U n iv e r s it y of Ca l if or n ia A c a d e m ic S e n a t e
T H E S E N AT E S O U R C E
Volume I,I,Issue 3
Volume Issue 3
Jan –Feb 2003
http://www.ucop.edu/senate/ Jan-Feb 2003
Notes From the Academic Senate Chair
Gayle Binion (gayle.binion@ucop.edu) Making Shared Governance Work
The Academic Senate has seventeen
standing committees working on a very
wide variety of policies, issues and
T ight budgets, enrollment growth, and
faculty recruitment are just a few of
the many complex issues facing the Uni-
teer to participate.” Others are rewarded
by interaction with colleagues outside of
their own disciplines, and find, as Profes-
problems of interest to the Senate and the versity of California today. As members sor Katja Lindenberg (UCSD) does, that
larger University community. Whether it is of the Academic Senate, faculty wield the their encounters “provide an intellectual
BOARS, considering changes in under- power to shape programs and policies stimulation and breadth that reminds
graduate admissions’ criteria, or UCFW, that will help bring UC through these [one] again and again why this is such a
debating a phased retirement program for challenging times. With over 300 Aca- wonderful and ever renewable environ-
the faculty, our committees are actively demic Senate committees active in the ment.” Senate involvement allows fac-
engaged in internal discussions as well as UC system, there are wide opportunities ulty to meet head on real challenges that
in dialogs with colleagues on the UC both on campuses and systemwide to face the University in a collaborative way
campuses concerning our shared interests. become involved in Senate work. that offsets the discipline-centered
environment in which most faculty work.
From time to time, the systemwide Many faculty welcome this opportunity,
Academic Senate empanels a task force to but others may not consider serving be- What Challenges Face the Senate?
address a question that either does not in cause of lack of time, or may think the Of primary concern to some veteran
the main neatly fit within the bailiwick of a effort outweighs the rewards. In prepa- Senate members is how to encourage a
single committee and/or involves intensive ration of this article, The Senate Source regular influx of younger faculty mem-
work beyond the workload constraints of a took an informal poll of active Senate bers. Junior faculty seem less inclined
standing Senate committee. This year we members to hear their thoughts on the than in the past to take on Senate ser-
are utilizing an especially great number of rewards of working in the UC Senate and vice, or simply less able to in the face of
such task forces. Below is a brief descrip- on present challenges to maintaining its the demands of their research. Another
tion of each with the name/email of the vitality. piece of this problem lies with what Joel
appropriate faculty contact, who welcomes Dimsdale, UCSD Divisional Chair, charac-
your input. Why Serve in the Senate?
terized as the “atomistic” academic
Because it’s engaging and gratifying. (Continued on page 2)
Bylaws: George Blumenthal, UCSC, According to Professor Chris Newfield, a
george@ucolick.org member of UCPB, “…most Senate work
The By-laws task force has been working is intellectually interesting, since it inter- Opportunities to
on clarifying the composition, service term sects with a variety of public policies, Serve on
and procedures governing the work of educational theories, organizational
Academic Senate Committees. The major strategies, financial issues, and more. Senate Committees
goal of this group is to present to the I'd also say that the contemplative and
Academic Council a document that under- analytical nature of academic work bene-
Senate offices on all campuses are
stands the work of each committee within a fits from concrete experience and the
now working to fill open committee
broadly contemporary context rather than wielding of a little power.” And UCSC
positions. If you want to participate
the unique circumstances that may have Divisional Chair George Blumenthal
in the Senate, use this link to con-
existed at the time of the committee’s made the point that “…hard-working and
nect to your local Senate’s mem-
formation. The revised by-laws, when committed faculty will participate in Sen-
bership coordinator or application:
approved by Academic Council will be ate activities if they believe that their
reviewed by Rules and Jurisdiction and efforts will make a difference. If faculty http://www.ucop.edu/senate/conta
then placed on the agenda of the Academic can see a real path to progress on issues ctinfo.pdf
Assembly in late May. they care about, they will happily volun-
Course Descriptions: Carole Goldberg,
UCLA, goldberg@law.ucla.edu UPDATES AND EVENTS
Systemwide Assembly Meeting The Assembly of the Academic Senate will meet on
At the request of President Atkinson, and Wednesday, March 12 on the Berkeley campus. The Assembly agenda will be available
in response to concerns raised about a online by mid-February at: http://www.ucop.edu/senate/assembly/
course taught at UC Berkeley in Fall
Inauguration of UC Riverside Chancellor, France Anne Córdova, on March 7, 2003
Semester 2002, the Academic Senate is
looking at the processes of reviewing UC Presidential Search For more information, to submit a nomination, or to apply,
course descriptions on the campuses. The visit the Regents’ web page at: http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/newpresident/
task force has three charges: to review the New Family and Medical Leave Policy Effective 1/1/03 family and medical leave cov-
experience of the Berkeley English R 1A erage is extended to employees who need to care for a seriously ill domestic partner.
(“The Politics and Poetics of Palestinian See: http://atyourservice.ucop.edu/employees/policies/staff_policies/spp43.html
Resistance”); to review how (non-standard) UC Housing Report Click on: http://www.ucop.edu/ucophome/busfin/htfreport.pdf
(Continued on page 2) for the recent report of the UC Housing Task Force, “UC Housing for the 21st Century.”
