Institutional statement regarding Dec. 1 resolution by Faculty Senate
Dec. 6, 2021 - 4:16 p.m.
We welcome constructive collaboration with the Faculty Senate and any other group of faculty, staff, students, alumni, friends and community members who wish to focus and work on the priorities that will make SFA the premier university in East Texas.
The Faculty Senate's Resolution Assessing the Performance of the SFA Board of Regents - December 1, 2021, and the actions of its leadership prior to its issuance, do not reflect constructive collaboration. The Faculty Senate had an opportunity to voice its concerns in an appropriate forum that would have given an opportunity for discussion with the Board of Regents.
The chair of the Faculty Senate addresses the Board of Regents at each quarterly meeting. At the Nov. 1 meeting of the Board of Regents, the Faculty Senate chair provided in his report, “One of the big things that we’re very appreciative of, especially in the Senate, is that the line of communication with you as a Board has been opened…we are appreciative of having those dialogues…having those lines of communication for all of us we feel like is the best route to move SFA forward.”
A leadership meeting held on Nov. 5 focused on reimagining campus culture and offered further opportunity for the chair of the Faculty Senate to share the concerns expressed in the resolution. He did not. At the conclusion of that meeting, participants discussed providing to the chair of the Board of Regents additional thoughts concerning campus culture. There was no other communication between the Faculty Senate and the Board of Regents after the Nov. 5 meeting until the issuance of the resolution.
Before the Thanksgiving break, Faculty Senate leadership was informed of the next meeting of the University Finance Council on Dec. 9, the leadership team meeting on Dec. 10 and the special Board of Regents meeting on Dec. 12, when auditor findings will be presented. This contradicts any narrative that suggests communication or meetings are not taking place.
True leadership means seeing and sharing a vision of possibilities, then working to make them a reality.
We aim to make SFA the premier university in East Texas. We look forward to working with all groups who share that vision. Work that focuses on this objective is the work of true leadership.