| 3.
In no more than two pages, describe the educational system within your
country or state and the environment in which you offer degree programs.
For example, describe your institution’s relationship with any governmental
bodies (i.e. ministry of education, board of regents, system of institutions,
etc) and/or relationships with non-governmental entities related to the
governance and oversight of your institution and the business academic
unit. Also, describe the nature of the institution’s governing body
as it relates to the establishment or review of basic operating policies
that govern the institution. |
| Rhode Island College
is a member of a statewide system of higher education, which comprises
public and private institutions. The public institutions are University
of Rhode Island, Rhode Island College and Community College of Rhode Island.
The private institutions include Brown University, Rhode Island School
of Design, Providence College, Bryant University, Johnson and Wales University,
Roger Williams University, Salve Regina University, New England Institute
of Technology, and The U.S. Naval War College. There are several other
colleges and universities in very close proximity to the State of Rhode
Island.
Rhode Island College
is established, governed, and partially funded by the State of Rhode
Island and is a member, with the Community College of Rhode Island and
University of Rhode Island, of the public higher education system of the
State. The College’s budget is part of the state higher education funding
determined in the annual budgetary process of the State’s General Assembly.
The Governor and the General Assembly of the State have the ultimate authority
and responsibility to oversee the financial planning and control of the
public higher education system in Rhode Island although the exercise of
this authority is delegated to Board of Governors for the Higher Education
(RIBGHE) . External auditing of the management of the College’s funds is
provided by independent certified public accountants. Despite the declines
in the proportion of State’s share in the overall budget of the College,
the state’s financial contributions are still very significant.
The College, and
the other sister institutions in the public higher education in Rhode Island,
operates under the purview of the Rhode Island Board of Governors for Higher
Education which is the State’s legal entity for public higher education.
The RIGBHE is empowered to approve a master plan for higher education,
new program and budget proposals of public universities.
While the Board is
prohibited from engaging in the operation or administration of any subordinate
institution, it is empowered to adopt and submit a budget for public higher
education and to allocate appropriations among its institutions; to approve
tables of organization; to create, abolish, and consolidate departments,
divisions, programs and courses of study; and to acquire, hold and dispose
of property for the three institutions.
The College’s main
internal body of governance with regard to establishment and/review of
basic operating policies and procedures is the College Council. The Council
is an elective body and it works with its committee structure. The President
and other top administrators are members of the Council. The resolutions
of the council are presented to the College President for approval and
then are subject to approval of the Board.
By virtue of the
fact that the College’s employees are represented by three unions, a significant
portion of the policies and procedures are governed by the contracts negotiated
by these unions and the RIGBHE and administered by the College officials. |
