Each year, the governance system aligns with institutional priorities by fostering critical conversations, sharing information during council meetings, raising awareness of college initiatives, and reinforcing Montgomery College’s mission, vision, and values. The governance theme for 2024-2025 was “Bold Transformations to Empower all Voices and Thrive Together”.

Governance continued our long-standing traditions: of sponsoring Staff Enrichment Day, inviting student panelists to share their perspectives, providing feedback on policy and planning updates, and holding our annual conversation with the Board of Trustees. Also, this academic year, our involvement included the Middle States Reaccreditation Self-Study project, promoting a sense of belonging for employees and students, and the Data Asset Management Community Feedback project. The bullets below highlight some of these activities.

• Engagement with Strategic Planning new window Outcomes
  • College Council engaged in monthly discussions focused on the work of implementing and tracking progress toward the Strategic Plan, and reviewed and confirmed the focus for FY 26.
    
    
• Student Panel Discussion
  • A cross-section of student panelists engaged in guided discussion with members of the College Council and leadership, sharing their perspectives on strategic priorities, the academic master plan, and College operations.
    
    
• Promoting a Sense of Belonging new window
  • Governance is an excellent process for all college stakeholders to develop a sense of belonging. Governance Awareness Day and Club Rush were both opportunities for members of all councils to meet with employees and students to provide more information about governance and its impact. On the day of these events, held during both the fall and spring semesters, governance members were available at lunchtime on all three campuses.
  • Staff Enrichment Day (SED) new window, planned by members of the Staff Council, is an event that staff look forward to every year.  The gathering supports staff through professional development activities, information sharing, a vendor fair, and staff recognition and celebration, which was held on the Rockville campus.  The theme this year was Stronger Together, Transforming Tomorrow.
    
    
• Policy and Procedures new window Updates
  • Governance continues to provide opportunities for involvement and review of any policy and procedure presentations shared at College Council and shared at all councils to inform the College Community of needed policy changes and updates, and bring awareness of the open comment period.
    
    
• Governance participates in the Middle States Accreditation Process new window
  • Montgomery College is preparing for the Reaccreditation Self-Study visit in the spring of 2027.  Governance was asked to announce and encourage members to volunteer and serve as workgroup participants on the Middle States Committee and submitted a list of governance members interested in participating in this process.
    
    
• Data Asset Management Community Feedback Sessions (PDF, )
  • Governance partnered with the data asset management project to promote data literacy by participating in the feedback sessions during the fall semester. Here is a quote from the final report: “One of the governance foci is ensuring that all members of the College community can provide input and offer feedback. Certainly, data-informed decisions are critical to everything we do at the College. Promoting data literacy, training, and data communication are paramount to institutional improvements.”
    
    
• Conversation with Board of Trustees
  • On October 14, 2024, the College Council, consisting of representatives from each council, had a conversation with the Board of Trustees centered on the goals of each council as they related to institutional priorities.

 

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Governance provides a structured forum for advancing institutional priorities and achieving the College’s mission and vision.  Our goals include managing any constituency concerns that come to the council and developing and advancing recommendations based on questions, issues, or concerns presented at governance. The recommendations moved forward to the president for review and approval are intended to enhance the institution and benefit students and employees. See specific details below:

• Constituency Concerns
  • A majority of the concerns related to campus facilities repairs and human resources matters. Governance referred these concerns to the appropriate office for action. Any unresolved concerns require additional time to implement.
  • 2024-2025 academic year, there were 141 total concerns, 123 closed, and 18 are pending.
    
    
• Governance Recommendations
  • Both recommendations this academic year involved changes to the Faculty and Staff awards section of the policy and procedures. These are institutional enhancements related to the committee process that align term limits for all faculty and staff committee members as they review award recommendations.
    • 25-01: Recommendation for Changes to Policy and Procedures 38001 CP (PDF, ) (Updated the Faculty and Staff Awards Process)
    • 25-02: Recommendation for Changes to Policy and Procedures 38001CP (PDF, ) (Updated Staff Distinguished Service Award)
      
      

In addition, each year, aligned with institutional priorities, each council is charged with developing at least one goal that supports the institution’s vision. Often, councils decide on several goals to accomplish.  Some councils engaged in joint goal activities.  All the goals served to provide institutional improvements that benefit employees and students (see a complete listing of all governance goals (PDF, ) ). Below are the highlights of the 2024-2025 goals.

