Welcome

Governance at Williams

At Williams governance is a shared enterprise, and everyone plays a role:

Faculty carry primary responsibility for the curriculum and related matters. They also share responsibility for creating and implementing college policies. Much of this work is done via standing committees and meetings of the full faculty.

Staff have a voice through the Staff Advisory Council and the Williams Staff Committee, as well as roles in many college committees and advisory boards.

Students shape many aspects of campus life through three interconnected groups known as the Three Pillars. Like staff, students also hold seats on many college committees and advisory boards.

The President and Senior Staff manage the college's strategic and day-to-day affairs. Three key members of senior staff are drawn from within the Williams faculty: the Dean of the College, Dean of the Faculty and Provost.

The Board of Trustees is the ultimate corporate and fiduciary authority responsible for the college's policies and programs. The Board governs and oversees the college’s affairs through delegation and oversight, rather than active management.

Beyond campus, The Williams Society of Alumni—founded in 1793 and now the oldest continuously operating such society in the world—organizes and supports Williams' famously loyal alumni in partnership with the college, “for the promotion of literature and good fellowship among ourselves and the better to advance the reputation and interests of our Alma Mater.”

This system of shared governance, attentive to the interests of all constituent groups, is central to the enduring excellence of the college and the vitality of our community.