Faculty Senate
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The University of Wisconsin Faculty Senate is a body charged with governing university issues. The senate meets the first Monday of every month, except when the Monday coincides with a holiday, when it is postponed until the next Monday.
The senate is presided over by Chancellor Biddy Martin.
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Organization and Structure
Composition
The faculty senate is divided into districts, each of which elect one senator for every ten members of the district. Each department at UW with more than 10 members is its own district, and departments with less than 10 members are combined to make districts. Currently 115 districts are represented in the senate by at least one voting member.
Committees
Responsibilities are divided among 9 committees which address the board on specific issues:
- Committee on Distinguished Teaching Awards
- Committee on Faculty Rights and Responsibilities
- Herfurth (Genevieve Gorst) Award Committee
- Committee on Honorary Degrees
- Honorific Professorial Titles Review Committee
- Kemper K. Knapp Bequest Committee
- Lectures Committee
- Learning Academy
- University Committee
Responsibilities
The Faculty Senate is responsible for immediate governance of university issues, with the exception of those specifically given to another body or position by the Board of Regents.
The Faculty Policies and Procedures name the following issues as well as others as things the senate is responsible for:
- Educational interests or educational policies
- Establishment of faculty committees
- Establishment of the academic calendar
- Establishment of requirements for admission
- Establishment of requirements for graduation and the title of the degree to be conferred upon completion of any course of study
- Adoption of rules and regulations for the conduct of its proceedings
Current issues
The senate is currently discussing amending the Faculty Policies and Procedures to ensure job security for professors who may make negative or controversial public comments about university or state matters. They are also awaiting the report of an Ad Hoc committee to investigate the policies and practices of the Athletic Board.
Controversy
Many members of the faculty object to Chancellor Biddy Martin and Provost Paul DeLuca Jr's graduate school restructuring plan, some saying it gathers too much power within Bascom Hall, others saying the way it was announced was too quick for faculty members to make a proper decision on the issue[1]. The senate voted to slow down the process and created an Ad Hoc committee to investigate the matter. The report urged minor reform within the graduate school.[2] In May of 2010, the senate voted to approve changes to the graduate school. The senate also added an amendment, proposed by History professor John Sharpless, that would ensure all future discussion on the graduate school structure would include members of the Graduate Faculty Education Committee.[3]
External Links
Notable articles
Other sources
References
- ↑ http://badgerherald.com/news/2009/11/03/faculty_senate_delay.php Faculty Senate delays grad school reform
- ↑ http://badgerherald.com/news/2010/01/17/restructuring_no_lon.php Restructuring no longer dire
- ↑ http://badgerherald.com/news/2010/05/04/faculty_senate_oks_g.php Faculty Senate OKs grad school changes.
