Professional Responsibilities and Procedures Committee (PRPC)

Report to Faculty Senate

December 5, 2005

Information

1. A senator requested that Code 402.10.3 be amended to allow nominations for Senate President-elect to be solicited by email prior to the formal process during the April meeting. The PRPC saw nothing in the code to limit informal solicitation of nominations prior to the formal process. We did wish to recommend that senators be notified well in advance of the April meeting of the eligibility requirements for election to president-elect (402.7.3) and the procedure for election (402.10.3) so they will be well-prepared for the nomination process at the April Senate meeting.

2. After reviewing the charge to AFT from FSEC dated October 5, 2005, PRPC chose to provide informal input to Kim Openshaw (AFT Chair), suggesting that the concern expressed by his committee might be addressed adequately by working with the Committee on Committees. The following was emailed to the chair of AFT from the chair of PRPC, and copied to the Senate chair: “We are concerned that making committee appointments based on gender or ethnicity could lead to over-utilization of some individuals on committees. We suggest the Committee on Committees remain sensitive to issues of diversity.”

3. The members of PRPC discussed the timetable for the 3^rd year meeting and other events for tenure-track faculty. Although there is an earlier timetable in that year, the procedure specified by the code (essentially to vote on whether the candidate is recommended for renewal) is the same in the third as in other years. References to a third-year timetable seems to be a vestige of earlier procedures or a reflection of procedures at other universities, where candidates do not have a unique committee that meets with them each year. This is a case where the code is apparently not consistent with practice; however, no action was taken.

4. A senator expressed concern to the PRPC that the code related to a request for an extension of the pre-tenure probationary period due to the birth of a child contains confusing terminology. Draft language to clarify Code 405.1.4 was provided to PRPC members for discussion at the next PRPC meeting.