MOTION US08/09-3 -- To establish an ad hoc Senate committee to contribute to the presidential search process
Sponsored by: Senate Executive Committee
Senate Action: Approved, as amended, December 3, 2008
Moved that,
The University Senate approves the immediate establishment of an ad hoc Senate Committee to monitor and
contribute to the current search for the next President of the University of Oregon. This committee shall be known
as the Senate ad hoc University Committee on the Presidential Search and shall have the following charge,
membership, and reporting structure:
CHARGE AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
- (a) Upon its establishment the Committee shall respectfully request of the Chancellor and
the State Board of Higher Education's Presidential Search Committee that it be presented
the names, applications, and files of the top three finalists for the position in a timely
fashion (this information shall be held in the strictest confidence);
- (b) The Senate Ad Hoc Committee, should it be granted access to the files of the finalists, shall confidentially
recommend to the Search Committee its preference for the candidate or candidates to be brought to campus;
- (c) The Senate Ad Hoc Committee shall urge the Search Committee to invite three finalists to campus;
- (d) The Senate Ad Hoc Committee shall cooperate with the Search Committee in the scheduling of events and meetings for
any candidate or candidates brought to campus to ensure as broad and deep an exposure to as many faculty, campus groups, and
stakeholders as possible.
- (e) Following the conclusion of the campus interviews, the Senate Ad Hoc Committee shall seek and gather as much feedback
as possible on the candidates from faculty, students and other campus stakeholder groups; and,
- (f) After receiving such feedback from campus constituencies, the Senate Ad Hoc Committee shall weigh all available
information on the candidates and confidentially recommend to the Search Committee its preference for the next University
President. The Senate Ad Hoc Committee shall coordinate closely with the Search Committee to ensure that its recommendation
is made in a timely manner.
MEMBERSHIP: The membership of this Committee shall be appointed by the University Senate President in close consultation
with the Senate Executive Committee. Membership shall consist of 9 faculty members, 1 librarian, 1 officer of
administration, 1 undergraduate student, 1 graduate student, and 1 classified staff member. The 9 faculty members shall
represent the following constituencies: 3 from the College of Arts and Science (1 each from humanities, social sciences and
natural sciences) and 1 each from the professional schools and colleges (Architecture and Allied Arts; Business; Journalism
and Communication; Education; Law; Music and Dance). The University Senate President shall serve as a liaison between the
Senate Ad Hoc Committee and the Search Committee. The Committee shall elect its own Chair.
REPORTING: The Senate Ad Hoc Committee on the Presidential Search shall report to the Senate on its progress and its
contributions to the search as appropriate.
BACKGROUND: Faculty and other campus stakeholder groups currently have a limited voice in the current Presidential search
process conducted by the State Board of Higher Education. The search is closed until the final stage of the search process
and it is not clear whether the State Board's search committee will allow more than one candidate to be publicly
interviewed. Given the traditions of openness and fairness that have characterized past searches for major administrators on
this campus, and given the tradition of University of Oregon presidents who have come from the ranks of academia, it is in
the best interest of the Search and the future of the University that the process be broadened to include greater
representation of the faculty and other campus stakeholders.
FISCAL IMPACT: There may be a few minor expenses associated with establishing this committee. Candidates will already be
on campus so costs will be limited to those associated with meetings with faculty and other stakeholder groups. It is assumed
that the University administration will pick up these minor expenses.
Legislative History
- Passed at the
3 December 2008 meeting of the UO Senate.
- See also
which was the version presented to the UO Senate. This version was
amended and is not normative. It is presented only for historical interest.