Sept 11th. The tragedy of September 11th hit all of America, directly in New York City, the Pentagon, and Pennsylvania and indirectly everywhere else, including here in Oregon. Since this is the first Senate meeting after the tragedy, I ask that we stand for a moment of silence to commemorate those who sacrificed their lives, to support those who have lost loved ones, and to honor those who have toiled tirelessly since that day to help us recover from these terrible events. 

My kids are always telling me to grow up. Cut your hair, shave your beard, they say, this isn't the 60s anymore, it's the Oh-Ohs. So I have finally taken their advice - sort of. I didn't shave, didn't cut my hair, but I did do my first focus group survey last week. I spoke to 10 faculty, including 1 librarian and 2 Officers of Administration and 2 students -- a graduate student and an undergrad-- and asked them where decisions are made on campus. Here are the results (FIG): 4 said "dept heads/institute directors", 3 answered "Deans" and 4 replied "Central administration or Johnson Hall". Only 1 answered the question correctly - she astutely said "all three, dept heads, deans and central administration". Decision making is devolved on this campus, with each level of the administrative hierarchy making important decisions affecting faculty, staff and students.

Where does the Senate fit into this scheme? When I asked that question of the 12 focus group members - none of whom are Senators- 10 replied (FIG) "I don't know". 2 started to laugh.

So where does the Senate fit into the campus decision making process?

The Senate, the primary governance body on campus since its reconstitution in 1995, is officially charged with jurisdiction over 2 aspects of campus life: curriculum and student affairs. These are large, important issues which the Senate takes seriously. For example, we have an important student affairs motion coming to the floor later in today's meeting and we decide on curriculum changes each quarter.

But the Senate has much more influence than just curriculum and student affairs - the Senate, through its 27 University Senate committees governs many of the choices made by the University (FIG). Take the Campus Planning Committee which makes important decisions regarding campus development and campus appearance, or the FAC which advises the President and higher administration on numerous issues of crucial importance to the campus community to name but two. Many important decisions - decisions affecting campus life, students, faculty, staff, the curriculum, and campus atmosphere -- are made in these committees.

The 5 internal committees of the Senate (FIG) - Rules, Budget, Nominating, Executive, and Committee on Committees -- are also influential in campus-wide decisions. Look no further than the Senate Budget committee, authors of the plan to improve faculty salaries which has become the #1 priority of the administration and an update of which will be presented today.

Last year someone told me that the Senate was a powerless body filled with useless faculty generating empty decisions that are ignored by the administration. You may be right, I replied, but you can't be involved in a decision if you aren't at the table. And the Senate has been at the table of all major discussions on campus in recent years, from athletics to the WRC to post-tenure review to the RRP. I remember having a discussion with President Frohnmayer about the Senate's resolution about the RRP, a resolution requesting that there be no development north of the railroad tracks along the riverbank. Our President was concerned that this resolution would tie his hands and that of future Presidents. He was concerned precisely because the administration took seriously Senate resolutions. Although he told me that he couldn't promise to uphold the resolution, he would consider it carefully. In fact the Administration has not gone against any Senate resolution or motion since the reformulation of the Senate in 1995. And the RRP north of the RR tracks is still undeveloped.

Is the Senate a powerless body? At this University, power comes not from a legislative mandate - although that helps - it comes from respect. And I believe the University Senate, over the past 5 years has generated its own respect. The past 5 Senate Presidents whom I have had the pleasure to serve - Carl Bybee, Ann Tedards, Jeff Hurwit, Peter Gilkey, and Jim Earl - have worked enormously hard and have earned the respect of the Administration. So have the Senators, like yourselves, who have partaken in Senate decisions. Importantly, the Administration has also worked hard to earn the respect of the Senate as they too have come to the not insignificant realization that working together is better than bickering with faculty and other campus groups.

That, in essence, is the principle of shared governance - that major decisions are reached after broad discussion and consensus. Shared governance at the University of Oregon has evolved to include all constituent groups within the University community. The underlying assumption of true shared governance is that all voices within the community are significant and each must play a role in campus-wide decisions.

To me the two principles that are the foundation of successful shared governance are 1) the principle of broad consultation and 2) the principle of respectful communication. Without either, shared governance fails and chaotic in-fighting ensues.

Why follow these principles of broad consultation and respectful communication? Because in the 15 yrs I have been here we have and continue to be faced with a nearly endless series of challenges, some public relations, some academic, nearly all financial. Sadly, the magnitude and frequency of these challenges seem to be increasing.

We are like a family - we don't always agree, but we have to work together to achieve common goals. What are our common goals? That's simple: academic excellence. Academic excellence: two words that embody our aspirations. No matter what unit we are from, what status we hold, what resources we control, how ambitious we are, we all share the goal of making our University of Oregon the highest quality University possible. To achieve this goal in the current climate of fiscal uncertainty, we need to adhere to the ideal of shared governance and to dedicate ourselves to making all campus decisions through broad consultation and respectful communication.

I end this talk the same way it started - by welcoming the new and returning Senators. It is an honor and a privilege to be your President. But the President of the University Senate is only a facilitator. I was given a gavel and Robert's rules of Order when I assumed this position in May. But perhaps the item that seems most appropriate is the baton - a sturdy U of O baton representing shared campus governance. I hold it for you as a placeholder because the baton is really in your hands. You have the power and respect to control the destiny of this University. Take the baton. Use that power. I know you will use it wisely.