Preview of Faculty Senate, February 3

The Senate Executive Committee meets in advance of each meeting of the Faculty Senate to, among other things, plan the upcoming agenda. Based on discussion at our most recent meeting, the Faculty Officers wanted to share the following updates and expectations for future discussion. We hope that sharing this information now facilitate productive discussion in Senate.  This update is written by Amy Fountain, Secretary of the Faculty.

Please be advised, however, that these notes are informal – and in an attempt to get them to you quickly, they have not undergone review. Any errors or omissions are Amy’s, and you’re welcome to direct questions, comments or concerns to her at avf@email.arizona.edu. The Senate Agenda for February 3 is available, with supporting materials added as soon as possible.

Below is a brief summary of updates and prospective Senate agenda items based on discussion at the Senate Executive Committee meeting of January 13

Updates

• Several searches are in process (Chief Human Resources Officer, Vice Provost for Online and Distance Education) or have recently been completed (Ravneet Chadra is the new Executive Director of UAir). Vice President for Equity and Inclusion and Title IX Officer Ron Wilson recently departed the University, so his role is currently being served by interim leadership.
• The pay equity study that has been underway for some time may be complete by the end of January. If so, findings may be available for Senate.
• Chair Summers is working with a number of constituents, including the AVP for Curricular Affairs, to create a proposal to streamline the process of curricular review at the UA.
• A number of groups are working on issues relating to career track faculty, including the Senate ad Hoc Committee on Career Track Faculty. That group is co-chaired by William Neumann and Amy Fountain. The Senate can expect at least one report from that group this term.
• Chair of the Student Affairs Policy Committee, Diane Ohala, invited a representative from the Veteran's Center to meet with that committee. The Center may be sending a representative to a future Senate meeting to brief the Senate on their work, and how faculty can support it.

Prospective Senate Agenda Items

• Undergraduate Council will be forwarding two proposals to this meeting; they come as seconded motions from UGC, and will be on the Consent Agenda.  They will be linked from the Senate Agenda as soon as we're able:
  • proposal to standardize offering UA University credit for UA Study Abroad programs
  • proposal to create a new Undergraduate Minor in Criminology
• Graduate Council will be forwarding one proposal to this meeting; it comes as a seconded motion from GC, and will be on the Consent Agenda.  It will be linked from the Senate Agenda as soon as we're able:
  • proposal to create a new PhD in Teaching, Learning and Sociocultural Studies
• The co-chairs of SPBAC will discuss the role of shared governance in the UA budgeting process.
• Vice Provost Andrea Romero will share updates with Senate.
• Paul Gordon, chair of the Research Policy Committee, will share a proposal from that group about managing core facilities
• Michael Brewer, vice-chair of the Faculty, will continue discussion with possible action on the revised Memorandum of Understanding on Shared Governance