Inside Iowa State
April 28, 2000
Senate considers adoption of its own strategic plan
by Linda Charles
The Faculty Senate, for the
first time in its 12 years of existence, will consider
adopting a strategic plan. Proposed by the Faculty Senate
Strategic Plan Committee, chaired
by former senate president Denise Vrchota, the plan includes
five initiatives, each with its own set
of goals and action plan.
In presenting the plan at the April senate meeting, Vrchota said it would benefit the senate both internally and externally. The plan would prioritize actions and focus senate energy toward internal goals, give an edge in proactive collaboration ("Rather than waiting to be called and invited to participate, we can do the calling and inviting"), encourage discussion of internal university organization, and enhance the senate's role and image within the university.
As proposed, the strategic plan would be reviewed annually and renewed on the same cycle as the university's strategic plan.
The plan's initiatives are:
- Learning. Educate faculty about the national dialogue on
teaching and learning, bring to the forefront national
developments concerning undergraduate and graduate
teaching/learning and establish a better understanding of
the implications of the new promotion and tenure policy for
hiring and mentoring new faculty.
- Promotion and tenure. Influence implementation of the
new promotion and tenure policy at all levels and develop a
campus-wide understanding of the basis for promotion and
tenure.
- Communication. Establish a
senate communications committee, improve the speed and
efficiency of senate communications, improve communication
with faculty, cultivate relationships between the senate and
key university administrators and increase awareness of the
senate's achievements.
- Relationships with administration and other groups.
Develop an effective communication system to disseminate
university community information; encourage and enhance
value, respect and process in decision making.
- Senate effectiveness. Organize the senate into a more efficient and effective decision making body.
The senate's executive board will discuss the plan over the summer and the senate likely will vote on the plan next fall. Comments on the plan should be directed to Vrchota, 4-0501, e-mail: vrchota@iastate.edu.
Last senate meeting May 2
The Faculty Senate will meet at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 2, in 260 Scheman.
Several proposed curriculum changes will be on the agenda, including a request to create an interdepartmental master's degree in information assurance (such as computer and Internet security) through the department of electrical and computer engineering.
Newly elected senators also will be seated and David Hopper, veterinary medicine, will take over as senate president.
This is the last senate meeting of the semester. The senate will resume meeting next fall.
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