The UT faculty senate met Monday, March 2, for the first time since November.
Provost John Zomchick addressed the faculty senate in the Provost’s Report. He brought up the newly established associate vice provost for faculty standards and conduct role, which will be filled by former Office of General Council member Lela Young.
According to a press release, Young will supervise faculty issues involving investigations of conduct and grievances, specifically providing support in legal and business matters. Zomchick elaborated on the purpose of the new role during the senate session.
“We see her role as advocacy and support of faculty, something that’s been long needed in the office,” Zomchick said. “She will be able to advise us, and be able to advise the faculty senate Affairs Committee, on matters related to the handbook.”
Zomchick commented on Tennessee HB 2194, which is currently under committee review and would streamline termination procedures, after being asked about it by a faculty senator.
“Both the administration and government relations are aware of concerns that the faculty had about this bill and are doing their best to protect tenure in what is a very difficult environment,” Zomchick said. “That’s where we stand at the moment.”
Faculty Senate President Charles Noble also commented on the bill, first by acknowledging the dropping of HB 2581, which would have effectively ended tenure.
“Thankfully, that was taken off notice,” Noble said. “So that’s good. That’s a win.”
The new bill, Zomchick said, has more support because Deputy Speaker and Rep. Jason Zachary (R-Knoxville) introduced it.
“I’ll go on record and say it’s a poorly written bill,” Noble said. “I think it’s convoluted.”
Zomchick updated senators on the university’s approach to artificial intelligence, saying that the university has spoken with consultants about how to best handle advancing technologies with one, unified strategy.
“We are called upon to show returning investment to the families who send their children here,” Zomchick said. “That will also be a part of the unparalleled student experience to make sure that we have an institutional approach to the changes that are rippling through the information economy.”
Chancellor Donde Plowman summarized key points she made at the UT board of trustees meeting in Memphis last week in the Chancellor’s Report.
Plowman informed faculty senators of the administration’s goals to increase graduation rates by focusing specifically on six-year graduation rates.
“That six-year is a lagging indicator,” Plowman said. “That number doesn’t move very quickly.”
University administration plans to increase these rates by doubling the size of the honors program and providing specialized support to students benefiting from the Pell Grant through a new initiative called Rocky Top Scholars.
There is currently a 15-point disparity between the six-year graduation rate of Pell Grant students and non-Pell Grant students.
“We are putting things in place to really help that,” Plowman said.
Plowman also touched on the university’s research goals, which are to expand research facilities and take on more research faculty to be more competitive amongst schools in the Association of American Universities.
“We have a potential to really grow this faculty by fall by a lot of highly productive, high-performing people,” Plowman said.
The faculty senate will meet again Monday, April 6.
