Leadership and Governance

PASSHE and the Board of Governors

PennWest is a member of Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education (PASSHE), which is composed of 10 institutions. A Board of Governors (BOG), appointed by the governor, provides oversight of the State System. The BOG appoints the chancellor and university presidents, approves new academic programs, sets tuition, and coordinates and approves the annual State System operating budget.

Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education

Council of Trustees

Each PASSHE university has a Council of Trustees, which is responsible for making recommendations to the chancellor on the appointment/retention of the university president and for approving the university budget, new academic programs, contracts, and fees other than tuition. PennWest's Council of Trustees consists of 15 members, including 3 student members. The Chancellor also serves as ex officio, non-voting members of the Council.

Council of Trustees

University President

The president serves as the chief executive officer of the university and oversees its operations and governance as delineated in Act 188, Section 2009-A. The president works closely with the Council of Trustees, university leadership, and the campus community to advance the institution’s mission and strategic priorities.

Meet the President

Administrative Divisions

The university’s operations are organized through the following divisions:

Shared Governance

Shared governance is a component of university decision-making. Faculty and staff contribute to institutional leadership through representative bodies that provide input on academic policies, institutional priorities, and matters affecting the university community.

The Faculty Senate represents the faculty perspective and promotes engagement in academic matters and policies through collaboration with administration.
View Faculty Senate Constitution and Bylaws
The Staff Senate represents the staff perspective and promotes staff engagement in shared governance and institutional decision-making through collaboration with the Faculty Senate, Student Government/Senate, and administration.
View Staff Senate Charter

These groups work collaboratively with university leadership to ensure that diverse perspectives inform decisions that support PennWest students, employees, and communities.