Faculty Senate

  • Senate Calendar 2023-2024
    • Meetings are Fridays 11:30-1:30 (11-11:30 lunch)
    • NOTE: This schedule is subject to change as details arise, including the addition of Special Senate Meetings as needed. We also anticipate Senate hosted forums for which we do not require a quorum but which we encourage Senators to attend.

    Fall 2023

    09/22 in AAC 290

    10/20 in Renaissance Room, Mary Reed Bldg

    11/10 in AAC 290

    Winter 2024

    01/19 in AAC 290

    02/16 in AAC 290

    03/8 in AAC 290

    Spring 2023

    04/05 in AAC 290

    05/17 in AAC 290

  • Faculty Senate Meeting Agendas

    February 16, 2024

    11:00 - 11:30 A.M. = Lunch

    11:30 A.M. - 1:30 P.M.

    • Call to Order, Senator Sign in and approval of September Minutes
    • Faculty Senate President Updates
      • FOE demonstration policy
      • Academic Program Review
      • Update on our requests re COACHE
    • Updates and Q & A with Provost Clark
      • COACHE response
      • Board of Trustees Update
      • BAM & Salary
      • Provost Conversation Event
      • Free Expression and Campus Climate
    • Employee Handbook Discussion with Jeff Banks and Jim Noone
    • Discussion of Senate Action on COACHE faculty (dis)satisfaction data
      • Small group discussion to generate action items
    • New Business
    • Adjournment

     

     

    January 19, 2024

    11:00 - 11:30 A.M. = Lunch

    11:30 A.M. - 1:30 P.M.

    • Call to Order, Senator Sign in and approval of September Minutes
    • Faculty Senate President Updates
      • BAM Update
      • Academic Program Review committee update
    • Updates and Q & A with Provost Clark
      • Graduate student minimum grade discussion
      • Budget update
      • Enrollment update
      • Voluntary tenure relinquishment incentive program
      • Provost Conference on March 1
    • COACHE results overview and discussion with Jenn Bellamy, VPFA
      • Small group discussions
    • New Business
    • Adjournment

     

    November 10, 2023

    11:00 - 11:30 A.M. = Lunch

    11:30 A.M. - 1:30 P.M.

    • Call to Order, Senator Sign in and approval of September Minutes
    • Faculty Senate President Updates
      • Assessment committee update
      • COACHE survey results
      • Academic Program Review committee update
    • Updates and Q & A with Provost Clark
      • Academic Program Review update
      • Demonstrations policy update
    • Presentation and Q&A with Institutional Research with Katie Schroeder (Watermark)
    • Health Insurance survey update with Barb Hurtt and Personnel Committee
    • Updates from Undergraduate Student Government with Luke Miller
    • Discussion of 2023-2024 issues for Senate and shared governance
    • New Business
    • Adjournment

     

    October 20, 2023

    11:00 - 11:30 A.M. = Lunch

    11:30 A.M. - 1:30 P.M.

    • Call to Order, Senator Sign in and approval of September Minutes
    • Faculty Senate President Updates
      • Policy Review committee update
      • COACHE summary report update
    • Updates and Q & A with Provost Clark
      • Spring 2024 Provost Conference update
      • Budget concerns
    • Budget presentation with Provost Clark and Linda Kosten
    • Q & A with University Ombuds Betty Snyder
    • Meet Assistant Vice Chancellor for DEI Academic Engagement Lauren Hammond 
    • General Education Update with Richard Kolby, Faculty Director of General Education
    • Election Faculty and Educational Affairs Committee (FEAC) update
    • Discussion of 2023-2024 issues for Senate
    • New Business
    • Adjournment

     

    September 22, 2023

    11:00 - 11:30 A.M. = Lunch

    11:30 A.M. - 1:30 P.M.

    • Call to Order, Senator Sign in and approval of September Minutes
    • Faculty Senate President Updates
      • Shared Governance Award
      • New OMBUDS update
      • Senate Attendance policy and Committee Membership policy
    • Senate Standing Committee Updates
    • Updates and Q & A with Provost Clark
      • Updates
      • Ideas to Impact
    • Ad Hoc Committee on Policy update with Chip Reichardt
    • Introduction of new Faculty Director of General Education, Richard Colby
    • VPFA Jenn Bellamy updates
    • Introduction of new Student Government Reps
    • Committee membership and attendance discussion
    • New Business
    • Adjournment
  • Join Faculty Governance Committees

    Send an email to the co-chairs indicating your interest in a committee, along with a few sentences about why you’d like to be on the committee and what you have to contribute. If you are nominating someone, please do the same in terms of what the person nominated would contribute.

