A couple of recent events have resulted in "upgrades" to my status that may effect my blogging here, giving me some excuse for noting them.
First, I've been elected to serve as chair of the FA's Departmental Representatives Council--which is the most important democratic body (beyond the membership as a whole) in the FA. This exalted position means that I am now a member of the scary sounding Executive Committee of the FA as well. While I will continue to blog here as "Dave", this new office may place certain restraints on what I say. I obviously should not reveal internal FA deliberations when they are part of a tactical bargaining posture, for example. I think I can promise, though, that the effect will not change what I do say, but rather what I don't. That is, I won't say anything I don't believe, but may need to leave some relevant things I know, or believe, unsaid.
Second, I thought I'd mention that I've just been elected to Faculty Senate. In my view the FA and Faculty Senate ought to be partners in promoting shared governance on campus. This new role oughtn't to effect my blogging status, but I did find it relevant to note given that I have just found myself defending the Faculty Senate in the comment stream to my previous post.
Finally, a more immediate downgrade. I'm missing my first meeting on the Executive Committee of the FA and my first Faculty Senate meeting, today, as I'm home with the flu. The fever has cleared, I believe, but I am still not fit for human company. This to those at said meetings who may wonder wonder why I'm blogging instead of meeting.
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
3 comments:
I will review and post comments as quickly as I can. Comments that are substantive and not vicious will be posted promptly, including critical ones. "Substantive" here means that your comment needs to be more than a simple expression of approval or disapproval. "Vicious" refers to personal attacks, vile rhetoric, and anything else I end up deeming too nasty to post.
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Congratulations, Dave! We're so lucky to have you on the Faculty Senate!
ReplyDeleteWell done, Dave.
ReplyDelete"Give 'em hell, Harry!"
Good luck on Faculty Senate! You'll need it.
ReplyDeleteConsider, for example, Faculty Senate "input" on position control.
"K. Asner-Self asked about the timeline, believing some of the anxiety she is hearing is because no one had heard about this prior to the summer. The fear is that a decision will be made without input over the summer. She agreed that getting information out to the faculty, as well as deans and chairs, would be very helpful. It also sets up shared governance and allows faculty to make decisions that are not based on fear."