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Higher Education · Shared Governance
Shared governance consulting for colleges and universities
Clear, inclusive structures for how faculty, staff, students and administrators decide together.
Who it's for
Who we support
Institutions reviewing or redesigning their governance structure, launching a governance taskforce, clarifying the roles of councils and senates, or rebuilding trust in how decisions are made.
What we do
What's included
Governance structure review and redesign
An assessment of how decisions actually flow today, and a clearer structure for tomorrow.
Council charters, roles and decision frameworks
Written charters and decision frameworks that make roles and authority clear.
Facilitation for taskforces, senates and councils
Neutral, experienced facilitation for difficult or high-stakes conversations.
Advisory board design and meeting toolkits
Agendas, templates and practices that make meetings productive.
Communication and feedback loops across campus
Ways to share decisions and gather input so the whole campus stays informed.
How it works
A clear process from start to finish
Listen
Interview and survey governance participants.
Map
Document how decisions are made today.
Design
Draft structures, charters and decision frameworks.
Launch
Support adoption, training and early meetings.
Experience
Experience behind the work
“Mountain Park Group brings structure to institutional planning, stakeholder engagement, implementation and performance measurement. Their work helps colleges turn strategy into measurable progress.”
Led by
Dr. Christiaan Desmond
Founder and Principal of Mountain Park Group since 2009, with more than 20 years of experience securing and managing public and philanthropic funding and more than 20 years of shared governance experience in higher education. As a current higher education leader, he knows what institutions need from a partner because he works inside one.
FAQ
Common questions
Why bring in an outside facilitator?
An outside facilitator can hold a neutral role, keep the process moving and help groups reach decisions that are hard to make from inside.
How does governance connect to accreditation?
Accreditors look for clear, effective governance. A well-documented structure supports your accreditation evidence.
Do you work with institutions outside Oregon?
Yes. Mountain Park Group works with colleges and universities nationwide.
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Ready to talk it through?
Book a 30-minute conversation. We will look at your priorities, your timeline and what it takes to get it done.