    Teaching Excellence

    Co-chairs

    Leslie Alvarez, Director leslie.alvarez@du.edu
    Someone to be designated by the Faculty Senate President

    Teaching and Professional Faculty

    Co-chairs:
    Laura Sponsler, Clinical Series, laura.sponsler@du.edu
    Barb Hurtt, Teaching Series, barbekka.hurtt@du.edu

    Workload Equity

    Co-chairs:
    Hava Gordon, hava.gordon@du.edu
    Michele Tyson, michele.Tyson@du.edu

    DEI Committee for General Education

    Co-chairs:
    Lisa Martinez, lisa.martinez@du.edu
    Renée Botta, renee.botta@du.edu
  • APT Updates

    Proposed Amendment to the “Policies and Procedures Relating to Faculty Appointment, Promotion, and Tenure”

    (Approved by the Faculty Senate by unanimous consent on March 18, 2022 and by the Board of Trustees in April 2022)

    This amendment applies only to faculty members in faculty series as specified below who were (1) first appointed to a faculty position during either the 2020-2021 academic year or the 2021-2022 academic year and (2) have a review either for reappointment and/or promotion or for tenure and promotion scheduled for either the 2022-2023 academic year or a later academic year in their current appointment agreement.

    1. Teaching and Professional Track Faculty

                A faculty member who was appointed to a faculty position in the Professorial Series in University Libraries, Teaching Professorial Series, Clinical Professorial Series, Professors of the Practice Series, or Research Professorial Series for the first time during either the 2020-2021 academic year or the 2021-2022 academic year will receive a one-year extension in their employment contract if they file a notice, in writing, for the one-year extension with the administrative head of their academic unit according to the following deadlines:

    A.        If the faculty member is scheduled for review for reappointment and/or promotion during the 2022-2023 academic year, the written notice must be filed on or before June 1, 2022.

    B.         If the faculty member is scheduled for review for reappointment and/or promotion in an academic year later than 2022-2023, the written notice must be filed on or before April 1 of the year before the review is scheduled. For example, if the review for reappointment is scheduled for the 2023-2024 academic year, the written notice must be filed on or before April 1 of 2023.

     

    2.         Tenure-Line Faculty

    A faculty member who was appointed to the Tenure-line Professorial Series without tenure for the first time during either the 2020-2021 academic year or the 2021-2022 academic years will be continued in rank for an additional year beyond the final year of the initially agreed-upon probationary period if the faculty member files a notice, in writing, for the one-year extension with the administrative head of their academic unit according to the following deadlines.

    A.        If the original review for tenure and promotion was scheduled to be conducted during the 2022-2023 academic year, the notice of extension must be filed by June 1, 2022.

    B.         If the original review for tenure and promotion was scheduled to be conducted during the 2023-2024 academic year or in a later academic year, the notice of extension must be filed by April 1 of the academic year before the review was originally scheduled. For example, if the review for tenure and promotion was originally scheduled to take place during the 2023-2024 academic year, the written notice must be filed on or before April 1 of 2023.

    AMENDMENTS FOR SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES

    (Both Motions were approved by the Faculty Senate by unanimous consent on April 22, 2022)

    (Motions approve by the Board of Trustees in June, 2022)

    Motion 1:

    To correct for oversights in the wording of the Policies and Procedures Relating to Faculty Appointment, Promotion, and Tenure (APT), it is moved that the following changes (as marked by underlining) be made to the APT:

    5.5.3

    F.         Under special circumstances (e.g., when a faculty member is on an approved leave of absence or family leave), the time allotted for the leave need not count as part of the tenure probationary period, depending on specific arrangements with the Dean and approved by the Provost. Any change is agreed on in consultation with the faculty member.

    5.5.4.

    E.         Under special circumstances and at the discretion of the Board of Trustees, a tenure decision may be delayed and a faculty member may be continued in rank without tenure for one or two additional years beyond the final year of the agreed‑upon probationary period.  Any change is agreed on in consultation with the faculty member.

    Motion 2:

    Because the provisions in Sections 5.5.3.F and 5.5.4.E in the APT apply to tenure-line faculty but parallel provisions are not provided for faculty members in the Teaching and Professional Track, it is moved that the following Sections be added to the APT

    3.4.5    Special Circumstances

    The provisions in Section 3.4.5 apply to those holding a faculty position in the Professorial Series in University Libraries, Teaching Professorial Series, Clinical Professorial Series, Professors of the Practice Series, or Research Professorial Series.

    A.        Under special circumstances (e.g., when a faculty member is on an approved leave of absence or family leave), a review for reappointment and/or promotion may be delayed and a contract extended to adjust for the effect of the special circumstances, depending on specific arrangements with the Dean and approved by the Provost. Any change is agreed on in consultation with the faculty member.

    B.        Under special circumstances and at the discretion of the Board of Trustees, a review for reappointment and/or promotion may be delayed and the employment of a faculty member extended for one or two additional years beyond the final year of the faculty member’s employment contract. Any change is agreed on in consultation with the faculty member.

     

  • Moniker Report - June 2022

    This report is a supplement to the Senate's 2021 Resolution calling on DU to retire the moniker out of due concern for classroom outcomes for our students. The report was written at the invitation of the Chancellor and its aim is to specifically help amplify and contextualize the link between the moniker and classroom learning. Senate will talk with Board members, the Provost, and the Chancellor at FEAC on 6.2.22 as part of ongoing conversations on this important matter.

