Faculty Senate — Advocate and Watchdog>

Recent Faculty Senate Accomplishments

Policy:

• Reviewed, revised and approved the Temporary Exclusion Policy, Section II.E.18, Temporary Exclusion in the Handbook for Faculty and Academic Administrators after being rewritten and vetted by the Senate Committee on Faculty and the Administration (SCOA) in collaboration with the Senate Committee on Academic Freedom (SCAFR).


• Reviewed and approved proposal for Senior Lecturer faculty positions in the School of Design after being vetted by the Senate Committee on Faculty and the Academic Mission (SCOF).


• Reviewed and approved proposal for revisions to the Reduction in Duties Policy, Section II.E.2 in the Handbook for Faculty and Academic Administrators after being vetted by the Senate Committee on Faculty and the Administration (SCOA).


• The Senate Committee on Faculty and Academic Mission (SCOF) responded to a request from the Provost for advice on the matter of imposing on prospective faculty members a requirement of self-disclosure of a previous criminal record. SCOF after much deliberation provided a detailed report for the Provost with a thorough examination of various reasons for and against this policy.

Interaction With University Administration and Community:

• The Tri-Chairs usually meet twice each month with the President and the Provost.


• Senate Executive Committee (SEC) met with and received reports from the President and Provost, Vice President for Public Safety, Dean of Admissions, Senior Vice President and General Counsel of the University of Pennsylvania, Vice President for Budget and Management Analysis, Vice Provost for Development and Alumni Relations, Associate Provost for Education and Student Life and Vice Provost for Research.

Symposium:

• Changing the World? Penn Confronts Global Challenges: This year the Faculty Senate Symposium explored the prospects, realities, challenges, rewards, and obligations of the University to reach beyond its borders in these increasingly complex times. President Amy Gutmann provided opening remarks and Provost Ron Daniels moderated the interdisciplinary group of scholars on January 19, 2007 in celebration of Benjamin Franklin's 301st birthday.

Other Initiatives:

• The Oral History Project continues with six interviews per year of prominent Penn figures who influenced and shaped Penn's history. The project beginning in 2005, is intended to preserve institutional knowledge about University governance at Penn