BRANDEIS UNIVERSITY FACULTY SENATE MEETING

Transcription

1 Psted 9/26/16 with apprval by Faculty Senate Cuncil BRANDEIS UNIVERSITY FACULTY SENATE MEETING MEETING MINUTES AGENDA Friday, September 9, :30 PM 1:30 PM Trustees Bard Rm, Irving Presidential Enclave OUTCOMES Discuss and Cnfirm Senate Directin & Pririties fr AGENDA 12:30 P.M. WELCOME Remarks frm the Chair & Cuncil Summer Cuncil Meetings with President & Prvst Bard f Trustees Gvernance Task Frce Challenges in Higher Educatin Discussin: Directin and Pririties fr Strengthening C-Gvernance Mdel Launching Senate and Jint Task Frces Faculty Gvernance & C-Gvernance: Aligning & Distinguishing Gals, Structures & Practices Freedm f Expressin/Inquiry: Plicies and Practices Wrkplace Bullying Plicy fr Faculty and Research Staff Ensure cntinued access, accuntability and respnsiveness f the Senate t address legislatin and ther Faculty matters as needed In terms f accuntability and respnsiveness, the Senate, fr example, expects t engage in, and hst, frums related t diversity, equity, inclusin, as per the Faculty Senate Reslutin: Supprting Change, Equality and Justice in Respnse t #FrdHall2015 Mvement (Nv. 30, 2015) Page 1 f 5

2 Psted 9/26/16 with apprval by Faculty Senate Cuncil Methdical review and clarificatin f Faculty Handbk including pending clarificatins: Adding Senate appintment fr Emeriti Faculty Grievance prcedures Rle f Faculty Representatives t Bard f Trustees Plicies and prcedures regarding Senate review f appintments, reappintment/ extensin f appintment fr Deans and Interim Deans Alignment between Handbk and plicies psted n Prvst website Appintment and prmtin f Assciate Prfessr f the Practice and appintments f Prfessr f the Practice Plicy fr lateral mves between nn-faculty Scientists/Fellw appintments t Prfessr track Standing vs ad hc cmmittee fr tenure decisins 1:30 P.M. ADJOURN ATTACHMENTS Faculty Senate & Faculty Meeting Schedule Reinventing the Academic Enterprise (The Chrnicle f Higher Educatin) C-spnsring Merchants f Dubt? (via Prf. Sabine vn Mering) Schlar Rescue Fund (via Prf. Caren Irr) Making ur retirement funds climate change resilient (via Prf. Sabine vn Mering) PRESENT: Susan P. Curnan, Chair, Jane Ebert, Elizabeth Ferry, Adrianne Krstansky, Paul Miller, Laurie Nsiah-Jeffersn, Raj Sampath, Laurence Simn, Faith Smith, Jhn Wardle ABSENT: Dan Bergstresser, Je Cunningham, Eli Hirsch, Kathryn Graddy, Sarah Mead, Thmas Pchapsky (and Kate Mran n leave fall 2016, Susan Parish n sabbatical fall 2016) 12:30 P.M. WELCOME Remarks frm the Chair & Cuncil Summer Cuncil Meetings with President & Prvst The Chair reprted that the Senate Cuncil met with President Liebwitz and Prvst Lynch t discuss Senate matters and University gvernance structure ver the summer. As a result, the Senate can expect imprved frequency and substance f meetings with administrative leadership in the spirit f a c-gvernance mdel t be explred this year. The Chair further reprted n: Wrk with the Bard f Trustees Gvernance Task Frce this summer which was refreshing and fcused n substance, culture and structure f the Bard f Trustees ging Page 2 f 5

3 Psted 9/26/16 with apprval by Faculty Senate Cuncil frward, including high level f Faculty engagement. Details will be frthcming fllwing the Bard f Trustees Nvember retreat and pssibly befre. The Bard f Trustees Gvernance Task Frce met 10 times thrughut the summer. All meetings were skillfully facilitated, inclusive, substantial and a true cllective effrt. Task Frce members, including 5 Trustees plus Prfessr Susan P. Curnan, Prf. Wendy Cadge (wh is a Faculty Representative t the Bard f Trustees n the executive cmmittee) drafted individual papers n issues f greatest cncern t the University and then the Task Frce members synthesized the papers and arrived at a shrt list f cre lnger term issues t be addressed ver the next tw-three years. Referenced the August 18 th letter t the Faculty frm the newly elected Bard f Trustees Chair Larry Kanarek, the first Bard Chair t ever address the full Brandeis Faculty. Described the relevance f the article in the Chrnicle f Higher Educatin, Reinventing the Academic Enterprise (attached with Sept 9 th meeting materials agenda) and highlighted key challenges facing higher educatin at this time. Fund it was especially interesting that mre than 80% f institutins reprted being in a strategic transfrmative planning mde. Reprted that there will be an increase in interactin between the Faculty Senate and ther Brandeis leadership, including: Mnthly Cuncil meetings with the President & the Prvst President & Prvst engagement with Senate at peridic mnthly meetings Senate President peridic meetings with the Chair f the Bard f Trustees Faculty Representatives t the Bard f Trustees reprting t the Senate Trustees engagement with the Senate n key issues/task Frces An assessment f current infrastructure and alignment f practices in supprt f the cgvernance mdel. The Cuncil reviewed Prf. Caren Irr s request fr Senate supprt f the Schlar Research Fund (attached t agenda) and decided t cnsult with the Prvst given it may require a financial cmmitment fr the University. The Senate supprts c-spnsrship f the climate change events put frth by Prf. Sabine vn Mering (attached t agenda). Discussin: Directin and Pririties fr Strengthening C-Gvernance Mdel The Chair reviewed the Think Three c-gvernance cncept as a step tward a new culture and structures. One Senatr nted a caveat that there is a difference in the pwer dynamic amng the three; thers acknwledged, recgnized and accepted this difference in rle and respnsibility and agreed t unpack the meaning f the difference in cllabratin. The Senate influence has ebbed and flwed frm year t year. All als agreed the University is at a prpitius mment in the histry f the place with a new President, new Bard f Trustees Chair, and active Senate leadership and the Senate shuld initiate a deep dive int cgvernance mdels. Page 3 f 5

