or Cabinet sponsor) focused on specific areas of policy or operations, making recommendations to councils or leadership.
  • Task forces: Temporary groups formed to address a specific issue or opportunity within a set timeframe, typically disbanded once their recommendation or project is complete.
  • Implementation workgroups: Groups that translate decisions into actionable implementation plans, bringing together those closest to the work.
  • Advisory groups: Consultative bodies that provide guidance, perspective, and expertise, without direct decision‑making authority.
  • Teams: Collaborative working groups that coordinate and execute work but are not formal governance bodies.
  • Affiliation/Association and affinity groups: Recognized groups that represent particular constituencies (unions, identity‑based affinity groups, etc.), ensuring their voices are connected to governance structures.

Note: We’re still refining definitions and mapping PCC’s existing groups into this structure, and we expect some groups may evolve or re‑charter as the framework takes shape.

Current governance and related groups

Here is the current working list of PCC governance and related groups (some in development or transitioning):

How you can help

Ask your co‑chairs or council/committee members how their group fits into this evolving framework and what they’re working on.

What did we miss?

If you know about a governance group that isn’t captured here, please email governance-group@pcc.edu and include:

  • Name of the group
  • Scope of the group
  • Chair or co-chairs

Questions without answers

We need your help creating a system that can work for PCC’s community. Here are some things we are still working on determining:

  • Which decisions go through shared governance, and which remain operational?
  • How do we define group types (council vs. committee vs. task force), and who decides?
  • How will membership be defined and representatives selected?
  • What happens to existing groups – do they evolve, sunset, something else?
  • How will we ensure equitable representation and meaningful student voice?
  • How will decisions and their rationales be communicated back to the broader college?
What do you think?

Share your ideas about how these questions should be answered below:

Living FAQ (in progress)

We’re building the FAQ as a living document. Some answers are firm; some are still in development. Here’s a starting point:

Is this shared governance model final?

No. We’re in an active design and co‑creation phase. We’ve drafted core tools (definitions, roles, group types, frameworks) and are now testing and refining them with co‑chairs, councils, and the broader community.

Who actually makes the final decisions?

It depends on the decision:

  • Some decisions are made by the Board or President because they carry legal and fiduciary authority that cannot be delegated.
  • Some decisions are made by the Cabinet within delegated authority.
  • Some decisions (within clearly defined scopes) may be made by councils or other governance bodies, with leadership accepting those decisions as binding.
  • Many decisions are shaped by recommendations from governance groups, then finalized by leadership.

Our goal is to name the decision owner and decision type up front, not after the fact.

Does shared governance mean we vote on everything?

No. Shared governance uses multiple ways to gather input. Voting is sometimes needed, but many decisions are shaped through consultation, discussion, and recommendations. We are working to define clear decision pathways so that everyone understands when voting is used and when other forms of engagement guide the decision.

What’s changing for existing groups?

Over time, every existing group connected to shared governance will:

  • Confirm its type (council, committee, task force, advisory group, etc.).
  • Review or develop a charter using the revised template.
  • Define an annual scope of work and alignment with strategic priorities.
  • Clarify membership, representation, and reporting expectations.

Some groups may consolidate, some may evolve, and some new groups may be created where there are gaps.

How will student voices be included?

Students can serve in shared governance groups with the same expectations and responsibilities as non‑student members. We’re also committed to “triangulated student voice”, which means combining direct student representation, staff perspectives, and outcome data to understand student experience and student impact.

When will this “go live”?

We’re intentionally pacing this work so that:

  1. We have authenticengagement and input from college stakeholders.
  2. We have a clear, workable framework (definitions, roles, group types, decision pathways).
  3. Existing groups have support to re‑charter and align.
  4. The community can see and respond to the draft Operations Manual before it’s finalized.

We’ll post key milestones and timelines on this page as they are confirmed.

How will I know if my input made a difference?

One of our key characteristics is “no surprises” communication and closed feedback loops. That means we’ll:

  • Show where input was collected.
  • Name how it influenced (or did not influence) the final decision.
  • Explain the rationale, constraints, and tradeoffs.
Why did we need a consultant to help us with this?

This work is large, complex, and touches every part of the college and, to be honest, we needed help. Untangling a decades-old governance system requires time, facilitation, and technical expertise that most employees simply don’t have space for alongside their core roles. We needed a neutral partner who could help us step back, see the full picture, and hear candid feedback from across the college.

The consultant’s role is to support PCC in building a cohesive, collegewide system, not one shaped by individual preferences or isolated perspectives. Their work helps us develop shared tools, clear structures, and consistent practices, while also building internal capacity to ensure our governance system reflects the needs of the college as a whole.

Is the President’s Cabinet actually going to change anything about the power dynamic?

Yes. One of the realities we’re naming in this process is that the President’s Cabinet has not always been aligned on which decisions we should own and which decisions should live elsewhere in the college. That inconsistency has created confusion for employees and contributed to decision-making bottlenecks at the executive level.

Shared governance work is helping us reset that balance. The President’s Cabinet is committed to being clearer about where our authority begins and ends, what kinds of decisions require executive leadership, and what decisions can (and should) be made by people closer to the day-to-day work. That clarity empowers employees to lead within their scope, reduces unnecessary escalation, and creates a more predictable flow of influence across the college. Our goal is a well-distributed decision-making structure that strengthens how we work together.

I have a question that isn’t here. What should I do?
  • Email governance-group@pcc.edu.
  • Talk with your co‑chair or governance representative.
  • Watch for upcoming sessions listed on this page.

Your questions will directly shape future versions of this FAQ.