United in Mission: Shared Governance, Campus Crisis, and the Biblically Inspired
Response in Higher Education
Sterling D. Hicks
Liberty University
EDUC 663: Social and Political Aspects in Higher Education
Dr. Jeremiah Koester
July 3rd, 2025
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Abstract
This paper aims to explore how board members, administrators, and faculty should
collaborate and navigate campus crises or unrest. Several key concepts will be discussed
throughout this writing, including shared governance and shared leadership, challenges of
campus crisis and unrest in the digital age, and the biblical response for believers. There is a
spiritual aspect to shared governance that closely resembles the Holy Trinity. This model
illustrates three distinct aspects of leadership within the Godhead and their roles, while
emphasizing their harmonious unity in diversity. Additionally, we will examine the use of digital
platforms and the rapid dissemination of information. The paper will also address the context of
activism and how leadership should approach it. Finally, we will present recommendations and
appropriate responses by leadership.
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United in Mission: Shared Governance, Campus Crisis, and the Biblically Inspired
Response in Higher Education
During times of campus crisis, whether resulting from political issues, racial injustice,
societal or global concerns, or even controversial institutional decisions, the leadership structures
of colleges and universities are tested. How faculty, administrators, and governing boards
respond to crisis and unrest sets the tone and climate of their campuses. When situations arise,
instead of blindly reacting, higher education leaders must collaborate with clarity and unity. This
is where shared governance and shared leadership become more than just an operational strategy
but begin to reflect a more spiritual foundation.
Just as the Holy Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit exist in perfect unity and
distinctiveness, so too should institutional leadership. The Holy Trinity provides us with a model
of shared governance, God existing in three distinct roles working in harmony for a singular
mission. This divine model of co-equal, collaborative engagement offers biblical insight into
how faculty, administrators, and boards can lead during times of crisis with integrity, trust, and
unified purpose.
Shared Governance and Leadership
Shared governance within higher education involves collaboration among boards,
administrators, and faculty, each of whom has specific responsibilities and exercises authority
within their respective areas. The Board of Trustees serves as fiduciaries who act only for the
benefit of the public. They are responsible for ensuring that all assets (financial, reputational, and
physical) of the organization are safeguarded for the benefit of others (Bastedo, Eckel, & Kezar,
2023). Boards have the final say and jurisdiction regarding policies, the trajectory, and the
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overall well-being of the college or university. While the final decision rests with them, boards
often delegate managerial authority to the university president.
The president handles all day-to-day operations. He or she serves as the top administrator,
overseeing institutional leadership and strategy. They have authority over budgets and finances,
setting goals and priorities, but they also shape the narrative. “Leadership influences people to
focus their attention on specific stimuli and to interpret them in the ways intended by the leader
(Bastedo, Eckel & Kezar, 2023).” Presidents demonstrate interpretive leadership by emphasizing
certain aspects of the institution while downplaying or muting others.
Faculty are the academic gatekeepers, responsible for shaping the curriculum,
maintaining educational quality, and upholding university standards. “Teachers are cultural
beings with personal lives, and they too bring an abundance of knowledge to sites of students’
learning, not just knowledge of the subjects they study (Bastedo, Neumann, 2023).” These
combined areas working together and submitting themselves to one another are what make the
shared governance model effective. Shared governance is not a sword to be wielded to gain the
upper hand in a policy debate (Bahls, V.22, 2014). It is not based on hierarchy or absolute
domination, but on collaborative stewardship. I believe this reflects the unity in diversity seen
within the Holy Trinity. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit operate with mutual submission,
authority, and purpose.
Each role, outlined as Board, Administrators, and Faculty Members, holds distinct
responsibilities; yet no one acts independently of the others. This is done to maintain the
institution’s well-being. The purpose of shared governance is to ensure that leadership is not
centralized or autocratic but inclusive, representative, and accountable (Bastedo, Eckel & Kezar,
2023). However, shared governance alone may not be responsive enough during times of crisis
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or unrest. This is where shared leadership becomes crucial. Shared leadership encourages
collaboration from diverse institutional actors. This includes all stakeholders, staff, students, and
community members. This model emphasizes relational authority, shared expertise, and
collaborative problem-solving. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are co-equal yet have distinct
roles, creation, redemption, and sanctification. Each of these roles, although different, contributes
to a single divine mission (Martins, 2025). Likewise, in shared governance and leadership,
effectiveness is based not in sameness but in unified diversity.
Shared Governance as a Model of the Trinity
Here, the biblical worldview offers a compelling outlook. The Holy Trinity represents
perfect unity without uniformity. This model mirrors the goal of shared governance in higher
education. The Father parallels the board of trustees, guiding, creating, and providing protection
through alignment with mission and law. The Son (Jesus Christ) reflects the administrator's role,
being engaged with the people, interpreting needs, and modeling servant leadership. The Holy
Spirit aligns with the role of faculty, guiding through wisdom, teaching and instructing in truth,
nurturing growth, and providing revelation. Just as the Trinity never acts in isolation, institutional
leaders must avoid doing so. Each part operates with autonomy, but not independence. The
mission is only fulfilled through unity (Martins, 2025).
