On Friday, Jan. 7, Grand Valley State University’s Academic Senate (UAS) met to discuss issues affecting both faculty and the broader campus community. The meeting’s focal point revolved around addressing faculty’s relationship to the University’s Senior Leadership Team (SLT). This was the first public UAS meeting to take place following theorization in December of a possible no confidence vote in SLT.
UAS is a faculty governance body that handles academic matters and faculty concerns. The senate’s main task is to send recommendations to University President Philomena Mantella and SLT regarding curriculum, budget, faculty policies and other issues relevant to academic affairs. UAS meets on a regular basis to discuss how to create a better campus community for both students and faculty.
Friday’s meeting also included members of the University’s Executive Committee of the Senate (ECS), SLT and Student Senate. A portion of the meeting focused on GVSU graduates, specifically admission standards regarding language requirements. Those in attendance also discussed the workload of both faculty and students, reviewing policies and curricula to create a better learning environment. There was also a presentation on data categorization and retention delivered by the University’s Assistant Vice President and Chief Information Security Officer, Luke DeMott.
However, a discussion on the COACHE survey results was a main part of the meeting. COACHE stands for Collaborative on Academic Careers in Higher Education, and was developed within Harvard’s Graduate School of Education. GVSU recently utilized the survey to gain insight into faculty experiences at the University. The survey results showed a general lack of trust and communication between GVSU faculty and SLT. Many faculty respondents indicated a desire for closer collaboration with SLT, an area that UAS is striving for.
According to UAS member and English Associate Professor Brian Deyo, SLT implemented large-scale initiatives with minimal faculty input, despite survey results indicating that faculty desire involvement. Similarly, survey results from the LGBT Faculty Association at GVSU showed similar trends among LGBTQIA+ faculty, who expressed a desire to work more closely with SLT.
“We can all work as a body together in the best interest of the University as a whole,” said Deyo.
UAS member and Philosophy Associate Professor Andrew Spear noted that faculty should have more involvement in decisions being made at the University.
“This idea of shared governance and the idea that faculty expertise should have an important role in how things go at the University just hasn’t been taken very seriously,” Spear said.
UAS is made up of faculty from various GVSU departments, including but not limited to the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences, Seidman College of Business and the College of Education and Community Innovation. One of the senate’s most recent accomplishments has been restructuring UAS governance to be more inclusive, especially toward academic affiliates.
“Not every workplace gives its employees a governance structure,” Spear said. “For (an) institution to run and achieve its mission best, there should be that kind of faculty representation and input and feedback to the administration.”
