Purpose: To act in an advisory capacity to the State Board and to perform such duties with respect to the operation of a single comprehensive community college as may be delegated to it by the State Board.  To prescribe rules or policies regarding the effective management of the college, which policies shall guide the president of the college, who is responsible for establishing the regulations and procedures to carry out such policies.
Membership:  Each of the four city councils appoints three members.

The governance system recognizes the role and authority of the president of the college as being the chief executive officer of Tidewater Community College. The College President is directly responsible to the Chancellor of the VCCS, the State Board of the VCCS, and the College Board of Tidewater Community College for the educational leadership and efficient management of the colleges human, physical and fiscal resources.

1. The Executive Staff

a. Purpose: It constitutes the operational leadership team for the college. The Executive Staff typically has scheduled biweekly meetings with the president, the purpose of which is three-foldfirst, to keep the president briefed on the colleges internal operations as well as to review any items requiring the presidents or the full Executive Staffs action; second, to ensure ongoing communication between/among the president and the staff; third, to provide the president with an established mechanism for soliciting the input of the staff on larger college direction.
b. Membership:  The provost of each campus; the Vice Presidents for Academic and Student Affairs, Finance and Administration, Information Systems, and Workforce Development; the Executive Director of Institutional Advancement; the Director of Institutional Effectiveness; Assistant for Special Projects; Executive Assistant to the President; and other members chosen by the college president.

2. The Presidents Advisory and Planning Council (PAPC)

a. Purpose:  Acts in an advisory capacity to the President on college-wide matters and, particularly, in the college's annual and strategic planning process.  Handles the ongoing assessment of the governance system and oversees the creation of new committees.  Makes assignments to standing committees as needed.  Reports to the president.
b. Membership:

Last year's chair will serve as Past Chair
One member appointed by the Executive Staff
Chair of the College Faculty Senate
Chair of the Administrative Association
Chair of the Classified Association
Chair of the SGA Federation Council
One person appointed by the Faculty Senate
One person appointed by the Administrative Association
One classified employee appointed by the Classified Association
One student appointed by the SGA Federation Council
Chair of the TLTC
Chair of the Internal Relations Committee
Chair of the Student Success Committee
Chair of the Workforce Development Committee
Chair of the Curriculum and Instruction Committee
Chair of the International Education Committee
One librarian elected college-wide
One counselor elected college-wide
Three members appointed by the President. (If necessary the President is asked to use the appointments to ensure that each campus has at least one representative on the Council.)

• The Administrative Association
• The Classified Association
• The Faculty Senate
• The Student Government Association Federation Council

1. The Curriculum and Instruction Committee

a. Purpose:  To review and recommend any academic programs; to make additions and deletions to existing programs; to recommend new courses and changes in course numbers, titles, descriptions, credit hours, and prerequisites; to review and recommend policies and procedures for the development of degree requirements for all college programs, certificates, diplomas and degrees. To review and recommend graduation requirements.  To monitor and make recommendations on all issues of an instructional and/or curricular nature.  Reports through the Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs.
b. Membership:
The Chair must be a teaching faculty member. One faculty member elected from each academic core area:
Business
English
Health Professions
Humanities
Math
Natural Sciences
Social Sciences
Technology
Two counselors elected college-wide
One librarian elected college-wide
Two division chairs elected college-wide (One from Occupational/Technical and one from College Transfer)
One classified employee appointed by the Classified Association
Associate Vice President for College Transfer Education (ex officio)
Associate Vice President for Occupational/Technical (ex officio)

The Curriculum and Instruction Committee is allowed up to three teaching faculty members appointed by the PAPC and, if necessary, the PAPC is directed to use the appointments to ensure that each campus has at least one faculty representative on the committee.

2. The Internal Relations Committee

a. Purpose:  To review and recommend policies and procedures related to rights and responsibilities, affirmative action, due process, professional development, college wide social events, internal communication, awards and recognition.  Reports through the Director of Institutional Research.

b. Membership:
One administrator appointed by each Provost
One classified employee elected from each campus
One classified employee elected from the district office
One faculty member elected from the Norfolk Campus
One faculty member elected from the Chesapeake Campus
Two faculty members elected from the Portsmouth Campus
Three faculty members elected from the Virginia Beach Campus
One wage employee elected college-wide
One adjunct faculty member elected college-wide
Human Resources Manager or designee (ex officio)

This committee is allowed up to three people appointed as directed by the PAPC and, if necessary, the PAPC is directed to use the appointments to ensure that each campus has at least one representative on the committee.

3. The International Education Committee

a. Purpose:  To create and coordinate opportunities in international education for faculty, staff, and students.  To create and coordinate opportunities for the faculty that include professional development, curriculum development, foreign language and study abroad with the goal of internationalizing the education of as many students as possible.  Reports through the Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs.
b. Membership:
One administrator appointed by the Administrative Association
One classified employee appointed by the Classified Association
Two faculty members elected from the Norfolk Campus
Two faculty members elected from the Chesapeake Campus
Three faculty members elected from the from the Portsmouth Campus
Five faculty members elected from the Virginia Beach Campus
Director of Grants Development (ex officio)
Director of International Programs (ex officio)
Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs (ex officio)
Associate Vice President for College Transfer Education (ex officio)
One student appointed by the SGA Federation Council

This committee is allowed up to three people appointed as directed by the PAPC and, if necessary, the PAPC is directed to use the appointments to ensure that each campus has at least one representative on the committee.

