The team observed that Millersville University is not only a well-managed institution, but also one that benefits from creative, energetic leadership at virtually all levels of the administration. As noted earlier, the administration encourages and enjoys an open, collegial relationship with faculty, staff, and students.

     Despite concern expressed by faculty and System administrators about the proliferation of "managers," there are clearly some areas that are understaffed when compared to peer institutions. The University should vigorously address those needs.

     At Millersville, there is a real commitment to shared governance, and faculty participate in many committees and task forces. In fact, nearly every faculty member appears to be involved in one or more committees or task forces. One salient example of the University's inclusive governance model is the broad campus representation on SPARC - the Strategic Planning and Resources Committee - and the use of SPARC as the Steering Committee for the Self-Study .

     In discussions with campus representatives, however, a number of individuals raised the specter of a proliferation of committees and task forces. There is some feeling, for example, that often a number of different committees address the same matters, such as information technology, general education, and curricular issues. The team underscores this concern, based upon the observation that often administrators and faculty members interviewed were not sure which group was addressing which particular issue. This may also explain why the University is having some difficulty in obtaining volunteers for various committees and for some leadership positions in governance.

     Another expressed concern is the protracted internal review process for new courses or programs. Even though the current curriculum committee reports prompt actions -- addressing each course proposal within two meetings - many of the past initiatives at the college have taken a long time. Given these various concerns, the team suggests that the University give timely attention to simplifying and streamlining its committee structure and processes.

     The faculty search process has been an important element in promoting diversity at Millersville; however, the process - which involves approximately 32 steps - is also drawn out and has reportedly led to the loss of some promising new faculty members and disillusionment on the part of some of those involved in the searches. It is important that the campus preserve the benefits gained from the current process, while at the same time seeking to streamline it.

     Since there has been no formal assessment of the effectiveness of the University's governance processes, the institution might benefit from a review of the Faculty Senate, its standing committees, and current task forces in order to combine duplicative committees and eliminate unnecessary ones. It would also be appropriate to review the rewards provided to faculty members for their involvement in faculty governance responsibilities, especially leadership roles, and to ensure that those rewards reflect the priorities of the campus.

     In sum, wide participation of administrators, faculty, staff, and students in the process of decision-making demonstrates that the governance system at Millersville works generally well, even if it is sometimes cumbersome.