    Here is the report. This was written as a collaboration by 15+ faculty and staff with expertise in a range of interdisciplinary topics addressed in the report. The Table of Contents is click-able so you can move around the document. You can find an Executive Summary right at the top.

    Here is a Qualtrics link if you'd like to add any additional notes or resources as part of this conversation.

    Please also visit the DEI tab on the Senate webpage to view additional supporting materials.

  • Gen Ed Summary & Faculty Vote - June 2022

    UPDATE: The 4 motions passed the All Faculty Vote in June, 2022

    Vote 1 Gen Ed Director 67% approved
    Vote 2 Gen Ed DEI committee 77% approved
    Vote 3 Gen Ed Pilots 81% approved
    Vote 4 Gen Ed New Names 83% approved
     

    I. Summary Overview / Introduction (posted 6.2.22)

     

    • Over the last few months, the Senate's Reconciliation Committee has been hosting campus-wide sessions on its four general education motions. These motions have been discussed, vetted, and revised in light of multiple conversations with the Provost, the Academic Planning Committee (APC), FSEC, Undergraduate Council, Deans' Teams, OTL, ODEI and many other groups on campus.

     

    • Additionally, these motions were discussed on the Senate floor at a pre-reading on 4.22, a First Reading on 5.6, and a Second Reading on 5.27. [As part of the Second Reading, Motion 4 was slightly amended from an earlier version, resulting in the version of Motion 4 you will be voting on; if you would like more details, see here].

     

    • On 5.27 Senate voted in support of all four motions by large majority.

     

    • As is customary for Senate votes on matters which impact faculty across campus, we are now conducting an all faculty vote due Friday 6.10@5pm; check your email (and junk mail) for the ballot (or contact sarah.pessin@du.edu if you don't see it). All full time appointed faculty from the following lines are eligible to vote on these motions:
      • Tenure-Line Professorial Series
      • Professorial Series in University Libraries
      • Teaching Professorial Series
      • Clinical Professorial Series
      • Professor of the Practice Series
      • Research Professorial Series

     

    • Equipped with data from the Senate Vote, the all-faculty vote, and Undergraduate Council, the Provost will determine next steps in relation to her office and members of the Board of Trustees.

     

     

    II. The Four Motions Approved by Senate on 5.27.22 Now Going to Faculty Vote

    Below are the motions approved by Senate and now going to faculty vote. (Note: References below to ‘RCR’ are to the Reconciliation Committee Report from May which you can find here (and regarding which you can watch a 32-minute video here)).

     

    Motion 1: Faculty Director of General Education

    To endorse the creation and hiring of a new position in the Provost’s office, a new Faculty Director of General Education, in accordance with the recommendations and details described in RCR, Section I (including the outlined spirit of “Sustained Partnerships” and “Iterative, Nimble, and Responsive Process”).

     

    Motion 2: New Gen Ed DEI committee --> New DEI Attribute

    To create a Gen Ed DEI Faculty Committee (whose charge and timeline are specified in RCR, Section I and Appendix B) to be co-chaired by Renée Botta and Lisa Martinez and to be seated under their leadership and in consultation with the Faculty Senate Executive Committee and other relevant stakeholders.

     

    Motion 3: Curricular Innovation Pilot Courses

    To endorse a two-year funded* pilot for innovative new interdisciplinary “linked-teaching” courses that students can take for up to 12-credits of their general education requirements (detailed in RCR, Section I and Appendix C).

    • *Note: Based on ongoing partnership between the Reconciliation Committee, Deans’ Teams, and the Provost’s Team, the Provost supports this pilot for two years in the amount of $50k per year. The committee is pleased to be able to bring this pilot idea to faculty with fiscal support from the Provost, and with full support of the Senate.

     

    Motion 4: Refined Core Area Titles and Descriptions

    To update titles, acronyms, and descriptions of the general education curriculum (detailed in RCR, Section I and Appendix E)* within an expanded framing in terms of “Ways of Thinking, Creating, and Taking Action” (see RCR, Appendix D).

    • *Note: Appendix E has been updated with the titles and shorthand titles/acronyms as they appear below (see the right-hand column); these are the Senate-approved names you are voting on:

     

    Gen_Ed_Matrix_June_2022_LANG_updated

     

    Questions?

    Contact Senate President Renée Botta renee.botta@du.edu and Past President Sarah Pessin sarah.pessin@du.edu

     

     


The Faculty Senate is the primary body through which faculty participate in the shared governance of the University of Denver.

The Senate is composed of approximately 90 members elected to represent the academic units of the University.

Much of the Senate's work is accomplished through its five Standing Committees:

  • people

    Academic Planning Committee (APC)

  • people

    Financial Planning Committee (FPC)

  • people

    Nominations, Credentials & Rules (NCR)

  • people

    Personnel Committee

  • People

    Student Relations Committee (SRC)

PDF of the descriptions (drawn from the 

The Faculty Senate Executive Committee (FSEC) includes the Chairs of the five Standing Committees, the President, the President-Elect, the Secretary, and several at-large members. Questions and concerns may be addressed through elected departmental or divisional Senators, or may be addressed to the Senate President at Renee.Botta@du.edu

Contact