4. The Student Success Committee

a. Purpose:  To review and recommend policy designed to help students achieve success during their college experience.  To make recommendations on admissions, records, registration, financial aid, and recruitment policies.  To consider matters of student life which relate to conduct, student development, student organizations, student government, orientation, intramural athletics and other student activities.  Reports through the Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs.
b. Membership:
Associate Vice President for Student and Enrollment Services (ex officio)
One Campus Dean of Students
One faculty member elected from each campus
One counselor elected college-wide
One LRC representative elected college-wide
One Campus Student Activities Coordinator
Two coordinators from student services elected college wide
One classified employee from student services elected college wide
College Director of Student Activities (ex officio)
One student from the Norfolk Campus SGA
One student from the Chesapeake Campus SGA
Two students from the Portsmouth Campus SGA
Three students from the Beach Campus SGA
One student appointed by the SGA Federation

This committee is allowed up to three people appointed as directed by the PAPC and, if necessary, the PAPC is directed to use the appointments to ensure that each campus has at least one representative on the committee.

5. Teaching and Learning with Technology Committee (TLTC)

a. Purpose:  To address the teaching and learning issues brought on by changes in information technology.  To enable faculty and staff to share ideas and address concerns and needs related to the integration of technology into instruction and professional work.  To provide communication among faculty who are using technology in the classroom.  Reports through the Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs.
b.  Membership:
Vice President for Information Systems (ex officio)
The TLTR chairs and co-chairs from each campus
The College-wide TLTR Coordinator
One counselor elected college wide
One librarian elected college wide
One classified employee elected from Office of Information Systems
Associate Dean for Distributed Teaching, Learning, and Services (ex officio)
One student appointed by the SGA Federation

This committee is allowed up to three people appointed as directed by the PAPC and, if necessary, the PAPC is directed to use the appointments to ensure that each campus has at least one representative on the committee.

6. The Workforce Development Committee

a. Purpose: To identify workforce training areas which should be targeted by TCC.  To assess current workforce training projects for effectiveness.  To develop TCC as a proactive player in regional economic development. To provide a forum for the exchange of ideas between college and non-credit programs. Reports through the Vice President for Workforce Development.
b. Membership:
Vice President for Workforce Development (ex officio)
One representative from each of the key areas of the Workforce Development Division including one Director
One faculty member from each campus appointed by the Provost
Two classified employees appointed by the Classified Association
Associate Vice President for Occupational/Technical Education (ex officio)

This committee is allowed up to three people appointed as directed by the PAPC and, if necessary, the PAPC is directed to use the appointments to ensure that each campus has at least one representative on the committee.

The governance structure provides for the creation of ad hoc committees on an as-needed basis.  These committees focus on tasks that have timely solutions to be created in a fixed period of time.  Ad hoc committees may meet just once or may operate over the course of a year. Some ad hoc committees (the Multi-year Contract Committee) meet each year with new membership. A task force addresses a specific and pressing problem and will continue to meet until the task is finished and the problem is solved. In order to avoid duplication of effort, ad hoc committees should notify The PAPC of their charge.

New General Guidelines for Shared Governance System created by the President’s Advisory and Planning Council Subcommittee for Shared Governance Revitalization

 General Function of the Governance System

1. Autonomy of Constituent Groups: Each of the four constituent groups (see II. D) is free to create and maintain its own constitution and bylaws.

2. Rotation of Membership: Each committee in the governance structure should have half of its members serving the first year of a two-year term and the other half serving the second year of a two-year term. Therefore, during the first year of a new committee in the governance system, half of the members will serve only a one-year term in order to initiate a staggered membership.

3. Officers and Election Cycle: Each committee will elect its own chair and secretary. The election cycle is one year. Only those members serving in the upcoming year are eligible to vote and to stand for office. Persons elected as the chair during the first year of service may succeed themselves and be elected for a second year as chair. Newly elected officers will assume any summer responsibilities for the governance system and will work with the past chair (current ex-officio) to smooth the transition.

4 Ex officio:  Chairs will continue to sit on the committee for one year after their elected service in a non-voting ex-officio capacity in order to advise and help with continuity.  After this third year of service, they must skip a year before serving again. Those who served as chairs their first year of rotation and who are not serving as chair in their second year, will serve as a regular voting member their second year and will also serve in the capacity of past chair.

5.  Length of Service and Membership: In order to insure rotation of membership, a committee member who is finishing a two-year term must skip one year before serving another two-year term.  Former chairs who are serving as an ex-officio must skip one year after their ex officio service before returning to the committee. The PAPC past chair will serve ex officio

6. Distribution of Funds: In order to avoid conflict of interest, any committee member whose committee is charged with the competitive distribution of funds is ineligible to apply for those funds unless that member resigns from the committee.

