[phas-faculty_staff_others] Faculty senate 09/05/23 - summary

[Carlos Bertulani]

The faculty senate met today. 

1- The PROVOST (she) was present and she mentioned:

(a) 2023 HEF funds (about $1.3 million ): the upper admin has not yet defined how to use them. She will inform us later when the decision is done. One idea is to use part of the funds for a “center for teaching and learning” dedicated to provide faculty with more education and teaching skills (???!!!). Furniture, more equipment for teaching, etc, is all being considered. She thinks the university should make it more of a “strategic funding” to be used for urgent needs (????!!!).

(b) Return of evaluation of Dept. Heads (DH) and Upper Administration (UA). She and others are thinking about it. 

(c) 3 searches for new deans are going on.

(d) The UA  is rethinking how adjuncts should be paid over the summer. One idea is to give DHs more lee-way on how to use up the funds to pay for adjuncts. Most of the provost ideas incline toward saving more funds and spending less than now.

2- The SENATE discussed:

(a) DH policy. Should we change DHs into Department Chairs (DCs)? Many in the senate advocate that faculty should have more participation with the choice of DHs or DCs. I had the impression they did not know much what can be done. They say that the current policy seems to be too vague. I do not think so: The dean choses the DC.

(b) If you want to pay a visit to the Senate President (SP). He/She has a dedicated office now: 246D in the administration building. 



Carlos