Update 11/19/20:
Voting has begun! Vote here ASAP — deadline December 9.
We have been assured by Miami’s parliamentarian, Rob Withers, that voting is secure and that he is the only one with access to the voting form and its results (Google Forms was used because the usual Faculty Assembly voting system is only set up for candidate elections, not yes/no votes).
Over one-tenth of continuing faculty have signed a petition in support of a Resolution on Shared Governance and Budget Transparency, which was discussed at a special Faculty Assembly on November 5th with well over 300 faculty in attendance. Now, continuing faculty will vote on the resolution.
How will you vote? Here’s an FAQ to help.
What does the resolution say?
Resolved: Faculty Assembly demands that shared governance at Miami adhere to the Statement on Government of Colleges and Universities endorsed by the Association of Governing Boards, the American Council on Education, and the AAUP. Specifically, the administration must meaningfully include faculty in decisions affecting the academic mission, and must transparently share budgetary information relevant to those decisions.
Resolved: Faculty Assembly urges the Board of Trustees to add two faculty members elected from and by Faculty Assembly to non-voting positions on the board.
Why should Miami adhere to the Statement on Government of Colleges & Universities?
The Statement was formulated by the Association of Governing Boards (of which Miami’s board is a member) along with AAUP and the American Council on Education. It offers succinct and clear guidance for shared governance practices. Here is a slide presentation on the Statement that was shared at Faculty Assembly on November 5.
Don’t we already have shared governance?
As at many other schools, shared governance practices at Miami have eroded. Shared governance is sometimes taken to mean something like “consult” and “communicate”—but as faculty are the providers of the university’s core mission, education, they should participate meaningfully in decisions that affect it. That is the essence of shared governance.
What aspects of decision-making at the university is it appropriate for faculty to participate in?
The Statement specifies faculty’s purview as matters associated with the educational mission: “curriculum, subject matter and methods of instruction, research, faculty status [including hiring, appointments, and reappointments], and those aspects of student life which relate to the educational process.” Faculty should be meaningfully involved in budget decisions affecting these areas.
The Statement further stipulates that “the power of review or final decision lodged in the governing board or delegated by it to the president should be exercised adversely only in exceptional circumstances, and for reasons communicated to the faculty.”
What gives faculty the right to participate in decision-making?
The faculty’s responsibility for participating in decisions regarding the educational mission derives from its academic expertise and the need to protect academic freedom—freedom of teaching and research—for the common good.
If I put in time in on an important standing committee or ad-hoc committee, am I participating in shared governance?
It depends! Such work is extremely valuable; it can rise to the level of shared governance when it involves participatory decision-making informed by consultation with the larger faculty. The Statement clarifies that bodies intended as vehicles for shared governance should be populated by elected faculty representatives.
If faculty are feel excluded from shared governance, doesn’t that just mean decisions need to be communicated to them better?
Good communication is one important aspect of shared governance. According to the Statement approved by the AGB, AAUP and ACE, there are several other essential aspects:
- Meaningful participation by faculty in decision-making regarding all aspects of the educational mission
- Timely provision of budget information adequate for that decision-making
- Decisions adverse to faculty determinations in areas of faculty responsibility are made only in exceptional circumstances & for reasons communicated to the faculty
What specific issues led to the call from faculty for Miami to adhere to the resolution?
Two recent events in which Senate/our faculty had the right and responsibility to participate in decision-making and were not given sufficient opportunity to do so:
- The decision by the Board of Trustees to add a new sentence asserting its authority over “policies that govern the terms and conditions of employment and tenure of the faculty” without including a clarification that under normal circumstances those powers are delegated to the faculty
- A series of COVID-related decisions related to the academic mission this spring and summer, which affected multiple areas within the faculty purview including mode of instruction, appointments and reappointments, and faculty welfare.
What specific guidelines in the Statement might lead to change at Miami?
The Statement notes that “an agency should exist for the presentation of the views of the whole faculty” and that “faculty representatives should be selected by the faculty according to procedures determined by the faculty”—specifically, a “faculty-elected senate or council.” We look forward to discussing possibilities for enhancing Miami’s governance structures to enable opportunities for determining and conveying the faculty’s views.
Why should we add faculty to the Board of Trustees?
Faculty presence on the Board of Trustees will open an important line of communication between the providers of the educational mission and its stewards. The Board of Trustees benefits from student perspectives and would benefit as much or more from the perspectives of faculty, who are, of the members of our community, the most familiar with that mission.
Why not propose to add voting faculty to the Board of Trustees?
Ohio Code will need to be changed in order to add faculty to the Board of Trustees and in order to do that, it will be important to secure the support of the Board. We believe that the Board will be more likely to welcome faculty expertise on the board if the faculty are ex-officio.
What if I think shared governance is happening effectively enough at Miami already?
We ask that you read over the Statement and decide for yourself whether you can support it. We think you will see that it is a reasonable set of guidelines that will only enhance shared governance. Where shared governance structures are working, adopting the statement will strengthen and clarify them.
Why should I vote for the Resolution?
If included meaningfully in decision-making, and if given the opportunity to consider the full budget picture, faculty can work creatively with the administration and the Board of Trustees to solve the crises we face. A vote for the Resolution is a vote for a better Miami.
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