A Study Of Student Participation In University Governance In The United States

Student participation in university governance is not only the need and measure to perfect university governance in the new period,but also the embodiment of the concept of "student-centered ".Student participation in university governance is an important trend in the reform and development of higher education in the world.Students’ participation in American university governance has a long history,and each university has gradually formed a unique pattern of students’ participation in university governance.The study of the present situation,characteristics and causes of students’ participation in American university governance has certain enlightenment and reference value for improving students’ participation in governance in China.Therefore,this paper selects Harvard University and Columbia University,which have a long history of participating in university governance,as examples to conduct in-depth discussions.First of all,from the theoretical discussion of student participation in university governance,this paper puts forward the connotation,characteristics and dimensions of student participation in university governance.Then the history,characteristics and causes of students’ participation in Harvard University and Columbia University are revealed by the method of comparative study and case study.On this basis,the common characteristics and causes of students’ participation in governance in these two universities are refined,and the improvement path is put forward according to the present situation of students’ participation in university governance in China.This paper puts forward that the dimension of students’ participation in university governance mainly includes participation mode,participation process and participation conditions.Through the combination of comparative study and case study,the characteristics of student participation in Harvard University are as follows:empowering student organizations with autonomous power;highlighting students’ participation rights in academic affairs management;and independent material fund supply guarantee.The reasons include: the development of students’ self-consciousness is the direct motive force;the specialization of student affairs management provides the possibility for students to participate,and the university charter provides the basic guarantee for students to participate.The participation of students at Columbia University is characterized by the dual role of evaluator and actor Full and diverse participation forms;mature and systematic participation path.The reason is that the concept of "student is university" provides the soil for students to participate;the development of students’ consciousness of power is the direct motive force for students’ participation;and the specialized system provides the premise and guarantee for students’ participation.The common features of the two colleges and universities are: the university charter stipulates the legitimacy of students’ participation in governance;the reasonable content and scope of participation;and the strong conditions of participation guarantee.The reasons for these characteristics are as follows: the social environment provides the soil basis for students to participate in governance;the students’ legitimate maintenance needs for their own "rights" and "power ";and the deepening of students’ cognition of " identity " in colleges and universities.Although there are differences between our country and the United States in the specific context of student participation,but in the context of the modernization of university governance,based on the concept of "student-oriented ",the experience of the United States has certain reference value for our country,and our country should make clear the identity of students and participate in it with the approach,students participate in the process of information and procedures,as well as the results of the feedback and other basic measures.At the same time,it is necessary to establish the operation guarantee mechanism of student participation,that is,to set up the participation guarantee system of rule by law,to construct the participation support system of full staff,to establish the comprehensive participation incentive guarantee system of students,to form the participation guarantee mechanism of power and responsibility restraint,to guarantee the real right of students to participate in governance from many aspects,and to put students’ participation in university governance into practice.