Notes from the Senate Chair

As we approach the end of the Fall semester, allow me this opportunity to highlight some areas of work of the Faculty Senate thus far this year:

o Much of the September meeting was spent in dialogue with President Sloan, with hiring and tenure issues being particular topics of conversation.

o The October meeting dealt particularly with summer school issues. The Senate adopted a resolution asking for more discussion with the administration about various summer school issues. A meeting followed involving the Senate Executive Committee, the Chair of the Faculty Committee on Academic Freedom, Responsibility, and Environment, Provost Schmeltekopf, and Arts and Sciences Dean Daniel. President Sloan has since written a letter in which he affirmed the need to protect academic programs, the curricular needs of students, and the financial needs of faculty. He also affirmed "the need to pace ourselves in terms of moving towards necessary efficiencies" and the need to be creative in finding the most constructive ways to invest faculty time and energy. The Faculty Committee on Academic Freedom, Responsibility, and Environment is continuing to address these issues.

o The Senate continues to address policy and procedure documents related to the Faculty Handbook and the Personnel Policy Manual. We all look forward to the publication and distribution of these two documents, perhaps as soon as in early 1997.

o Much of the November meeting was spent in discussing concerns related to the composition of the recently formed search committee for the chair of the Department of Journalism. The Senate adopted a statement of concern which was forwarded to President Sloan for his consideration. Other November action included resolutions on summer school employment, on the role of the Tenure Committee, and on the university academic calendar. These resolutions have been forwarded to the appropriate university administrators for consideration.

As you can see, the work of the Senate has focused on issues that are of concern to faculty. We are very much aware that the responsibilities of shared governance often are complicated and complex. Please know that we are working to provide an appropriate forum for issues to be addressed and to be resolved in ways that benefit the common good of the university.

Elsewhere in this newsletter you will find comments from Provost Schmeltekopf about the role of the Senate in university governance. I join him in expressing appreciation for your Senators who are working hard to develop effective means of communication so that the concerns of faculty are heard and considered as decisions are reached in university governance.

Please let us hear from you as you have matters needful of attention by the Faculty Senate. Thank you for giving us this opportunity of service to our university.

Jeter Basden, Chair

Faculty Senate

Administration Matters

Comments from Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Schmeltekopf

November 22, 1996

Dear Colleagues:

Jay Losey, editor of the Faculty Senate newsletter, asked me several weeks ago if I would be willing to write a letter to the faculty that would be published in this newsletter. I told him I would be pleased to do so, and I wish to thank him for the opportunity. In keeping with the motivation of his request, the focus of my letter will be the matter of communication.

First, however, may I say a brief word of appreciation to the faculty, and to the Faculty Senate in particular, regarding your efforts to exercise an appropriate role--along with department chairs, deans, and the like--in the governance structure of Baylor University. University governance is a shared responsibility, and, it seems to me, on that we can all agree. We are able to draw on the expertise and experience of everyone; hence, we are more likely to make better decisions than would otherwise be the case. Through the governance structure of the university, the faculty exercises its time-honored role in recommending policy and other relevant matters with respect to the academic life of the institution.

I am also grateful for the sensitivity you have shown as a body in attempting to enhance communication on campus between you and the entire faculty, between you and the administration, and between you and others within the university. Because of this sensitivity, your leaders over the last several years--Terry Maness, Dianna Vitanza, Doug Rogers, Ray Cannon, Kathy Hillman, Jeter Basden, and Chris Buddo--have met with me on a monthly basis to discuss matters of common concern. Our discussions have been wide ranging; but we have also had an opportunity to talk about our respective "to do" items. Without exception, our six years of meetings have been mutually respectful, helpful, and cordial. We have never had a serious lack of open communication and there has never been a sense of "us" versus "them."

But in spite of our efforts and the best of intentions, communication still at times breaks down. This is always frustrating to me, as I am sure it is to you, because as academics/scholars we see ourselves as communicators and as basically open people. Yet in organizations as large as Baylor--where we don't have time to meet individually with everyone--communication can become a real problem. And here, it seems to me, is where institutional arrangements and other acknowledged mechanisms must help us.

The proposed new faculty handbook is a good example of an institutional means of improved communication. I have reviewed the draft document line by line, and I can tell you that, once approved, the faculty handbook will be of enormous value both in its informational content and in clarifying procedures, policies, and responsibilities. This form of improved communication will prove to be, in my opinion, of inestimable benefit to all of us.

Another example of improved communication is the now-existing practice of a dean or me meeting with the executive committee of the Senate at its monthly meetings. Twice in recent weeks I, along with others in the administration, have met with the executive committee and a few other faculty members to discuss policy issues and matters pertaining to summer school. These were highly constructive meetings; indeed, we all thought some problems might have been avoided had we gotten together earlier. Let's continue this dialogue. I would be pleased to meet with the executive committee on a regular basis or on an invitation basis. In either case, and based on our recent experience, we will be in a much better position to discuss openly the issues of mutual concern. And, finally, I would encourage the practice of inviting members of the administration to Faculty Senate meetings to address matters that you believe need to be discussed with us. My interest here is to improve communication, a goal I assume all of us share.

Thank you for the many responsibilities you undertake on behalf of Baylor University. I respect the good will and integrity with which you do your work and look forward to even greater cooperation in the future.

Sincerely,

Donald D. Schmeltekopf

Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs

Dates of Senate meetings for 1996-97:

(All meetings are scheduled for the Conference Room of the Blume Conference Center. Refreshments will be served at 3:15 p.m. Meetings begin promptly at 3:30 p.m.)

December 3 March 25

January 21 April 15

February 18 May 13

All academic areas of Baylor schools have elected members on the Senate. Thirty-two members serve staggered, three-year terms. No more than two faculty members may serve from a single department. Members may serve two consecutive three-year terms, after which they cannot be re-elected for one year.

I encourage all faculty to contact any senator and let him/her know your views. We represent you, but cannot present your views on pressing matters unless you communicate with us. One possibility is through e-mail. All senators have e-mail addresses and would like to hear from you.

Bill Hair would like you to remember to contribute in whatever way--gift, check, cash--to Santa's Workshop, to be held December 6. The young children who attend this event will repay generously in gleeful screams and excited faces whatever contribution you can make. Your generosity is greatly appreciated.

John Thorburn, Classics, has been extremely helpful in updating the Faculty Senate website. You can access it at the following address: <http://www3.baylor.edu/departments/Fac_Senate/senatehome.html>.

The Faculty Senate would like to thank John publicly for his contribution.

Finally, I would like to thank Leigh Ann Marshall, CCIS, for her expertise in preparing this attractive newsletter. She used pagemaker to create a "book-like" format and used Designer Club clipart to create the border.

Jay Losey

Publicity Officer