Summary
of the Faculty Meeting with Provost Robert Palazzo, August 22, 2007
Having stated his intention to answer questions posed by the
faculty, Provost Bob Palazzo clarified the status of governance on the campus
in response to the first question from Henry Scarton. A review process
involving a committee composed of senior faculty will ensue. The Faculty Senate
has been formally suspended from input into the review process on grounds that
“those most clearly engaged have a conflict of interest”; the review should be
“independent” and the process “clean.”
The Provost stated he had no objection to informal faculty
meetings during the review period. He emphasized the need to build trust, the
need for “mutual participation,” the need for letting go the history, and for
cooperation with a “positive spirit.” He urged faculty to “get over the
defensiveness and suspicion” that has historically pervaded the campus,
acknowledging that these dynamics occur on the side of the administrative as
well as the faculty.
Mike Jensen took issue with the directive nature of the BoT
Chair’s letter in which it stated that the senate “will” change its
constitution.
Several faculty suggested or
demanded that the Provost take back his decision to suspend the FS. The Provost
steadfastly refused to do so, stating that he would have to repeat the process
through which he had gone with the President and the BoT and this would be
taking a step backwards. He stated that he alone was responsible for the
decision to suspend the FS, although he had consulted with the deans throughout
the period leading up to his decision. Later in the meeting, the provost
disclosed that the “transitional governance state” was the result of a general
consensus of himself and the deans, but that the
process now rolling out was the result of his decision alone.
The Provost was concerned with maintaining credibility with
two separate bosses: president/board on the one hand;
and the faculty on the other; resulting in his sense of being between the rock
and a hard place. Possessing half or
three quarters of a loaf is better than no loaf at all.
Composition of the review committee was discussed, with
several faculty speaking in favor of an electoral
process in which each school would democratically elect faculty representatives.
A viable process has not yet been established. The Provost asked whether he, as
provost, should have the right to accept or not accept particular members of
that committee. There was a resounding chorus of “no’s” from the audience, in
response to which the Provost stated his disagreement (meaning that he wishes
to retain the right to accept or reject members). He clarified his discomfort
with entering the review process without the “guidance” of the president. Later
Gary Saulnier stated that such a body would not be considered legitimate from the
faculty point of view if it in fact had no elected faculty representation.
Peter Persans suggested that there was already a process for
constituting mediation and hearing committees in the Faculty Handbook. These
committees attempted to gain representation from all constituencies, and he
urged the adoption of a similar goal.
Spring 2007 elections were a recurrent topic. Palazzo
reaffirmed that the election that was conducted did not fall within the BoT’s
definition of faculty, and thus would be considered invalid because it was the
outcome of a flawed process that must be corrected. Palazzo also underlined
that P&T was his biggest concern. Linda Schadler, the outgoing chair of
P&T who ended her two-year term on July 31, 2007 and was called back into
service on August 7, 2007, when the Provost decided to revert to the previous
committee, stated her concern that failure to follow the Faculty Handbook would
increase liability. She also stated the committee’s confusion about how to act
in the face of becoming “administrative appointees” rather than elected faculty
representatives. Palazzo minimized the legal consequences of operating outside
the Faculty Handbook.
Larry
Kagan, deposed FS president, noted that the unilateral decision to dissolve the
FS set a terrible precedent. Throughout spring semester 2007, stated Jim
Napolitano, FS president at the time, the FS endeavored to recognize the BoT’s
request that constitution be amended so as to implement the new definition of
faculty. The FS offered a plan to structure further deliberation by engaging
trustees, administrators, and faculty in a rational, evidence-based
fact-finding mission to compare what other institutions are doing in terms of:
1) the definition of faculty and clinical faculty; and 2) to examine the role
of Rensselaer Clinical Faculty and what contributions they make to
The status of the BoT’s redefinition of the faculty was
debated. George Plopper asked, if the outcome was predetermined by the BoT, why
was the FS asked to go through any process at all.
Palazzo clarified that the BoT had issued a “broad guideline” that now stood as
the boundary condition within which the FS was to execute
the necessary changes to the constitution and Faculty Handbook.
David Hess recalled the lengthy process with former provost
Bud Peterson, in which it was clear that clinical faculty were part of the
faculty as defined. He characterized the new edict as coming out of the blue.
He inquired about the rationale for suspending the FS. Why not simply send out
a memo, he asked. In response to this question, the Provost replied that the FS
was “not able to cope with change.” Yet, Nancy Campbell, deposed recording
secretary of the FS, pointed out that those who were deposed were newly elected,
and thus *not* those who had been supposedly “unable to cope with change.” In
response to her remarks, the Provost clarified once again that there is no role
for the Faculty Senate Executive Committee during the period of transitional
governance.
Consistently, the Provost spoke of the need to protect
tenure, and his relief that the BoT and president have reaffirmed commitment to
tenure at the Institute. Heidi Newberg spoke of the disingenuousness of being
told that the FS had been dissolved in order to strengthen tenure. Larry Kagan
once again stated his reluctance to support the suspension of the FS on the basis
of an apparent misunderstanding, and asked that the Provost rethink his first
step. Finally, Les Rubenfeld spoke of the internal and external degradation of
the Institute in the eyes of those committed to shared governance.
This summary is respectfully submitted by the deposed
recording secretary of the Faculty Senate. Apologies for all
errors.