Motion US0102-8 – Establish a UO Standing Committee on Nontenure-track Instructional Faculty

Passed by University Senate May 8, 2002; amended May 22, 2002.

Sponsored by the Senate Ad Hoc Committee on the Status of Nontenure-Track Instructional Faculty: Shaul Cohen, Geography; Robert Davis, Romance Languages; Susan Fagan, English; Wayne Gottshall, Romance Languages; Margaret Hallock, Morse Center; Lynn Kahle, Sports Marketing; Jim Long, Chemistry; Gina Psaki, Romance Languages, Chair. 

Whereas the presence of a highly professionalized cadre of nontenure-track, instructional faculty (hereafter NTTIF) at the UO is an established fact; whereas the UO has a vital interest in preserving and increasing instructional quality in an era of increasing enrollments; whereas NTTIF lack the compensation, institutional support, and academic freedom of tenure-track instructional faculty, and the job security of other regular cadres of employees on campus; whereas greater clarity and consistency in policies touching the NTTIF are desirable; and whereas these issues are national and ongoing, and cannot be resolved in the scope of an ad hoc committee;

The University Senate moves to establish a University Standing Committee on the Status of NTTIF, with the following charges and responsibilities, membership, and reporting:

CHARGES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The University Standing Committee on the Status of nontenure-track instructional faculty (NTTIF) shall focus on addressing the needs of nontenure-track instructional faculty at the University of Oregon. The responsibilities of the committee shall include the following:

1. Assess NTTIF needs, identify priorities and develop proposals to meet them;
2. Recommend ways to educate the University community as a whole on the issues relating to and arising from nontenure-track status for instructional faculty;
3. Pursue long-range planning for NTTIF issues and advocate for NTTIF input into University decisions affecting NTTIF;
4. Act as a channel for communication and community among members of the NTTIF;
5. Gather information on nationwide trends in and research on NTTIF employment;
6. Review and consider other NTTIF issues as appropriate.

MEMBERSHIP

Membership of the NTTIF committee shall be appointed by the Committee on Committees for two-year terms (staggered) and shall include at least four members of the tenured faculty, four members of the nontenure-track instructional faculty, and an undergraduate and graduate student. Each UO school / college in which NTTIF are employed should be represented on the committee at least every second year. The Vice President for Academic Affairs or his/her designee shall serve ex-officio in a non-voting capacity.

REPORTING

The Status of the NTTIF Committee shall report to the University Senate. At a minimum this report shall be in the form of an annual written report submitted by the Committee Chair to the Secretary of the University Senate no later than the final University Senate meeting in May. The committee shall also make additional written or oral reports to the Senate as necessary.