Faculty Senate Special Meeting Petition

Voting Faculty in KSOM and PCPS have expressed concerns to their unit Senators related to Faculty Representation and Shared Governance. Specifically, there are concerns related to the process and outcomes used to recruit members of the Executive, Standing Committees, and Faculty Liaisons to the Board of Directors. The process that is currently in place has resulted in marked under-representation of KSOM and PCPS faculty and the rejection of certain Senators and Voting Faculty who volunteered to serve on the FSCC. Additionally, some Senators believe the Senate meetings have been conducted in a manner that has not given due consideration of views held by KSOM and PCPS Senators and, in certain instances, have violated Roberts Rules of Order. These under-representation concerns have been communicated to the Executive and Leadership and Shared Governance Committees before, and were again voiced at the October 16, 2020 Faculty Senate meeting. KSOM and PCPS members of the Leadership and Shared Governance Committee have also requested that the committee meet with the Provost to express said concerns. Consistent with the mission of the university and Ignatian values, we believe that it is imperative to restore an environment of diversity, inclusion and collegiality in the Faculty Senate and establish processes whereby all faculty and colleges are provided an equitable voice in decision-making.

As a result, the Voting Faculty named below call for a Special Meeting as defined under Article V.5. of the Faculty Senate Constitution. Below please find the signatures of more than ten percent of the Voting Faculty.