VCU Faculty Senate

In addition to meeting with the faculty members on the VCU Presidential
Search Committee at our November meeting,the message below
from Search Committe chair and board of Visitors member Ed Bersoff
offers a chance to meet with other search committee members at open
town hall meetings on each campus. There will also be another
Monroe Park Campus town hall meeting scheduled because of the "Reading Days"
conflict on October 17th that may cause many to miss this session.

--Dan Ream, VCU Faculty Senate President, 2007-2009

*****************************************************************

Dear University and Health System Communities:

Faculty, staff and students of Virginia Commonwealth University and the VCU
Health System are invited to meet with the Presidential Search Committee
regarding the presidential search in two town hall meetings. The committee
welcomes input from all stakeholders concerning the future direction of VCU
and the desired characteristics of a new President to lead VCU.

The meetings will be held on Friday, October 17, at the following times:

11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Monroe Park Campus
Student Commons Theater

3:30 p.m. - 5 p.m.
MCV Campus
George Ben Johnston Auditorium
305 North 12th Street

The Search Committee encourages members of the university and health system
communities to attend a town hall meeting, and we look forward to meeting
with you. There will be at least one additional opportunity this semester
to attend a town hall meeting with the Search Committee.

Sincerely,

Ed Bersoff, Presidential Search Committee Chair

Posted by at 10:49 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Resolution to Establish Rules and Procedures Regarding Academic Investigations

Whereas the Academic Rights and Responsibilities document approved by the Board of Visitors on November 18, 1976 states:

“Membership in the academic community imposes on students, faculty members, administrators and members of the Board of Visitors an obligation to respect each other’s dignity; to acknowledge each other’s right to express differing opinions…

An academic community, ideally enjoying a high degree of protection from outside interference in the pursuit of its goals, cannot tolerate disruptive interference within. All elements of the University are committed to open and rational discussion as an instrument for the clarification of issues, the settlement of disputes and the solutions of problems.

In the past, academic institutions have achieved eminence to a large extent because they managed to provide their faculties with a climate blended of academic freedom, economic security, adequate resources and most importantly, goodwill, mutually shared and bestowed among all of their members. Virginia Commonwealth University cannot achieve its goal with less….”

Whereas recent events have called into question several of the expectations secured in the Academic Rights and Responsibilities document;

Whereas faculty deserve the right to due process and a fair, accurate investigation.

Therefore, Be It Resolved that VCU’s Board of Visitors and administration should work with representatives from the Faculty Senate to adopt rules and procedures concerning employee rights and protections in any VCU investigation that shall include:

--employees suspected or accused of misconduct have the right to receive a written statement of the charges made against them.

Passed by Vote of the VCU Faculty Senate, October 7, 2008

Posted by at 3:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Dr. Stephen Portch, search adviser to the Board of Visitors, is conducting
focus groups and open forums with faculty, staff, students, alumni and
community leaders about the upcoming search for VCU's next President.

Please remind your school's faculty staff and students of these upcoming
opportunities to express their views on what VCU should look for in its
next President

Open forum for faculty, students and staff – Oct. 6 from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m.
in the Kontos Auditorium, MCV Campus

Open forum for faculty, students and staff – Oct. 7 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
in the University Student Commons Theater, Monroe Park Campus

Posted by at 3:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)