Crisis In the Age of Social Media & Digital Activism
Campus unrest or student crisis is not inherently new. However, its amplification and
magnification through social media is. In this digital age, activism has become easier than ever. It
only takes 15 to 30 seconds for someone to repost, add a trending hashtag, or share a quick
TikTok, and presto, you have become a part of a movement. The problem here is that social
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media allows individuals to create or present a more polished version of themselves, seeking
social validation, with little to no real evidence of their beliefs. This type of activism creates a
false narrative and a pseudo-sense of accomplishment. The simple act of posting or reposting
makes people feel as if they have contributed to a cause by sharing a post or commenting on a
video, even if they have not conducted the necessary research or taken any real steps towards
making a change (Young, Collegian, 2025).
Due to the fast-paced nature of social media and the rapid dissemination of information,
institutions no longer have the luxury of prolonged internal deliberation before risking public
exposure. The speed and global reach of digital communication demand transparency, rapid
response, and clarity. Misinformation is just as easily spread, if not more so, than the truth.
Unfortunately, it is this unchecked viral content that often influences opinions. The constant
reposts, hashtags, or live reports are what make it easier for people to believe a narrative. This
causes them to adopt beliefs without a complete understanding and then spread these beliefs into
rooms and spaces where in-depth conversations rarely occur (Young, Collegian, 2025). These
issues certainly impact the college campuses in various ways.
Institutions are not neutral observers; they often help shape the very conditions that lead
to unrest. “The role of contexts, however, cannot be limited to what impacts higher education
activism. Colleges and universities are not merely experiencing the context but also create the
context and conditions, serving as the vehicles, aggressors, and recipients of activism (Bastedo,
C. Davis III, D. Morgan, K. Cho, 2023).” When incidents occur, students expect meaningful
action, not blanket statements intended to quiet the noise. Yet, as Davis, Morgan, and Cho (2023)
explained, many institutions fall into what scholars call “non-performativity”, where the
declaration for change becomes a substitute for real action that will lead to change.
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To effectively address a crisis or unrest, institutions must become more creative and
proactive in their communication and crisis management strategies. One such idea would be to
create a crisis response team that represents all stakeholders. This response team would include
board members, administration, faculty, staff, students, and community leaders. This would
foster both transparency from an institutional standpoint and a sense of inclusion for its
members. A second idea would be to conduct Town hall meetings and issue public reports. This
would help strengthen trust and ensure proper alignment with institutional values. Ultimately,
leaders must keep in mind that their remarks, or lack thereof, reveal the campus culture and
climate.
The Response
Christian leaders are called to be ambassadors of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:18),
peacemakers (Matthew 5:9), and bearers of truth (Ephesians 4:25). These characteristics follow
believers wherever they find themselves. Therefore, board members, administrators, faculty, and
staff leadership should be grounded in:
1. Compassion and justice- calling everyone to Christ, not counting their sins against them
but making the appeal on Christ’s behalf, “Be reconciled to God”.
2. Servant leadership, like Christ, who “did not come to be served, but to serve” (Mark
10:45), requires believers to prioritize the well-being of students and colleagues above
our positional authority.
3. Integrity and Courage- Speaking the truth in love and resisting performative or political
responses that lack substance.
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Christian leaders resist the urge to pick sides in moments of crisis or unrest. They are
called to “stand in the gap,” advocating for justice while simultaneously promoting institutional
unity, providing comfort for those grieving, while protecting institutional integrity, and
reminding the campus that each one of us bears the image of God.
Conclusion
Crises are not anomalies but clarifying moments. During times of crisis, we can see
whether an institution is merely proclaiming values or living them. These times of unrest test the
strength of governance structures and the depths of the institution's conviction. It is in these
moments that shared governance becomes more than just a procedural necessity; it is an
opportunity to mirror the divine unity and interdependence of the Holy Trinity. Leaders in higher
education have the responsibility to respond to crisis and unrest with love, wisdom, and truth. As
leaders collaborate across roles, board members, administrators, and faculty, they mirror the
relational harmony of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Martins, 2025). In doing so, Christian
leaders do more than manage a crisis; they model a Kingdom way of leading.
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Reference
Bahls, S. C. (2014, April). How to make shared governance work: Some best practices. Volume
22 Number 2. Association of Governing Boards.
https://www.otis.edu/about/documents/
how_to_make_shared_governance_work_some_best_practices_-_agb.pdf
Gumport, Michael N. Bastedo, Philip G. Altbach, and Patricia J.JAmerican Higher Education in
the Twenty-First Century. Available from: MBS Direct, (5th Edition). Johns Hopkins University
Press, 2023. https://mbsdirect.vitalsource.com/books/9781421444413
Martins, A. A. A. (2025, June 18). The holy trinity as a model for good governance and team
spirit. Catholic Herald. https://catholicherald.org.ng/the-holy-trinity-as-a-model-for-good-
governance-and-team-spirit/
Staff, Y. (2025). YouVersion | the Bible App | Bible.com; YouVersion. https://www.bible.com/
