The Utah State University Faculty Senate, a central component of shared governance, represents the faculty in educational policy matters, including admissions, curricula, and degree requirements, while also considering faculty welfare and other issues of professional interest. It comprises elected faculty members, appointed administrators, and student officers, with broad authority to review policies, propose changes, and engage with the University's leadership on matters of importance. (See USU Policy 4001 for details.)
A Message from the Presidency
Shared governance depends on faculty having meaningful opportunities to shape decisions and on university leaders taking that participation seriously. As your Faculty Senate presidency, we have a responsibility to advocate for those opportunities, communicate what we hear, and follow through on the concerns you bring to us.
We know many faculty have continued to serve on committees, offer thoughtful feedback, and advocate for their students and colleagues while questioning whether their contributions influence decisions. Over the past few years, governance has sometimes felt less shared. Frustration and skepticism are understandable, and rebuilding trust will require evidence that faculty participation matters.
We also see reason for hope. Our current Senate and administration share a strong commitment to improving shared governance. We are working to involve faculty earlier in policy development, strengthen elected faculty participation on university committees, and improve communication between faculty representatives and the people they serve. These efforts are underway, and their success will depend on what they produce.
Faculty have a role throughout this work. Within programs, we bring expertise about curriculum, student learning, and professional preparation. Within departments and colleges, we help shape academic priorities, faculty responsibilities, and the conditions that support our work.
At the university level, senators and committee members bring those perspectives into broader policy discussions. At the state system level, faculty participation and advocacy help communicate how decisions affect teaching, research, service, and students. Those connections work best when concerns and ideas can move in both directions.
Outside pressures will continue to influence our university. Faculty, administrators, and legislators will not always agree about what should happen or how to move forward. Our commitment is to make room for substantive disagreement, bring faculty expertise into discussions early enough to influence them, and explain how recommendations are addressed.
We invite you to help shape this work. Share your concerns and ideas with your senators, participate in discussions within your departments and colleges, and consider serving when your time and circumstances allow. We also recognize that many of you are already doing this work, often with considerable demands on your time, and we are grateful for your engagement.
The responsibility for strengthening shared governance belongs to all of us. As a presidency, we are committed to doing our part and welcome your expectations, questions, and feedback. We have an opportunity to make progress together, and we intend to put that commitment into practice.
The Faculty Senate Presidency