SCampus Student Guidebook

University Governance

As a private corporation, USC is governed by a Board of Trustees. The Board is a self-perpetuating body, electing one-fifth of its members each year for a five-year term of office. The trustees delegate certain powers to the administration of the university and serve as the ultimate decision-making body.

The president is the chief administrative officer of USC. He or she carries out policies established by the trustees and, in doing so, has the power to delegate this authority to the officers of the university.

The Academic Senate, Undergraduate Student Government, Graduate and Professional Student Senate and the Staff Assembly serve as consultative bodies for the president and the administration, preparing studies and reports and making recommendations directly to the president on matters pertinent to the functioning of the university.

Students, faculty, staff and administrators serve on university committees, which also provide advice and counsel to the president and administration on a broad variety of matters related to the operation of the university.

Nominations for membership are made usually during the spring semester. Appointments are made by the president of the university. Information and applications for committee membership are available in the Undergraduate Student Government Office, Student Union 106, telephone (213) 740-5620, or the Graduate and Professional Student Senate Office, Hazel and Stanley Hall first floor, telephone (213) 740-5649.

Departmental and divisional committees and councils exist in many academic units. Information is available through each particular office. In addition, many of the non-academic offices on campus, such as the Student Health Center, have organized student advisory boards to voice opinions and participate in program development. The appropriate office or department should be contacted for this information.