Call for nominations: Faculty Senate

Campus Colleagues,

I am pleased to open the call for nominations for the inaugural Faculty Senate, with elections to be held in accordance with college or unit policies. 

Elections for faculty senators should be completed by Oct. 31, 2024, and elected senators must be seated by Nov. 30, 2024. Once seated, the Faculty Senate will meet up to twice monthly on Mondays from 3-5 p.m.

The principle of shared governance at UK as reflected in the institution’s Governing Regulations (GRs) contemplates the creation of a formal mechanism for faculty input and advice on important academic and curricular matters. 

The work of the Provisional Faculty Senate Executive Committee (Provisional FSEC) includes the establishment of the Faculty Senate, an advisory body that will review curricular proposals and provide feedback to university administration on academic matters. The President will be posting the final draft of the Faculty Senate AR developed by the Provisional FSEC next week and it will be open for feedback before final release/disposition on this site.

The new AR describes the structure and function of the Faculty Senate, and I encourage you to read it. The Faculty Senate will be composed of elected faculty from each college, including the Libraries and Graduate School, who will come together to engage in a mutual exchange of ideas. 

Much of the work conducted by the Provisional FSEC in its initial meetings has focused on details for creation of the Faculty Senate AR. The draft AR outlines several key principles, including broad college representation and clear timelines to help create greater transparency, trust and accountability as well as the ability to be agile. 

This transdisciplinary and collaborative body will connect faculty across campus, and faculty senators will be able to provide important updates to their colleges and units. Faculty members who serve will have opportunities to network with their colleagues across different disciplines, develop knowledge on different university functions and engage with university leadership in a critical advisory capacity. 

Service plays an important and valued role at UK, and service on the Faculty Senate is an opportunity both for professional growth for individual faculty members and for university leaders to connect with and learn from faculty. 

To ensure your college or unit is represented on the Faculty Senate, elect your representatives by the deadline established by your college or unit. Questions about elections should be directed to your college or unit leadership. 

Robert S. DiPaola, M.D. 
Provost