From: Craig Turner <craig.turner@gcsu.edu>
To: "usgfc@list.gcsu.edu" <usgfc@list.gcsu.edu>
Sender: "USGFC@list.gcsu.edu" <USGFC@list.gcsu.edu>
Date: Tue, 25 May 2010 11:15:23 -0400
Subject: USGFC: Update on official recognition
USGFC Advocates,
At the May 2010 Board of Regents meeting, official recognition of the USGFC
(University System of Georgia Faculty Council) was approved by the BoR
Academic Affairs Committee on Tuesday May 11 and formally by the full Board
of Regents on Wednesday May 12. The advocacy of each of you, the
Institutional Presidents and Chief Academic Officers of the USG, and Dr.
Susan Herbst, Executive Vice Chancellor and Chief Academic Officer of the
University System of Georgia, and Dr. Linda Noble, Associate Vice Chancellor
of Faculty Affairs, were instrumental in the smooth consideration of this
proposal.
See item one under "Committee on Academic Affairs" at
http://www.usg.edu/regents/documents/board_meetings/actions2010_05.pdf
The USGFC is the realization of the contagious vision of Dr. Russell
Porter who "infected" many faculty advocates with his vision in preparation
for and at the March 2008 meeting of governance leaders hosted by Clayton
State University. Dr. Porter is currently Dean of Graduate Studies and
Continuing Education at Shepherd University in West Virginia and was an
Associate Professor/Graduate Coordinator at Clayton State University during
the 2008-2009 academic year.
A brief biographical sketch of Dr. Porter is available at
http://www.shepherd.edu/university/releases/2010/ace.html
-Craig
P.S. In conclusion, I provide you a link to the text followed by the text
itself of the USGFC language in the BoR Policy manual.
http://www.usg.edu/policymanual/section3/policy/3.2_faculties/#p3.2.4_faculty_rules_and_regulations
3.2.4 Faculty Rules and Regulations
The faculty, or the council, senate, assembly, or such other comparable body
at an institution (BoR Minutes, May 2010), shall, subject to the approval of
the president of the institution:
- Make statutes, rules, and regulations for its governance and for
that of the students;
- Provide such committees as may be required;
- Prescribe regulations regarding admission, suspension, expulsion,
classes, courses of study, and requirements for graduation; and,
- Make such regulations as may be necessary or proper for the
maintenance of high educational standards.
A copy of an institution?s statutes, rules and regulations made by the
faculty shall be filed with the Chancellor. The faculty shall also have
primary responsibility for those aspects of student life which relate to the
educational process, subject to the approval of the president of the
institution. (BoR Minutes, 1986- 87, p. 333; May 2010).
There shall be a University System of Georgia Faculty Council (USGFC), which
shall provide a faculty voice on academic and educational matters and BOR
policies related to the profession, including but not limited to tenure and
promotion, academic freedom, and post-tenure review. The USGFC shall be
mindful and respectful of matters that are more appropriately handled at the
institutional level but may make recommendations that have University System
level impact or implications.
Membership of the USGFC shall be comprised of one voting representative from
each USG institution and that representative must be a member of that
institution?s faculty and selected by a process determined by the faculty or
faculty body of that institution. A copy of each institution?s process to
determine its USGFC representative shall be filed with the Executive Vice
Chancellor and Chief Academic Officer of the University System of Georgia.
The organization and governance of the USGFC shall be implemented according
to policies and procedures established by the membership of the USGFC in the
USGFC By-laws in consultation with and approved by the Chancellor or the
Chancellor?s designee.
Nothing in this policy or the USGFC By-laws shall supersede the authority
and responsibilities of institutional presidents addressed in
Policy 2.5 (Presidential Authority and Responsibilities). With respect
to matters specific to their institutions, presidents remain the official
medium of communication between their institutional faculties and the
Chancellor. (BoR Minutes, May 2010)
At 05:53 PM 4/30/2010, Craig Turner wrote:
USGFC Advocates,
The draft BoR policy language pertaining to the University System of
Georgia Faculty Council (USGFC) will be on the agenda of the May BoR
Committee on Academic Affairs. Copied below are details and the
previous updates (19 Apr 2010 and 21 Jan 2010) sent to this list.
-Craig
*****************************************
Craig Turner
Professor of Mathematics
Georgia College & State University
Milledgeville, GA 31061
478.445.0973
******************************************
From: Linda Noble <Linda.Noble@usg.edu>
To: Craig Turner <craig.turner@gcsu.edu>,
"egcombier@northgeorgia.edu"
<egcombier@northgeorgia.edu>
CC: "Angelia D. Thomas" <Angelia.Thomas@usg.edu>
Date: Fri, 30 Apr 2010 09:48:21 -0400
Subject: USG Faculty Council Update
Craig & Elizabeth:
I wanted to let you know that the proposal to establish a USG
Faculty Council will be on the May agenda for the BOR Committee
on Academic Affairs. This Committee will consider the attach
changes in BOR Policy 3.2.4 only ? they will not be approving
the by-laws, just the policy change. The Council?s by-laws (or
future changes) will need only the Chancellor?s approval.
