Williams College Employee Handbook

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Administrative Advisory Groups

Administrative advisory groups are created by the President to advise the President or the senior staff on various administrative tasks, as described below. In addition, many academic departments have their own advisory committees and every interdepartmental program has its own advisory committee, as do the graduate programs and the various centers (e.g., Development Economics; Environmental Studies; Foreign Languages, Literatures and Cultures). Either the President, the Dean of the Faculty, or the department or program chair appoints the members, depending on the nature of the advisory committee.

Committees, Panels, and Advisory Groups

The President's Senior Staff

The President's Senior Staff meets weekly to advise the President on matters of general institutional policy. In addition to the President, who chairs the meetings, the senior staff includes the Dean of the College, the Dean of the Faculty, the Provost, Vice President for Operations, the Vice President for Strategic Planning and Institutional Diversity, the Vice President for Alumni Relations and Development, the Chief Investment Officer, the Assistant to the President for Public Affairs, and the Assistant to the President.

The President's Administrative Group (PAG)

The President's Administrative Group, a group of senior administrators, meets with the President to review matters of administrative concern to the College. In addition to the President, PAG includes the Dean of the College, Associate Deans of the College, the Director of Campus Life, the Provost, the Associate Provost, the Dean of the Faculty, the Associate Dean of the Faculty, the Vice President for Operations, the Vice President for Strategic Planning and Institutional Diversity, the Chief Investment Officer, the Director of Investment Operations and Risk Management, the Vice President for Alumni Relations and Development, the Controller, the Director of Admission, the Director of Alumni Relations, the Director of Leadership Giving, the Director of Communications for Alumni Relations and Development, the Director of Athletics, the Director of Campus Safety and Security, the Director of Career Counseling, the Chief Technology Officer, the Director of Conferences, the Director of Financial Aid, the Director of Dining Services, the Director of Health Services, the Director of Institutional Research, the Director of the Williams College Museum of Art, the Director of Human Resources, the Associate Vice President for Facilities and Auxiliary Services, the Assistant to the President for Public Affairs, the Associate Director of Public Affairs, the College Librarian, the Budget Director, the Associate Dean for Academic Programs and Registrar, and the Assistant Vice President for Operations, and the Assistant to the President and Secretary of the College.

PAG website

The Advisory Group on Admission and Financial Aid (AGAFA)

AGAFA advises the Provost on financial aid policy, admissions research, and the development of admissions strategies. The Provost chairs the Committee, whose other members include the Dean and the Associate Dean of the College, the Associate Dean for Academic Programs and Registrar, the Director of Admission, the Director of Financial Aid, the Associate Provost, the Vice President for Strategic Planning and Institutional Diversity, the Director of Public Affairs, the Vice President for Alumni Relations and Development, the Director of Institutional Research, and four faculty members appointed by the Provost in consultation with the Faculty Steering Committee.

The Advisory Committee on Shareholder Responsibility (ACSR)

The Advisory Committee on Shareholder Responsibility advises the Finance Committee of the Board of Trustees on matters pertaining to the College as a stockholder. Chaired by one of its faculty members, the Committee consists of two students, two faculty, two alumni, the Vice President for Operations, the Provost, and the Chief Investment Officer. Student members are elected by the student body at large; faculty and alumni members are appointed by the President.

ACSR website

The Affirmative Action Advisory Committee

See Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action.

Ad Hoc Committees

In addition, ad hoc committees are sometimes appointed for specific terms and purposes by the President or the Dean of the Faculty. Recent examples include the Winter Study Review Committee, the Ad Hoc Committee on Pedagogy and its Evaluation, and the Ad Hoc Committee on Program Administration. The President or Dean of the Faculty normally seeks the advice of the Steering Committee in establishing an ad hoc committee and in choosing its faculty members.

Finally, many academic departments have their own departmental committees and each interdepartmental program has its own program advisory committee.

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