It was business as usual at the first University Senate meeting of the year, as senators broke from the general assembly and convened in their committees to review goals and elect chairs.

While Wednesday’s meeting lasted less than 10 minutes, Maxwell Auditorium was almost completely filled with senators, including Vice Chancellor and Provost Eric Spina. Chancellor Kent Syverud could not make the meeting, but is still an active senator; he attended the senate’s last agenda setting meeting said Douglas Armstrong, who serves as the newly appointed senate moderator and chair of the Agenda Committee.

Armstrong was elected unanimously among the agenda committee and replaced Bruce Carter, associate professor of psychology and child and family studies, after his two-year term ended last year. Carter is still a member of the senate and serves on the Committee for Budget and Fiscal Affairs.

Most of the committees briefly discussed issues from last semester and then dispersed to meet with other faculty members, but Armstrong said the senate committees on Women’s Concerns, Academic Affairs and Appointment and Promotions all had important issues to deal with.

“I think for a couple of committees there are some pending areas that need to be dealt with, but for the most part, today is reacquainting with issues and having snacks,” Armstrong said.

Robert Rubinstein, chair of the Appointment and Promotions committee, said the committee will soon be working with Spina to develop guidelines on a new university-wide faculty committee that will review promotion and tenure applications. The faculty committee will also make recommendations in cases of promotion and tenure, according to a May 10 board resolution issued by Syracuse University’s Board of Trustees.

Rubinstein said faculty will want to discuss the Board of Trustees’ changes in promotion and tenure policies because they were “quite radical” and take promotion “out of the hands of the faculty.” He added that while it may become a contentious issue at future senate meetings, he hopes the Appointment and Promotions committee will be able to do constructive work.

Though Wednesday’s meeting was mostly a mingling among senators, the next University Senate meeting on Oct. 8 will prove to be busy as the agenda committee gives out “charges” to individual committees, Rubinstein said.

Armstrong, the senate moderator, said he is always surprised at what areas become “hotbed issues” in the senate, but this year’s issues are a little more obvious — namely the changes in promotion and tenure. Still, he said he appreciated the calm before the storm.

“It’s kind of nice to come into the senate without having the arguments on the floor the first day,” Armstrong said. “Let that be another day.”

Published on September 11, 2014 at 12:01 am

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