Bridging the Gap Between Institutional Research, Community Expertise, and Lived Experience
The Community Co-Governance Council (C3) embeds community members directly at decision-making tables throughout the Charles Stewart Mott Department of Public Health. Instead of acting as a separate advisory board, the C3 ensures that community expertise is a fundamental, inseparable driver of research and policy, rather than an outside perspective.
Mission: To ensure that community voices are not just heard but are integrated into the decision-making fabric of the department, fostering a culture of mutual respect, equity, and shared power.
Origins and Governance
The C3 emerged from long-standing conversations between Michigan State University and the Flint community, moving beyond traditional research partnerships toward a permanent model of shared power.
This evolution was driven by a clear community message across several community-led workgroups: engagement must continue beyond the lifecycle of a single research study. They called for a stronger, more permanent role in shaping the department bylaws, compensation equity, and long-term strategic decisions.
Community-Led Selection
To ensure a community-led process, C3 members were nominated and elected solely by their peers. MSU faculty and staff did not participate in the nomination and voting process, solidifying MSU’s commitment to community autonomy.
Strategic Benefits
- Community Competence: Recognizes that community members are experts in their own lived experiences.
- Co-Creation: Integrates community perspectives into governance to facilitate transformative policies and practices.
- Equitable Learning: Provides a framework for mutual growth between the university and the community.
- Longevity: Relationships are no longer tied to grant cycles but are part of the institution’s infrastructure.
- Strategic Alignment: Ensures research and programming address the most pressing local needs.
Meet Members of the Community Co-Governance Council
- Bishop Bernadel Jefferson
Elected Member - Artina Carter
Immediate Past President - Luther Evans
Elected Member - Marjorie Evans
Elected Member - Kay Doerr
Elected Member - Lottie Ferguson
Elected Member - Ella Greene Moton
President - Eileen Hayes
President-Elect - Athena McKay
Elected Member - Geraldine Redmond
Elected Member - Kristen Senters Young
Elected Member