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Faculty Senate Meeting

Chair's Introduction
September 21, 2006

Welcome to the first Faculty Senate meeting of the new academic year.

I am Kenneth Schwartz from the School of Architecture. As Chair of the Faculty Senate and along with the twelve other members of the Executive Council, I am looking forward to our role in helping to position the Senate for a productive year. For those who are returning members, you know that there was a great deal of thought that went into a kind of self-assessment of the Senate last spring - - - looking at where we are as an organization and where we hope to be in the future. For those who are new, and for deans and other administrators who have joined us today, it is important to realize that there was a tremendous amount of input by Senators - first during a retreat organized by my predecessor Houston Wood in January and then with five Task Groups working on various issues. Much of what we will be engaging this year is a direct result of their efforts and strategic focus.

I have struggled with a thematic phrase for the year, hoping to find one that embraces the spirit of faculty work on these topics thus far - and the work ahead in our committees. For now anyway, the theme is

"Faculty Moving Forward"…….

speaking to the collective momentum that can only flourish when faculty collaborate on institutionally significant issues for our future. There are many strands here, but the two main elements that we will be engaging are:

  • Faculty Recruitment, Retention and Welfare
  • The Capital Campaign

To be sure, there are other issues, and several are included as upcoming features noted on your agenda for today's meeting - with diversity as one of our pressing challenges. You will be hearing about some of these in a short while.

Just a few more comments before President Casteen and Provost Block offer their perspectives.

I want to bring you back a year…. Around this time last year, we were struggling as a community with a profoundly disturbing series of racial attacks and incidents. President Casteen wrote an eloquent statement against intolerance, as did the Rector of the Board of Visitors, and the Executive Council of the Senate. There were many forms of expression and protest, and I am reminded of one by my colleague - Sanda Iliescu, herself a refuge of a totalitarian regime in Romania. Almost a year ago to this day, she produced an amazing installation - a beautiful and powerful painting on Beta Bridge with 271 words - each written or I should say painted by an individual - 271 individuals - each without seeing the writing of others. Together, when unveiled, the installation composed Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address from 143 years ago - a moving reminder of principle, idealism and the ultimate strength of our nation as a union. I mention these pieces of still recent history because we cannot forget the ongoing challenge that we face in constructing and maintaining a welcoming community for all students, faculty and staff. With vigilance and continual engagement, we can hope and pray that this year, we will not experience the same troubling and threatening cloud over us all. The university must continue to move forward equitably, and it is heartening to know that the commitment to do so resides in various ways at every level of this institution. As one indication of the Senate's interest in supporting diversity, I am pleased to announce that we will be one of the co-sponsors of the First Annual Symposium on Race and Society. Cards announcing this initiative are at the back of the room - and we applaud Vice President and Chief Officer for Diversity and Equity Bill Harvey - and the many faculty members who are involved in this effort.

It is now my pleasure to introduce President Casteen.