Subject: Meeting with Faculty Senate Leadership May 17 1PM

Chancellor Plowman and Provost Zomchick,
 
        Thank you for arranging to meet with us on Tuesday May 17 at 1PM in the AHT 8th Floor Conference room. We appreciate the opportunity to include incoming President-Elect Amber Roessner (who is traveling but will try to zoom in) and incoming immediate past-President Bonnie Ownley to assist in the transition of Senate leadership. Below are some topics for possible discussion. 

1. There has been an increased range of concerns expressed to us about the process of academic restructuring. We understand that is in your purview to reconstruct Colleges as you wish, without required approval from any faculty body. However the process outlined to the faculty for input/open discussion and transparency in restructuring decisions has not been followed. The meetings with department Heads regarding the break-up of Arts and Science came across as a fait-accompli without consideration of alternatives or any open discussion of the potential benefits and challenges. We strongly encourage that there be a very clear articulation of the reasons for this apparently already-made decision. Clarifying  how the deconstruction is justified, given the tremendous effort it will take from faculty to deal with the host of curricular and structural issues it will cause, not to mention the additional administrative costs associated with the inefficiencies of multiple college administrations, may reduce the frustration we are hearing. Also, is the original stated restriction regarding restructuring still in place that no departments will be broken apart?   

2. There is an expanded expectation that 9-month faculty expend effort on university affairs during the summer. The Faculty Handbook is clear "Nine-month faculty members are expected to perform university-related activities for a nine-month academic year." Faculty are now requested to compose cluster hire requests, and attend various restructuring meetings. When these requests come from the upper administration it seemingly gives further authority for Heads and Deans to also expect similar uncompensated efforts during the summer. 

3. It is our understanding that the removal of several buildings to make room for the new Haslam College building will occur in mid-2023. Providing some clarity regarding how the various faculty and units whose space will be lost in this process will be accommodated would ease concerns. If there are temporary buildings planned, as have been used in the past for surge space, we encourage that the units and people involved be consulted regarding the planning. 

4. We were surprised about the plans for cluster hires as we had been constantly told that all faculty hiring decisions would arise from the Colleges. Has this occurred because of lack of confidence of the ability of colleges to effectively collaborate to create the types of interdisciplinary initiatives that are the goal of the cluster hires? Does this then imply regarding future hiring by Colleges that most hiring in new areas (e.g. not replacements of current faculty to meet certain instructional needs) will be initiated centrally rather than in Colleges? 

5. The data provided by the Provost illustrates that the tenure-track faculty numbers are basically flat next year, yet the demand for upper-division instruction is going to grow rapidly as the increased entering students move on to higher-level courses. We have not heard a plan articulated to deal with these increased instructional needs, which can not easily be met without a large concerted effort next year to recruit additional faculty with the expertise to teach at these levels. The cluster hires may help eventually but likely not for several years.