7.  Governance Timeline:

• Fall Convocation Week:  Each governance committee will schedule a session to orient new members.
• September 15: By September 15, all committees will have received their charges, and the committee chairs will report those charges to the President’s Advisory and Planning Council.  If a committee fails to receive a charge from the appropriate executive staff member, by September 15th, the President’s Advisory and Planning Council chair will report this to the Executive Staff.
• October 1: By October 1, the President’s Advisory and Planning Council chair will consolidate all committee charges and ensure they are published on the web.
• January 31:  By January 31, all governance committees will create a brief mid-year update to present to the President’s Advisory and Planning Council as well as the appropriate executive staff person.  The President’s Advisory and Planning Council chair will consolidate these reports and publish them to the web.  Constituent Groups are encouraged to submit a mid-year update as well.
• February 15: Governance information brochure sent to TCC_ALL.
• March 15: By March 15 of each year, each governance committee chair must send the President’s Advisory and Planning Council chair a list of membership openings.  On March 15 of each year, the chair of the President’s Advisory and Planning Council must send out a TCC_ALL email to call on volunteers for all committee openings.  This email should include a brief description of each committee’s responsibilities and the chairs’ contact information.  By March 15, or as soon as possible after, all governance committees will hold their elections for general membership per the election procedures. Constituent groups are encouraged to do likewise.
• April 15:  By April 15 of each year, each governance committee chair must have completed membership elections and must submit a complete roster of members for the upcoming year to the President’s Advisory and Planning Council.
• May 1: By May 1 of each year, governance committee chairs must send a list of new officers for the upcoming year to the President’s Advisory and Planning Council. This will mean that governance committees will need to meet in a timely fashion.  If a committee fails to report new officers to the President’s Advisory and Planning Council, the PAPC chair will contact the committee members, solicit volunteers for officers, and hold electronic elections if necessary. By May 1 of each year, each committee must present an annual report of activities, accomplishments, goals, and recommendations to the College President, the appropriate member of the Executive Staff, and the President’s Advisory and Planning Council.
• May 15: By May 15 of each year, the President’s Advisory and Planning Council must meet to hold elections for the upcoming year.

8. Committee Charges: Committees will receive charges from the appropriate Executive Staff person or the President’s Advisory and Planning Council according to the governance timeline (http://www.tcc.edu/welcome/collegeadmin/gov/struc.htm See Governance Committee Purpose Statements for appropriate Executive Staff person).  As stated in the governance timeline, by September 15, all governance committee chairs should report electronically the charges given to them by their Executive Staff person to the President’s Advisory and Planning Council.  These charges should also be presented at the first President’s Advisory and Planning Council meeting.  The President’s Advisory and Planning Council chair should consolidate these charges and publish them on the web by October 1.  If a committee fails to receive a charge from the appropriate executive staff member by September 15, the President’s Advisory and Planning Council chair will send an email reminder to the individual and will copy the President. 

9. Chain of Command: Each governance committee reports to a member of the Executive Staff. Committees shall receive written responses to recommendations within three weeks of receipt. Committees, which have not received timely responses, may appeal for support from the President’s Advisory and Planning Council.  If the committee and the corresponding member of the Executive Staff cannot reach a consensus on a recommendation, the committee can vote to seek review with the College President.

10. Assessment: Each committee will present an annual report of activities, accomplishments, goals, and recommendations to the College President, the appropriate member of the Executive Staff, and the President’s Advisory and Planning Council no later than May 1 of each year.  The President’s Advisory and Planning Council shall be responsible for ongoing assessment of the Governance System.  The President’s Advisory and Planning Council must propose changes in the governance system to each standing committee and each constituent group. The proposed changes will go into effect if there are no objections within 30 days. If any standing committee or constituent group objects to the proposed changes, and cannot settle their differences with the President’s Advisory and Planning Committee, then the proposed changes will have to pass by a two thirds majority of those voting.

11.  Presidential Appointments. The President has authorized the President’s Advisory and Planning Council to make Presidential appointments to the standing committees if necessary by April 20. The President retains the right to make three appointments to the President’s Advisory and Planning Council.

12. Meetings and Attendance.  Members failing to attend meetings or failing to contribute to the committee for a total of three meetings over the course of an academic year (not necessarily consecutive) may be removed at the discretion of the committee chair in conjunction with a two thirds vote.  The secretary will keep track of attendance and post names of attending members and non-attending members in minutes.  Standing committees will meet in the summer on an as-needed basis. 

13. Election procedures: Elections must follow the governance timeline. The Classified Association, the Administrative Association, and the Learning Resources Centers will handle their own elections and appointments.  The standing counselor on the President’s Advisory and Planning Council will coordinate elections for counselors throughout the Governance System.  When the phrase "elected college-wide" appears on a membership list, the appropriate group will conduct the election-not the entire college community.  For example, when a membership list calls for "one counselor elected college-wide" the counselors of the college will elect a counselor as their representative to the committee in question. Presidential appointments will be for one year only, but the President can re-appoint a person to the same committee as long as it will only be that person’s second consecutive year on that same committee.