Dear All.

I just want to express my sincere appreciation to you all in my capacity as President of the UO Senate for 2009/10. I am grateful for the time you are putting in on all this. I think this summer will be a crucial time for our University -- the State Legislature will complete work on the Budget the end of June, the State Board of Higher Education will act in July, etc. So it is essential to have an active and engaged presence of senior faculty leaders on campus in the process through the Senate Budget Committee -- I have complete confidence in you in this regard.

I have a request. I should be most grateful if the SBC could prepare a written report of some kind that could be posted on the Senate Website prior to the 14 October meeting of the UO Senate. Peter Keyes has already been scheduled to present brief (approximately 10 minutes) oral testimony to that Senate meeting on behalf of the SBC -- should you wish someone else to present that testimony that is fine and I leave the selection in your capable hands -- just let me know in September who it is to be. But it is essential that one of you give oral testimony in October to supplement the written testimony and to answer the questions which will inevitably arise.

I dislike ad hoc actions and thus this year I will be relying for the most part on the established faculty committees and administrative procedures as Senate President this forthcoming year -- the SBC is clearly a central player and you should let me know anything that I can do to facilitate your work. But I shall not joggle your elbows nor intrude on your process. On behalf of all of the University of Oregon Community, let me close by expressing my sincere gratitude for your hard work -- this is a crucial year for the UO and the SBC will be at the heart of things I expect.
Peter B Gilkey
UO Senate President 2009/10