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

  • The Faculty Forum

    The Faculty Forum is the University of Denver Faculty Senate's newsletter. Edited by the Communications Officer and the Faculty Senate Executive Committee, this newsletter provides updates and information about our faculty's activities and governance. It is published approximately two weeks after each monthly Faculty Senate meeting, ensuring timely and relevant content. The Faculty Forum is a platform for faculty members to stay informed about decisions, discussions, and developments within our academic community. We invite you to read and engage with the newsletter to stay connected with our collective efforts.

     

    Follow this link and use your DU login to read the latest edition of the Faculty Forum.

  • Faculty Senate Meeting Agendas

    April 5, 2024

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

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

    • Call to Order and Senator Sign in

    • Faculty Senate President Update

    • Updates and Q & A with Provost Clark

    • Shared Governance Discussion with Chancellor Haefner

    • Student Government Updates from USG and GSG

    • Academic Freedom 20th anniversary of Senate statement Discussion

    • New Business

    • Adjournment

     

    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
  • 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

 

Faculty Senate President