2:00 PM
President’s Conference Room, Madison Hall & Zoom
Senators Present: Huiwang Ai, Aaron Bloomfield, Jennifer Greeson, Michael Kennedy, Jim Lambert, Alicia Lopez Opere, Andrew Pennock, Lisa Colosi Peterson, Brian Pusser, Sue Saliba, Jim Savage, Jeri Seidman, Jessica Sewell, Brian Wright
Ex-Officio & Guests Present: Ian Baucom, Alan Beckenstein, Maite Brand-Pearce, JJ Davis, Brie Gertler, Ken Kipps, Ian Mullins, Jim Ryan, Wynne Stuart
1. President Ryan and Provost Baucom:
Provost:
Three areas of focus
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Religion: A task force was created to look at making sure there was an availability of space for prayer and meditation, representation of many religions in faculty amongst other tasks.
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Free Expression: Review of policies to make sure all policies reflect a commitment to free expression. The provost wants to make sure there’s clarity and awareness about the policies and to refine or update old policies that needed further clarification or were created before technology was a factor.
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Professional Ethics Policy: a process where an accusation comes in against a professor that there’s a process like a Title 9 or research allegation where there’s an initial assessment by an expert. This arena needs something similar.
President Ryan: Regarding a review of the May 4 events, he has asked a faculty member who was not involved with the events to lead a review and get advice from experts. The review will gather info with the goal of creating a timeline and offering recommendations about what could have been done differently and what did we learn.
2. Review and Approval of Minutes
May 3
Motion to approve EXCO minutes: Aaron Bloomfield
Second Jeri Seidman
Motion Passes.
May 9
Motion to approve EXCO minutes: Jeri Seidman
Second Aaron Bloomfield
Motion Passes.
New Business
3 and 4. Introductions by each EXCO and Ex Officio member present and updates from each committee.
The Finance Committee: Jim Savage, focus on the financing of the medical school and the difficulty of getting appointments at the Medical Center. Most of the committee represents the medical center so it’s a good year to focus on this.
DEI Committee: Brian Pusser the committee received requests for letters of support and expect to receive more requests this year.
Research, Teaching, and Scholarship Committee: Huiwang Ai
Grievance Committee: Juliet Hatchett
Policy Committee: Lisa Colosi Peterson – desire to make policies reflect current practice. Interested in mechanisms where a larger percentage of the faculty could weigh in on proposed policy changes.
Faculty Recruitment, Retention, Retirement, and Welfare Committee: Alan Beckenstein
Academic Affairs Committee: Sue Saliba
EXCO will remind President Ryan that Faculty Senate passed a Resolution for an independent and external review. Faculty Senate should be represented in the review but how does this mesh with independent and external.
Disciplinary Policy – Maite looking into the process and possibly forming a committee on faculty rights protection, make sure it’s consistent, and make it clear to faculty what happens if they’re accused of a violation. The idea is to flip how the process works now. A Dean would go to a Faculty Committee and the Provost would be the last step.
Discussion on who to include in this committee to create policy around faculty discipline: AAUP, Grievance, Policy, FRRRW then it would go for comment to EXCO, Faculty Senate,
5. Faculty Senate Handbook, Constitution, and bylaws, Committees all can be found on the website.
6. Agenda for full Senate meeting
Provost Baucom will respond to questions from the Spring on academic freedom.
Approval of minutes
Committee introductions and goals for the year
Full Senate meeting in Room 225 of Rouss Robertson on Friday, August 23 at 2:00.
Motion to Adjourn
Second: Jessica Sewell
Motion Passes.
Meeting Adjourned.