August Updates from University Governance
Dear all,
Welcome to Fall 2023! We hope that your summer has served you well, whether you were teaching or taking classes, researching inside or outside of Lawrence, or finding rest and pursuing hobbies. University Governance has been working over the summer to transition to the FY2024 session and is ready to serve you this year. Below we provide you with a quick recap of last year’s activities, the current governance leadership, and what to look forward to.
A Look Back
University Governance achieved a lot last year, from participating in key campus climate survey responses to passing many valuable policy updates. You can read about the recommendations and next steps for improving both faculty and staff satisfaction at the COACHE and Docking survey websites, respectively. You can also review last year’s policy changes at the Governance’s policy tracker.
One of these policy amendments directly impacts University Governance and fits in with our ongoing efforts surrounding Shared Governance at KU. University Senate voted to change its composition to better reflect the mission of the body, with equal representation from its student, staff, and faculty constituents.
Governance committees were also hard at work last year and you can read about their efforts in the FY2023 final reports. The University Senate will vote on the FY2024 committee charges at their first meeting, so stay tuned to hear what the committees will be working on this year.
Your Governance Leaders
We extend our sincere thanks to last year’s leaders, Ani Kokobobo, Nate Brunsell, Jessica Chilcoat, Alessia Garcia, Hollie Hall, and Sadie Williams. The new academic year brings new representatives and new leadership to the Governance bodies:
- Faculty Senate President, Victor Gonzalez (CLAS)
- Staff Senate President, Chris Wallace (Lock, Access, Security & Technology Services)
- Student Body President, Turner Seals
- Student Body Vice President, DaNae Estabine
- University Senate President, Kristin Villa (School of Pharmacy)
Throughout the year, you will be hearing from the Senate Presidents both together and individually on a variety of topics. There are still a few vacancies on the various senates, and we will be emailing the respective constituent groups to ask for volunteers.
Looking Ahead
We encourage you to attend senate meetings to learn more about the work that University Governance does and hear from guest speakers, including the Chancellor, Provost, and Ombuds. Stay tuned for additional upcoming events and opportunities for your participation, including a Public Forum with the CFO and a Public Forum on Recommendations to Improve Staff Satisfaction.
Shared Governance functions best when all of us—students, staff, and faculty—share our unique perspectives and ideas. We hope to see and hear from you all in the upcoming months.
Happy Fall and Rock Chalk!
Victor Gonzalez, Faculty Senate President
Chris Wallace, Staff Senate President
Turner Seals, Student Body President
DaNae Estabine, Student Body Vice President
Kristin Villa, University Senate President