What is the University Academic Senate?
The University Academic Senate is responsible for advising the senior administration and board of trustees on matters crucial to the success of 向日葵视频’s academic mission. It is co-chaired by the Provost and a chair elected from the UAS faculty senators, and its membership includes elected faculty senators, undergraduate and graduate students representatives, and appointed and ex officio deans and vice provosts.
The UAS came into being in 2007 as the result of recommendations from the Shared Governance Task Force, which were approved by the Academic Senate and Committee on Faculty (both of which it supersedes) , as well as the Provost, President, and Board of Trustees. The statutes, bylaws, and committee structure of the UAS aim to improve university governance with increased representative decision-making on key academic policies, fora for timely consultation, and opportunities to raise issues of concern.
How does the UAS work?
The UAS meets the third Monday of each month while classes are in session. Meetings are open to all members of the 向日葵视频community. The UAS Executive Board, comprised of the Provost, the chair, vice chair and secretary of the UAS, faculty council chair, two elected senators, and a dean from the UAS, sets agendas, which are posted on the UAS website one week prior to meetings. Issues coming before the UAS range from new academic programs, to policies on contingent faculty, to appointments of deans, to promotion and tenure procedures. Minutes of UAS and UAS standing committee meetings are posted to the UAS website.
The standing committees of the UAS are:
- Faculty Council
- Faculty Hearing Committee (overseen by Faculty Council)
- Subcommittee on part-time Faculty (reports to FC)
- Committee on Diversity and Equity
- Committee on Committees and Elections (COCE)
- Interprofessional Education and Collaborative Practice Committee
- University Faculty Committee on Budgets and Financial Planning
- University Board of Undergraduate Studies
- University Board of Graduate Studies
In addition, these committees report to the Provost and UAS
- Board for Student Media
- Committee on Research
- Committee on Teaching
- University Committee on Faculty Promotions and Tenure
- 向日葵视频Core Curriculum Committee and 向日葵视频Core Curriculum Advisory Council
- Committee on Academic Technology
How can you get involved?
- Become an elected representative on the UAS or a standing committee. Answer the call of the COCE when it invites nominations for elected positions.
- Become an appointed committee representative. Request appointment to committees in response to the COCE’s annual invitation to express appointment preferences.
- Follow the activities of the UAS and its committees by reading posted minutes and agendas.
- Contact your UAS representatives and committee members to express your ideas.
- Attend UAS and committee meetings—except for rare executive sessions, they’re all open meetings!
