I appreciated Heather Grennan Gary’s recent article on shared governance and the perspectives provided (“Shared Governance is Smooth Like Jazz,” Autumn 2024). Effective shared governance fundamentally involves trust, appropriate transparency, clarity on roles and responsibilities, and respectful – even if at times vigorous! - dialogue. And yet, we face the ongoing perception of inefficiency; an assumption that it takes too long to do something meaningful or to respond to necessary change. The perception is of a system bogged down, that pushes against itself when significant, coordinated change is required. An example given is seeking quick fixes to difficult situations. I agree that shared governance rarely contributes well to quick fixes, supporting instead the view that effective shared governance does not prevent a quick response when needed. Quick fixes are rarely effective for any complex problem and that shouldn’t be our goal. Effective shared governance, in contrast, increases the information and wisdom available, the quality of dialogue and, more likely than not, results in decisions that are more strategic and broadly supported. When trust, transparency, clarity, and respectful engagement are present, the board, executive leadership, and faculty can work swiftly and collaboratively to seize an opportunity or respond to an emerging challenge. I know it can; I’ve seen it.

Marjory Kerr, Ph.D., President and Vice Chancellor
Tyndale University, Toronto, Ontario

In the Autumn 2024 Issue, Heather Grennan Gary compares shared governance with smooth jazz. I’m no jazz aficionado, but the metaphor resonates (pun intended) for me. I especially appreciate what Heather says about the importance of practice. In 2016, I wrote a piece on shared governance for In Trust, and shared a different metaphor: the three-legged stool. Seminaries rest upon the three supports of faculty, senior administration, and board. Today, eight years later, institutions are facing ever more complex problems. Those who share governance not only need role clarity, they also need to work among all partners regularly, on matters ordinary and extraordinary, so they can become accustomed to thinking and acting together.

Sarah B. Drummond, Ph.D., Founding Dean
Andover Newton Seminary at Yale Divinity School New Haven, Conn.

Shared Governance stays a topic of interest, and several readers sent us messages about the feature in the last issue. It’s worth noting that in this issue (p. 14), Nancy Claire Pittman recounts that as president of Phillips Theological Seminary, she wished she had spent more time thinking about shared governance. On the podcast, two of the most downloaded episodes focus on shared governance. Earlier this year, the Rev. Heather Hartung, Ph.D., discussed the many facets of shared governance. Now a director of accreditation with the Association of Theological Schools, she shares her experience as a student, mininster, faculty member, dean, and board member. It’s episode 74 and worth a listen: click here.

The Editors