THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT ASHEVILLE

FACULTY SENATE

Senate Document Number 0407F

Date of Senate Approval 10/18/07

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Statement of Faculty Senate Action:

Sense of the Senate

The Faculty Senate of the University of North Carolina Asheville endorses the alternate language proposed by the Executive Committee of the UNC Faculty Assembly and endorsed by the Faculty Assembly at its September 28, 2007, meeting regarding changes to the Code of the Board of Governors, Section 603/604.

FACULTY ASSEMBLY RESOLUTION: On Proposed Changes in University Code

WHEREAS, the Faculty Assembly has reviewed proposed changes in the University Code proposed by the “Code 603/604 Committee” as of July 17, 2007; and

WHEREAS, Faculty Assembly delegates have sought additional review from Faculty Senates and colleagues on their campuses; and

WHEREAS, the Faculty Assembly believes that there are significant problems with key aspects of the proposed revisions particularly including those relating to relating to institutional guarantees of tenure and grounds for discharge and rights of “special faculty”; and

WHEREAS, the Faculty Assembly also believes that there are areas in which language needs to be clarified in order to avoid possible future confusion; and

WHEREAS, the Faculty Assembly believes that the Code Review committee’s work exceeded its charge insofar as it included recommendations regarding post-tenure review processes that are inconsistent with policies reviewed and supported by the Assembly in late spring 2007, as reported to the Board of Governors Committee on Personnel and Tenure in June 2007; and

WHEREAS, the Faculty Assembly understands that the Code Review committee spent considerable time and effort on its proposals and wishes them to move ahead promptly, but believes that important changes will lack legitimacy if more widespread consultation with faculty is not allowed; and

WHEREAS, the Faculty Assembly’s Executive Committee has developed alternative language to address its concerns with the original Code 603/604 proposals in an effort to move matters forward but wishes to allow faculty members to review and understand these recommendations;

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED

1. The Faculty Assembly affirms its belief that the Faculty Assembly Executive Committee’s proposed alternative language is strongly preferable to language proposed by the Code 603/604 Committee in its July 2007 draft;

2. The Faculty Assembly asks that Faculty Senates and colleagues on the various campuses be given an adequate opportunity to review this alternative language, relevant background, and up-to-date proposals from the Code 603/604 Committee before General Administration and the Board of Governors acts on the Committee’s recommendations;

3. The Faculty Assembly asks its officers to refer relevant materials (this resolution, the alternative language, background information, and any up-to-date proposals from the Code 603/604 Committee) to the campus Faculty Senates with a request that the Senates and faculty leaders offer comments be submitted by the end of October for further consideration at the November Faculty Assembly meeting;

4. The Faculty Assembly requests that General Administration defer submitting the Code 603/604 Committee’s recommendations to the Board of Governors until at least December 2007 so that comments can be received and meaningful review completed;

5. The Faculty Assembly requests that, in the future, changes to the Code or other University policies directly affecting faculty should be undertaken only with extensive faculty representation on relevant committees or task forces, open involvement in deliberations from the outset, and adequate opportunities to comment during the academic year except under pressing and unusual circumstances.

Adopted September 28, 2007 by the Faculty Assembly