We have learned via the UCB Senate of votes by the UC Senate with respect to furloughs and the UC Commission on the Future. We pass this on for your information.
Begin forwarded message:
I’m writing to pass on some immediately good and useful news. The UC Senate Academic Council (the executive body of the systemwide Senate, composed of the 10 Senate chairs plus some committee chairs) voted unanimously yesterday for two resolutions:
(1) requesting systemwide implementation of 6 days of teaching-day furloughs, and permission for campuses to have up to 10 days of teaching furlough;
and (2) requesting that three faculty representatives be appointed to the Gould Commission, specifically faculty from L & S, with undergraduate teaching experience.
Mark Yudof indicated at the meeting that he was receptive to both measures — “just tell me what to do,” he said – (NOTE – MARY SAID HE WAS RECEPTIVE TO TWO NEW MEMBERS NOT THREE) and UC Provost Larry Pitts has already begun to form a working group to figure out how to implement the furlough policy in light of this and other faculty concerns. I’ve pasted in below the text of the resolution on the furloughs. (I should add that at Berkeley we are already moving into place a policy the Senate recommended last year, of changing the last 3-5 days of podium instruction each semester into “Reading, Recitation, and Review” days, when attendance by students cannot be compelled, but study sessions and extra office hours can be held.)
On the Gould commission, while the decision on membership is up to the Regents, there’s good reason to hope for these additions. The current membership also appears to be somewhat in flux, with a result of less dominance by professional school representatives.
Furloughs on Instructional Days
ACTION: Council unanimously: (1) requests that the Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs institute a systemwide standard of six furlough days assigned to days of instruction over the nine month academic calendar; and (2) recommends that he approve campus requests for changes to their academic calendars that place furloughs on specified instructional days for up to 10 days pursuant to his authority under delegation of authority 0556 and SOR 100.4(h). Council recognizes the faculty’s obligation to provide high quality instruction to students. We strongly recommend that the learning objectives remain relatively constant in the face of these reductions and that faculty be permitted to design alternatives to promote this end.
ACTION: Council unanimously voted to recommend that the Senate, in tandem with the administration, commit to reexamining the definition, number, and character of days of instruction.
Furloughs on Instructional Days
ACTION: Council unanimously: (1) requests that the Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs institute a systemwide standard of six furlough days assigned to days of instruction over the nine month academic calendar; and (2) recommends that he approve campus requests for changes to their academic calendars that place furloughs on specified instructional days for up to 10 days pursuant to his authority under delegation of authority 0556 and SOR 100.4(h). Council recognizes the faculty’s obligation to provide high quality instruction to students. We strongly recommend that the learning objectives remain relatively constant in the face of these reductions and that faculty be permitted to design alternatives to promote this end.
ACTION: Council unanimously voted to recommend that the Senate, in tandem with the administration, commit to reexamining the definition, number, and character of days of instruction.