Report on Student Participation on Section 600 Searches

COMMITTEE REPORT OF ADOPTION OF POLICY RECOMMENDATION

(Voting by Student Members of Dean and

Associate Dean Search Committees)

DATE:April 28, 2006

TO:Ron McIntyre, Faculty President

FROM:Personnel Planning and Review Committee

By: Penelope Jennings, Executive Secretary

During the past year, the Personnel Planning and Review Committee reviewed Section 600 provisions related to the appointment of academic-administrative employees. This review included consideration of the role of student members on the committees as voting or nonvoting members.In analyzing the provisions of Section 622, the Committee carefully reviewed position descriptions and met with appointing administrators, members of search and screen committees, the current and former Presidents of Associated Students, and other interested parties. On February 16, 2006, the Committee Chair, Edward Alfano, met with the Faculty Senate to get a “Sense of the Senate” on the issue of student participation and voting on Section 600 search and screen committees

Having completed their review, the Committee submits this report that describes the recommended policy changes, and the supporting reasons for the proposed changes.

Student Participation on Section 622 Search Committees

Current policies related to voting rights for student members of Section 622 search committees vary depending on the particular search. Student members of search and screen committees for deans (Section 622.4) and associate deans (Section 622.5) are non-voting. Student members of search and screen committees for vice presidents (Section 622.2) and designated academic-administrative and administrative employees (Section 622.3) are voting members.

After consultation with the groups described above as well as receiving a “Sense of the Senate” in support of student participation, including voting rights, on Section 622 searches, the Committee considered the issue of student voting rights. At its meeting on March 1, 2006, the Committee adopted a policy recommendation by passing a motion as follows:

MSP: That Sections 622.4.1 and 622.5.1 be revised by deleting the word “(nonvoting).”

Passed unanimously.

The revised language in Sections 622.4.1 (Deans of Colleges and Library) and 622.5.1 (Associate Deans of Colleges and Library) is outlined below.

Deans of Colleges and the Library

622.4 Appointment and Evaluation of Deans of Colleges and the Library.

1.Screening Committee

a.Applicants shall be screened by a six-member committee composed of three members elected by the faculty of the College concerned from among tenured senior rank Professors or Librarians, or Student Services Professionals, Academically Related, including chairs, in that College; one member elected by the Personnel Planning and Review committee from its own membership, one member appointed by the President, and one (nonvoting) student member chosen by the other members of the committee. It is strongly recommended that Search and Screen Committees have a diverse membership, including an individual currently or formerly serving as Dean of a College, and members familiar with the duties and responsibilities of the position to be filled.

Associate Deans of the AcademicColleges and Library

622.4 Appointment and Evaluation of Associate Deans of Colleges and the Library.

1.Appointment Procedures

a.Applicants shall be screened by a six-member committee composed of three members elected by the faculty of the College concerned from among tenured senior rank Professors or Librarians, including chairs, in that College; the Chair of the College Personnel Committee or a designee from the Committee; one faculty member from the College appointed by the Dean and one (nonvoting) student member chosen by the other members of the committee. It is strongly recommended that Search and Screen Committees have a diverse membership, including an individual currently or formerly serving as Associate Dean of a College, and members familiar with the duties and responsibilities of the position to be filled.

Summary of Supporting Reasons for Change

Student members of search and screen committees for vice presidents (Section 622.2) and for designated academic-administrative and administrative employees (Section 622.3) have voting rights. Faculty who have served on search committees with students on these committees, as well as search committees for deans and associate deans, report that the students were fully engaged in the search process and made outstanding contributions to the searches. They could not see any reason for having the students be designated as nonvoting members of the dean and associate dean search committees. Similar sentiments were expressed at the Faculty Senate meeting of February 16, 2006 where the issue was discussed.

The recommendation is herewith reported to the Faculty President for transmittal, via the Executive Committee of the Faculty Senate, for final recommendation by the Faculty Senate.