At the final University Senate meeting of the semester, the senate Academic Affairs Committee confirmed the time allotted for reviewing Syracuse University’s procedures, policies and practices related to promotions was inadequate for the task at hand.

“There was unanimous belief that the proposed timetable for discussing the report and acting on its recommendations is unrealistic and contrary to the interests of a reasoned, deliberative and inclusive debate,” said Harvey Teres, who was acting chair on Wednesday since the current chair Sandra Lane had a family emergency.

At a Nov. 6 senate meeting, the Ad-Hoc Committee on Promotions proposed an initiative to review the university’s promotion policies. After hearing concerns from the Academic Affairs Committee about the school’s promotions process — such as issues with recruiting and retaining faculty — Richard Thompson, the Board of Trustees chairman, wanted the senate to present its recommendations by December.

But the Academic Affairs Committee found many issues with the Ad-Hoc Committee’s report, meaning Academic Affairs would have to continue working past Thompson’s deadline, Teres said.

“We looked at the report and concluded that because input by faculty is ongoing and incomplete, the report’s authority and credibility are diminished,” he said.

Teres mentioned a forum held last week that took place among 25 faculty members, where heavy opposition was expressed to the report’s findings.

Some issues include the report’s lack of research and lack of specificity.

He said there were concerns raised about the report’s incomprehensive faculty polling, many inconsistencies — which were alluded to but never specified — and the report’s allusion that deans and the provost should promote professors who get offers from other institutions without data to back up the frequency of this occurrence.

He said members at the forum also believed race and ethnicity of tenure applicants should have been accounted for since gender was included in the report. Teres added the committee needed more time to have the review done properly, referencing the last review of university tenure policy. 

“We need more time. It took us four years to change the tenure policy here at Syracuse. I’m not sure we need four years to do this, but we certainly need more than the time allotted to us,” he said.

Sam Gorovitz, a philosophy professor attending the meeting, said he was glad the committee was not rushing the review because of the seriousness of the issues.

“I’m very proud of the way this body and the faculty have said, ‘No, this is not a responsible way to progress a profoundly serious issue that really requires care, rigor, sensitivity, probing, research and getting it right,’ because that should be what we do,” he said.

The meeting then moved on to new business with new motions to pass.

Robert Van Gulick, a professor of philosophy, raised two motions: one to thank Chancellor Nancy Cantor as she prepares to leave SU and another to welcome Chancellor-designate Kent Syverud as he prepares to start his new job.

The senate also raised a motion to thank Interim Chancellor Eric Spina, who was in attendance, for stepping up and filling Cantor’s position during the transition process.

All three motions were passed unanimously.

Published on December 5, 2013 at 2:52 am

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