4 Psted 9/26/16 with apprval by Faculty Senate Cuncil One Senatr described three elements f gvernance in this way: 1) Share infrmatin in clear and transparent ways, 2) Slicit advice and share influence, 3) Advise and cnsent in decisin making. The Cuncil clarified that the Bard f Trustees has unique fiduciary respnsibilities and is legally respnsible fr gvernance f the University. The Faculty Senate will wrk t define and cdify the relatinship with the Administrative Leadership and Bard f Trustees t ptimize cllabratin via a new prpsed Faculty Gvernance Task Frce. Launching Senate and Jint Task Frces The Senate Cuncil is prpsing three task frces and asks fr further input and cnfirmatin f this directin: Faculty Gvernance and C-Gvernance Task Frce Freedm f Expressin/Inquiry Task Frce n plicies and practices at Brandeis (incrprating a lens f diversity and inclusin) Wrkplace Bullying Plicy fr Faculty & Research Staff Wrk Grup Senatrs asked fr clarificatin abut the nature f wrkplace bullying at Brandeis and asked if Title IX rules wuld be sufficient t address the issue. Senatrs agreed that sme bullying situatins d nt fall within the Title IX structure and shuld be addressed in cnjunctin with the Title IX prcess. The Chair pinted ut that the Cuncil will be meeting with the new Vice President f Human Resurces, Rbin Nelsn-Bailey, wh may als serve n this Task Frce. Ensure cntinued access, accuntability and respnsiveness f the Senate t address legislatin and ther Faculty matters as needed Senatrs agreed that the Faculty Senate needs t hld itself accuntable and be respnsive t Faculty needs and shape/address diversity n campus, as described in the Faculty Senate Reslutin in respnse t the #FrdHall2015 Mvement (Nv. 30, 2015). The Senate als will cntinue t supprt the Campus Sustainability agenda/gals. The Senate Cuncil (thank yu Jhn Wardle, Larry Simn and Sarah Mead) has begun and will cntinue a methdical review f the handbk, including a number f specific handbk clarificatins/updates requested by Faculty ver the past year: Adding an Emeriti seat t the Faculty Senate Appintment and prmtin f Assciate Prfessr f the Practice and appintments f Prfessr f the Practice The frmal request t address grievance prcedures fr faculty and staff (With respect t this, ne Senatr asked fr clarificatin f the rll f the Cmmittee fr Rights and Respnsibilities. The answer frm anther Senatr was that the CFRR interprets and reinfrces Faculty Handbk rules, but has recently asked fr clarificatin n sme issues frm the Faculty Senate) Rle and respnsibility f Faculty Representatives t the Bard f Trustees Plicies and prcedures regarding Senate review f appintments, reappintment/extensin f appintment fr Deans and Interim Deans Alignment between Handbk and plicies psted n Prvst website Page 4 f 5

5 Psted 9/26/16 with apprval by Faculty Senate Cuncil Plicy fr lateral mves between nn-faculty Scientists/Fellw appintments t Prfessr track Standing vs ad hc cmmittee fr tenure decisins Once again, Senatrs discussed Standing vs ad hc Cmmittees fr tenure prmtin in A&S. One Senatr said that Brandeis University may be the last in the cuntry t have ad hc cmmittees and anther Senatr respnded that this culd be cnsidered a surce f pride. There seemed t be emerging cnsensus that the time has cme t supprt a standing cmmittee. The Chair asked Senatrs t step frward and identify their area f interest in advancing the agenda including the three new task frces. The principle being: Every Senatr has a jb. Senatrs respnded in kind: Prf. Raj Sampath is interested in transparency and accuntability t students thrugh the Freedm f Expressin/Inquiry Task Frce. Prf. Elizabeth Ferry is interested in inclusin and equity thrugh the Freedm f Expressin/Inquiry Task Frce. Prf. Adrianne Krstansky is interested accuntability thrugh the Freedm f Expressin/Inquiry Task Frce. Prf. Paul Miller is interested in all matters related t sustainability in climate and diversity. Prf. Jane Ebert is interested in the Wrkplace Bullying Task Frce and is willing t assist with the cmmittee that will review the Faculty Handbk. Prf. Nsiah-Jeffersn will jin the Wrkfrce Bullying Task Frce and is willing t assist with C-Gvernance. Prf. Faith Smith vlunteered fr the Faculty Gvernance and C-Gvernance Task Frce. The Faculty Senate reprt t the full faculty fllwing this meeting n September 9 th will include an invitatin t engage in the wrk f the new task frces. A frmal nminatin prcess will fllw in the cming weeks. In light f the recent and cntinuing presentatins by fur candidates fr the new Chief Diversity Officer psitin, ne Senatr inquired if the Faculty Senate shuld have a pint f view abut the candidates and selectin. Senatrs requested that the Chair write t the Prvst t inquire if/hw the Senate culd participate in the final selectin prcess fr this imprtant new rle. The Chair will request CVs and ther backgrund infrmatin alng with evaluatin data prvided t the Chief Diversity Officer search cmmittee t be better infrmed abut the selectin. The Senate vted in favr f the directin and gals set fr and finds the three new Task Frces apprach t be wrthy and timely. The meeting adjurned at 1:50 p.m. Respectfully submitted n September 21, 2016 by Lanni Isenberg. Page 5 f 5