UC Governance Questionnaire – The Council of UC Faculty Associations

CUCFA, the Council of UC Faculty Associations, is working to understand and address difficulties with faculty governance at the UCs. We have some specific questions, and also want to hear your general sense of the successes of and difficulties with governance on your campus, and/or specific incidents you would like to report. Please focus on decisions made in the last 2-3 years.

your campus *

Your name (optional)

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I. On the hiring of senior administrators at your UC:

How are your Deans selected? Was an administrator chosen by a committee elected or appointed by the Faculty Senate, or by such a committee appointed by the University administration? Please give specifics.

How were higher administrators like your EVC/Provost/Chancellor selected? We’d like to know if they made presentations to the faculty and then a faculty vote determined their appointment, or whether finalists met with a committee elected by the senate, which then voted, or whether there was no executive faculty involvement.

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II. On relations between your campus administrators and faculty:

Have you seen an important faculty-relevant university decision made, for example, about the establishment of academic programs, change to teaching load requirements, or the restructuring of your College or School, that excluded the faculty from direct decision making? Was there executive faculty action, or an advisory committee appointed by an administrator instead? If the decision was made in consultation with a committee, such as chairs and directors, but without their binding vote, please explain. Let us know of any such decisions that have been important to you.

We are concerned that campus-wide committee votes on significant issues were overturned by the university administration. Let us know details of any such incidents on your campus.

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III. On UCOP-UC Campuses relations:

It is reported that UC administrators have appointed advisory committees and called for town hall meetings to consult faculty, but made decisions that were contrary to or independent of the sentiments expressed by faculty in those bodies. On these occasions, faculty were not in a decision making capacity. If this is a practice you are concerned about at your institution, let us know any relevant details.

CUCFA is concerned to hear that there have been incidents when administrators made decisions that penalize faculty, directly or indirectly. If this has happened in some form on your campus, please let us know.

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IV. On Regents-faculty relations:

Do you think faculty should have direct access to the Regents without passing through UCOP?

CUCFA has heard concerns about the composition of the Board of Regents. We would like to hear on this topic, and are grateful for any help thinking about the way you think the Regents should be appointed.

Finally, please raise any governance-related topic that concerns you, including unusual practices you may have witnessed.

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