President’s Conference Room, 2:00 PM, Madison Hall & Zoom
Senators Present: Alac Beckenstein, Aaron Bloomfield, Tish Jennings, Michael Kennedy, Michelle Kisliuk, James Lambert, Carol Manning, Brian Pusser, Eric Ramirez-Weaver, Sue Saliba, Patrik Sandas, Jeri Seidman, Brian Wright
Ex-Officio & Guests Present: Kim Acquaviva, Amanda Flora, Kathryn Neeley, Brie Gertler, Maite Brandt-Pearce, Laura Goldblatt, Christa Noel Robbins, David Edmunds, Rose Buckelew, Mark Sicoli, Geeta Patel, Jim Savage, Elizabeth McKenney, Lucas Martinez, William Keene, George Mentore, Gahad Bishara, Kath Weston, Melissa Levy, Noah Salomon, Sophia Zaklikowski, Robert Fatton
The chair called the meeting to order at 2:02 PM.
Review and Approval of Minutes
Motion to approve EXCO minutes March 1, 2024: Aaron Bloomfield. Second: Sue Saliba. Motion Passes.
Old Business
Aaron Bloomfield – Eligibility of adding new members to Faculty Senate
Revising the wording and will bring the numbers of how many people this is affecting to the Full Senate.
New Business
Academic Affairs Committee – Sue Saliba
Two proposals to close concentrations in Master of Arts in Religious Studies and English majors. This will go to the full Senate because it’s not a change in a degree.
AAC committee is establishing a subgroup to create a charge of the committee because the documentation is historical. They will bring that to the table at a future date.
UVA Policy PROV-004: Employment of Academic General Faculty Members (Tenure – Ineligible) – Bill Keene
American Association of University Professors (AAUP) chapter at UVA.
Proposed changes to PV004 policy. The group feels that the UVA policy violates AAUP principles. National and state offices of the AAUP agreed that current UVA policies do not comply with AAUP statement on academic freedom.
The group met with the Provost and he wanted the issue to go before Faculty Senate as the policy came from a previous faculty task force. The General Faculty Council endorses these recommendations.
Motion from Brian Pusser for the proposal go before the full senate. Seconded by Michelle Kisliuk. Motion passes.
Freech Speech and Academic Freedom - Coalition for Concerned Faculty
The group has a motion and would like it to go before the full Senate on April 19. Michael brought it before EXCO for discussion. It was noted that the Faculty Senate passed a resolution on Academic Freedom in April 2022. No motion was made to advance to the Full Senate on April 19.
Eric Ramirez Weaver motioned that we formulate a collaborative faculty task force to compile a list of questions regarding academic freedom/free speech and related concerns (harassment, etc.) with a respect to faculty which we present on May 10, and then formulate a response. Jeri Seidman seconded.
Provost Baucom will attend the May 10 Senate Faculty meeting to answer questions that have been given to him beforehand.
Full Senate meeting in Room 120 of Darden on Friday, April 19 at 2:00.
Motion to Adjourn: Alan Beckenstein. Second: Tish Jennings. Motion Passes.
Meeting Adjourned: 4:02 PM