(Chair’s Notes, cont.) now address the question of whether standards should be maintained, and, if
sources, such as “umbrella,” “single- a set of principles could be developed so, whether Step VI is the right point in a
offer,” or “varying subject” are reviewed for the proper use of entrance exams in professorial career to place a review of
for content; and finally to review the op- the admissions processes in UC’s gradu- that nature.
erant norms for faculty with respect to ate and professional programs. This
how they describe their courses. The review is of a very different nature given All of our colleagues are welcome,
review of the Berkeley experience is now that there are more than 600 such pro- indeed encouraged, to share your
completed and submitted to President grams at UC, each with a significant de- thoughts with the chairs of these task
Atkinson (http://www.ucop.edu/senate/ gree of autonomy in its decision making forces. Later in the year I will report the
english1ra.pdf), and it is expected that with respect to admissions. But the task outcomes of these deliberations.
the two additional reviews will be com- force will consider whether it is possible
pleted shortly. to frame a set of criteria for the various
departments, schools and programs to Shared Governance, cont.
Honors/AP: Gayle Binion, Academic consider in determining proper reliance
Senate gayle.binion@ucop.edu on GRE, MCAT, LSAT or GMAT. This task culture in which faculty are more likely to
An issue that has been before the force, which is just beginning its work, feel a part of a department or a program
Academic Senate for five years, and is includes members from a wide variety of rather than a campus or the University as a
still unresolved, is the appropriate role of academic disciplines, CCGA, law, whole. Course relief or other structural
Honors/AP/IB and community college medicine, veterinary medicine, and changes that would compensate for Senate
courses with respect to admissions to business. service are unlikely to be instituted, but
UC. In the case of AP courses, there would ease the way for all Senate volun-
are also questions with respect to the Professorial Steps: Richard Watts, UCSB, teers. Nonetheless, as UCSB Divisional
principles governing the credit given at watts@chem.ucsb.edu Chair Walter Yuen emphasized, “Senate
UC campuses. Because of the dual but Concerns have been raised over recent service needs to be recognized as an inte-
interrelated nature of these questions, years about the rationale behind the gral part of academic life.”
a task force including the Academic step system at the Professor level. Two
Senate Chair, the Chairs and Vice Chairs specific issues have had preliminary For more than eight decades the UC Aca-
of BOARS and UCEP, as well as an review in the recent past but without demic Senate has enjoyed a degree of au-
additional specialist in the area, will resolution. These are: whether triennial thority in university government unparal-
review the wealth of data that UC has merit review involves a too-frequent leled in any other institution of its stature.
amassed on the subject(s). The group application of the “quality-control” Most would judge the Academic Senate to
will also review the various perspectives system for full professors, and whether be as vital an institution as ever, whether
on these matters in an attempt to the Step VI “barrier” is an appropriate that vitality is gauged by its role in making
formulate recommendations to the form of review. With respect to the latter, historic changes in admissions practices,
Senate and the Regents on policy in this the task force will be considering offering direction in response to the budget
arena. whether a step with uniquely high crisis, molding the academic foundation of
a new campus (UC Merced), or providing
Graduate/Professional Entrance key input on the further development of an
Examinations: Lawrence Pitts, existing campus (UCSF’s Mission Bay). At
Academic Senate the same time, preserving effective shared
lawrence.pitts@ucop.edu governance at UC is an ongoing and critical
During 2001-02, the Academic effort in the face of challenges both famil-
Senate adopted “properties and iar and new. UC faculty have, in the words
purposes” for the use of entrance of longtime Senate member Fred Spiess
exams for undergraduate admis- (UCSD), “more power and responsibility
sions, (http://www.ucop.edu/ than in any other major institution of higher
news/sat/summary.pdf). education […] but this privilege only sur-
02-03 Academic Council with President Atkinson and vives because faculty members take part.”
The Senate, via this task force, will
UCOP Senior Managers
Academic Senate Under Senate Review
University of California
1111 Franklin St., 12th Flr. ►OUT FOR GENERAL REVIEW: Proposed Policy on Faculty-Student Relations. The Academic
Oakland, CA 94607 Council has proposed an amendment to APM 015, the Faculty Code of Conduct, addressing sex-
ual liaisons between faculty and students. The Academic Council Chair requests comments by
THE SENATE SOURCE March 1. Send to: gayle.binion@ucop.edu; or respond to your divisional Council representative.
is published bi-monthly during the Review the proposal here: http://www.ucop.edu/senate/facrel.pdf
academic year (September - June), for UC ►Proposal to Allow Part-Time Enrollment for Students Transferring to UC from a CCC
faculty by the University of California
Systemwide Senate. ►Subject A — The Senate will look at ways of evaluating which of the various approaches to
Gayle Binion, 2002-03 Chair accomplishing Subject A are the most (and least) effective, and make recommendations on how
Systemwide Academic Senate campuses might assess student writing beyond Subject A.
Brenda Foust, Co-editor ►Proposal for Use of Supplemental Subject Matter Tests in the UC Admissions Process
Betty Marton, Co-editor (http://www.ucop.edu/senate/supptests.pdf)
Your comments are welcome. Send them ►Racial Privacy Initiative (RPI) and its potential effects on admissions, instruction, employment,
to: senatenews@ucop.edu
and research. To see the Initiative go to: http://www.ucop.edu/senate/current.html
Get this issue of The Senate Source online at: http://www.ucop.edu/senate/source/welcome.html