To: All Faculty <everybody@illinois.edu> 
    From: "Vernon Burton, Chair, Senate Executive Committee" <vburton@ncsa.uiuc.edu>
Reply-To: damrau@uiuc.edu

 Subject: MASSMAIL - January 23 - Seminar on Shared Governance

To: All Faculty
From: Professor Vernon Burton, Chair, Senate Executive Committee
Date: December 23, 2005
Re: Seminar on Shared Governance

The Senate Executive Committee (SEC) would like to announce an inaugural 
Seminar on Shared Governance to be held on Monday, January 23, from 1:00 - 
4:00 p.m. on the 3rd floor of the Levis Faculty Center.  Speakers well 
versed in academic governance from a variety of perspectives, including 
both the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) and the 
Union of Professional Employees (UPE), will briefly address some key 
issues to stimulate discussion.  Shared governance includes fundamental 
faculty responsibilities - student admissions and graduation requirements; 
courses and curricula; faculty hires, tenure decisions, and promotions; 
organization of research agendas and engagement activities.

This meeting, however, is not a general discussion of shared governance or 
a series of statements by the usual suspects.  Learn what authority 
faculty actually have and how the system of shared government works or 
does not work at UIUC.

This meeting is just a beginning; we cannot discuss all of the issues that 
we need to consider.  But we do hope to prioritize and get a sense of what 
is most important to you as UIUC faculty about shared governance and the 
Senate.  Some of the ideas that need your input include the following:

Is faculty governance at UIUC broken, and possibly getting worse?  Should 
we strengthen the role of the Senate in faculty governance?  How can we 
involve more faculty and students in the work of shared governance?  Which 
Senate committees have real authority and responsibilities and how do 
faculty become involved? 

What is the role of faculty input, the Senate, and shared governance when 
a strategic plan has to be implemented in three months?

Should the Senate sponsor programs at departmental and school/college 
levels to encourage faculty to participate more actively in faculty 
governance and assist faculty in understanding the importance of a faculty 
voice in matters beyond the narrow interests of a particular unit?

How does the Senate review campus administrators and how can faculty have 
input into that review?

How is shared governance functioning on the level of faculty/dean 
relationships?  What is the recourse for faculty when a dean circumvents 
procedures?

How do faculty members start a new program, organize public engagement, 
establish a research center, teach courses in innovative ways to handle 
increased undergraduate student loads and involve graduate student 
specializations, or create cross disciplinary majors?

What is the shared governance role of the faculty in the issue of the 
chief?

Does the Senate need to change course?  If every faculty member can vote 
on issues online, do we even need a faculty representative body?

How does faculty governance work at our peer institutions?  What can we 
learn from their experiences, or they from ours?

This meeting is also an opportunity to introduce issues important to you 
as a UIUC faculty member.  Please keep January 23 from 1:00 ? 4:00 p.m. 
open on your calendars.  As the event approaches, further information will 
be posted at www.senate.uiuc.edu  (at this website you might want to check 
out the links to the Senate Constitution and Bylaws, University Statutes, 
and SEC Handbook).  Notice of this event appeared in the December 15 issue 
of Inside Illinois under Brief Notes, and additional promotional 
activities are planned.

Thanks; have a happy and healthy holiday season.
This mailing approved by:
The Office of the Chancellor

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