CPI CPI Higher Education Policy & Governance 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is 'shared governance' in higher education institutions?
- A model in which faculty, administrators, and trustees each have defined roles in institutional decision-making (Correct answer)
- A funding arrangement in which state and federal governments share education costs
- A policy allowing multiple colleges to share facilities and resources
- An agreement in which faculty rotate administrative leadership annually
Correct answer: A model in which faculty, administrators, and trustees each have defined roles in institutional decision-making
Shared governance distributes authority so that faculty lead academic matters, administrators manage operations, and trustees set strategic direction.
Question 2: Which federal law protects the privacy of student educational records in the United States?
- FERPA (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act) (Correct answer)
- HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act)
- Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972
- ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act)
Correct answer: FERPA (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act)
FERPA grants students the right to access their own educational records and restricts institutions from disclosing those records without consent.
Question 3: What is the primary purpose of a faculty senate at a college or university?
- To represent faculty interests and share in governance of academic policies (Correct answer)
- To manage the institution's annual operating budget
- To oversee student disciplinary proceedings
- To negotiate contracts with external vendors
Correct answer: To represent faculty interests and share in governance of academic policies
A faculty senate is the principal vehicle through which faculty exercise shared governance, particularly over curriculum, academic standards, and faculty affairs.
Question 4: What does Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 prohibit?
- Sex discrimination in any educational program or activity receiving federal financial assistance (Correct answer)
- Racial segregation in public elementary and secondary schools
- Age discrimination against students over 40 in higher education
- Discrimination based on disability in federally funded institutions
Correct answer: Sex discrimination in any educational program or activity receiving federal financial assistance
Title IX prohibits sex-based discrimination in all federally funded education programs, covering areas such as athletics, admissions, and sexual harassment policies.
Question 5: What is the role of a Board of Trustees at a public college or university?
- To provide fiduciary oversight and set broad institutional policy and strategic direction (Correct answer)
- To manage day-to-day academic department operations
- To approve individual course syllabi submitted by faculty
- To recruit and admit students to the institution
Correct answer: To provide fiduciary oversight and set broad institutional policy and strategic direction
Boards of Trustees hold ultimate legal authority over the institution, appointing the president, approving budgets, and ensuring mission alignment.
Question 6: What is the purpose of an institution's mission statement?
- To articulate the college's core purpose, values, and the communities it serves (Correct answer)
- To outline faculty workload expectations for each academic year
- To describe the institution's accreditation history
- To list the degrees and certificates offered by the college
Correct answer: To articulate the college's core purpose, values, and the communities it serves
A mission statement defines why the institution exists, who it serves, and the values that guide its decisions and programs.
CPI CPI Higher Education Policy & Governance 1
What is 'shared governance' in higher education institutions?