Faculty Senate discussed the spring semester Full Senate meeting Feb. 6, as well as the university’s policy review process and faculty concerns over administrative bullying training.
Faculty Senate reviewed the agenda for the Full Senate meeting to be held Feb. 20. During the meeting, Full Senate is expected to discuss evolving the Senate Liaison role, recruiting faculty to participate in the university’s committee preference survey, potential candidates for expiring committee terms and faculty concerns.
According to Faculty Senate Chair Alex White, Associate Provost Debbie Thorne is adopting a different practice for the university’s policy review process to further involve Faculty Senate. In events of policy change, Thorne will first discuss the change and justification for the change with the Council of Academic Deans. Thorne will then ask councils and Faculty Senate to discuss the policy and return their feedback to CAD.
White said another method of Thorne’s to increase Faculty Senate involvement is adding the chair of Faculty Senate as one of the official reviewers of policy. This method will require the chair to sign the policy prior to sending it to CAD for feedback.
Faculty Senate ended the meeting by discussing a faculty concern of bullying at the administration level. An anonymous faculty member recommended to Faculty Senate that chairs and directors of the university participate in bullying training. Chair of the Department of Health and Human Performance Karen Meaney joined the Faculty Senate to discuss the topic of bullying, as she has presented on the issue previously at conferences.