Susan wanted me to ask one (or both) of you to attend this
meeting in case there are any questions from the Regents. The
Committee will convene about 2:30 on May 11th in Room
5158 at our Office. However, this time can fluctuate depending
on how long earlier meetings take that day, so you should plan
on being here about 1:00 or 1:30.
Would you mind letting me know if you are available for this
meeting. If the Committee approves the proposal, then they will
make a report to the full Board the next day (May 12th).
It will not be official until the full Board approves the
Committee?s report and recommendation to establish the Council.
You do not need to be present on day two!
Look forward to hearing from you,
Linda
Linda M. Noble, Ph.D.
Associate Vice Chancellor for Faculty Affairs
Office of Academic Affairs
Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia
270 Washington St. S.W.
Atlanta, GA 30334
Office: 404-656-0763
Cell: 404-895-0849
Fax: 404-651-5190
linda.noble@usg.edu
Date: Mon, 19 Apr 2010 14:20:41 -0400
To: usgfc@list.gcsu.edu
From: Craig Turner <craig.turner@gcsu.edu>
Subject: USGFC: Update on Official Recognition of USGFC by USG/BoR
USGFC Advocates,
There is some new information to offer as a follow-up to the 21 Jan
2010 update (copied below) regarding the official recognition of
USGFC by the USG/BoR.
First, it is now the case that ALL 35 USG institutions have endorsed
the USGFC and its draft bylaws meaning that endorsement was secured
from the institution's faculty (or faculty governance unit), the
institution's current University President, and in most cases the
institution's current Chief Academic Officer (Provost or VPAA or
whatever title is in use at the institution for this position).
Thank you to all of you who have taken a leadership role in securing
these endorsements. Thank you also to Dr. Elizabeth Combier who has
been the point for these endorsements and whose diligence and
persistence on this tracking have been a marvel to witness
firsthand.
At present the draft language proposed for inclusion as part of the
Board of Regents Policy Manual regarding USGFC is under review by
USG legal after which it will go to University Presidents and the
Chancellor for a final review. Elizabeth Combier and I were
consulted as this policy language was drafted and have been kept
informed of its status in our capacities as the current point
persons of USGFC. The latest update from the USG Office of Academic
Affairs (received 04-19-2010) indicates an anticipation that
consideration of this official recognition as part of the agenda of
the May 2010 or June 2010 Board of Regents meeting.
This draft language for the BoR Policy manual defines a broad scope
for the USGFC, indicates its membership as a faculty member from
each USG institution deferring the process by which this
representative is selected to the faculty at each institution, and
also clarifies the communication role of the USGFC noting it is
authorized to communicated with USG on system-wide matters
pertaining to faculty yet reminds us that the University President
is the medium of communication between the faculty and the USG/BoR
in the context of institutional matters. Once a "final" version of
the BoR Policy language on the USGFC that will be considered at a
BoR meeting is available, it will be posted to this list.
Our advocates on the USG Staff for this recognition are Dr. Linda
Noble, Associate Vice Chancellor for Faculty Affairs, and Dr. Susan
Herbst, Executive Vice Chancellor & Chief Academic Officer of the
USG, to whom we are grateful for continued support.
As more information comes our way, we will forward it to this e-mail
list. Thank you for your patience on this matter. We are almost
there!
-Craig
*****************************************
Craig Turner
Professor of Mathematics
Georgia College & State University
Milledgeville, GA 31061
478.445.0973
******************************************
>Date: Thu, 21 Jan 2010 12:21:05 -0500
>To: usgfc@list.gcsu.edu
>From: Craig Turner <craig.turner@gcsu.edu>
>Subject: Update: Meeting With Dr. Susan Herbst
>
>At the most recent meeting of the advocates for the USGFC held Nov
>13, 2009, Dr. Elizabeth Combier and I indicated that we planned to
>meet with Dr. Susan Herbst, Executive Vice Chancellor and Chief
>Academic Officer of the University System of Georgia, to discuss
the
>process and required supporting documentation for requesting
>official recognition of the USGFC by the BoR/USG as well as share
>the resolutions from the meeting (all the draft versions and the
>officially endorsed two-year merger position statement).
>
>Dr. Combier and I met with Dr. Herbst and Dr. Linda Noble
(Associate
>Vice Chancellor of Faculty Affairs) on Tuesday January 19, 2010.
We
>were particularly heartened by the continued support of the USGFC
>extended by both Dr. Herbst and Dr. Noble.
>
>Immediately following this meeting, Dr. Combier and I agreed that a
>set of notes to summarize the conversation at this meeting should
be
>accessible to the advocates for the USGFC. Such notes as well as
>the agenda and supporting documents for this meeting are accessible
>at
http://info.gcsu.edu/intranet/univ_senate/usgfc/01-19-10/index.htm
>
>Should you require clarification or have questions about any of the
>information summarizing this meeting, please let me know.
>
>-Craig
>
>*******************************************
>Craig Turner
>Professor of Mathematics
>Georgia College & State University
>Milledgeville, GA 31061
>478.445.0973
>******************************************