• Served at Mobile Markets new window (Staff, Operational Services, WDCE Councils)
  • Governance representation was at every Mobile Market.
• Donated to Spiffy Closets new window (Staff and Operational Services Councils)
  • Governance councils provided over 2400 articles of clothing.
• Updated Governance Constitution, Bylaws, and Handbook  new window(College Council)
• Promoted student voter participation in national and local elections (Student Council)
• Conducted a Truth Racial Healing and Transformation Circle new window (WDCE Campus Council)
• Created a Governance Flyer in Spanish, Amharic, and Vietnamese languages with a QR code (Student Services and Success Council)
• Revised the Outstanding Faculty and Staff Awards Procedure (PDF, ) (Faculty and Staff Councils)
• Developed and implemented a process for the Maryland Higher Education Commission Faculty and Student Advisory Council (Faculty and Student Councils)
• Revitalized the Faculty Senate on TP/SS and GT campus (Faculty Council)
• Increased council participation by 100% (Academic Services Council)
• Learned about and provided input on the Student Resources on Germantown Campus website  new window(Germantown Campus Council)
• Hosted a Germantown “Fun at the Park” baseball game event new window (Germantown Campus Council and College Councils)
• Increased council participation by creating email reminders and posting flyers around the campus (Rockville Campus Council)
• Drafted a proposal for supporting College Resource Groups (Employee Services Council)
• Increased administrator participation in Anti-Racism training new window (Administrator Council)
• Developed a plan for a campus composting project (Takoma Park Silver Spring Campus Council)
  
  

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Governance is grounded in a commitment to serving the institution and ensuring that all voices are heard. These commitments serve as both guiding principles and measures of impact, helping to ensure that governance efforts support the success of students and employees alike. At every key juncture of institutional activity, governance members actively engage by contributing their time, expertise, and dedication to the College’s mission. Transparency and shared participation are maintained through an annual election process that provides all members of the College community with the opportunity to participate in governance.

• The 2024-2025 governance nomination and election season was a success
  • 13% increase in election participation
  • Over 1500 nominations submitted
  • 1781 votes cast in the 2024-2025 election

Moreover, the governance process conducts annual assessments. Feedback from employees and students consistently affirms that the system fosters a meaningful connection to the College's operations. Their comments reflect a shared appreciation for how governance nurtures a sense of inclusion and collective responsibility. Many members express a powerful sentiment that participatory governance not only empowers individuals but also strengthens the institution as a whole.

• Governance Assessment and Feedback Highlights
  • Regular assessment and feedback inform improvements and enhancements to governance.
  • As a result, we have increased training related to constituency concerns.
  • Over 150 governance members participated in governance meetings monthly from September to May
  • There were 18 official governance meetings per month.
  • At our final College Council meeting, we discussed what it meant to be a good MC citizen.  The responses centered on the employee’s responsibility to be informed and to do our best work in support of student success.

The comment below is one example of the feedback received from a current governance member.

“Through my involvement in governance, I learned that the institution values student input more than I expected. Decisions take time, planning, and collaboration between different groups, and I gained a new appreciation for how much work happens behind the scenes. I also realized how policies and changes are often driven by data, feedback, and long-term goals, not just by immediate needs. Overall, I learned that meaningful change is possible when people are willing to listen, speak up, and work together.”

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2024-25 Academic Year

Special thanks go to all the 2024-2025 College Council leadership.

College Council Leadership: Shakenna Adams Gormley, chair; Paul Miller, vice chair; and Tilandra Rhyne, secretary.

Thanks to all the Council Chairs for the 2024-2025 academic year.

Lastly, our guiding principles served us well this year as always.  Participatory Governance is grateful to the institution for its support.
Participatory Governance is a service to the College and it:

• Focuses on the mission of the College.
• Seeks to promote mutual success.
• Invites all members of the College community to be heard.
• Keeps constituents informed.
• Shares representative perspectives with leadership.
• Emphasizes communication, collaboration, and civility.
• Ensures that governance is a transparent and evolving process.
  
  

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