TO:James Donahue, President

FROM:Zach Flanagin, Chair

Academic Senate

DATE:December 7, 2017

RE:Senate Action S-17/18-21

Resolution re: Business and

Academic Review Committee (BARC)

At the December 6, 2017 meeting of the Academic Senate, the Senate voted unanimously to approve the attached Academic Senate Resolution Regarding the Business and Academic Review Committee “BARC”.

This action was assigned Senate Action # S-17/18-21.

.

Attachment

cc: Provost Dobkin

ACADEMIC SENATE RESOLUTION REGARDING “BARC” COMMITTEE

December 6, 2017

WHEREAS, the “governance of Saint Mary’s College is both the expression and the actual practice of shared decision-making affecting academic quality at the College,” (Faculty Handbook sec. 1.6.1; “FHB”);

WHEREAS, the FHB stipulates that faculty should have timely access to all non-confidential records and documents relevant to permitting the faculty to give advice on matters under consideration, and “representation…on all significant ad hoc committees and task forces whose charges involve matters pertaining to academic quality” (FHB sec, 1.6.1.3-4);

WHEREAS, in his “State of the College Address” on November 1, 2017, the President announced the intent of the Board of Trustees to form a Business and Academic Review Committee (“BARC”) whose charge will include deciding whether current academic programs are “the right ones” and whether existing academic programs are “the programs we will need for the future”;

WHEREAS, in its own recent “Statement of Shared Governance,” the Board of Directors of the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges urged college governing boards to “…understand [Shared Governance’s] potential value in executing needed institutional change” and therefore reiterated principles inherent in the FHB under section 1.6.1.;

WHEREAS, The Senate and the faculty-at-large have received no information to date about the formation, role, mission, and membership of BARC, and remain deeply concerned about these issues,

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Academic Senate of Saint Mary’s College hereby:

  1. Requests appropriate inclusion in decisions concerning the formation, role, mission and membership of BARC,
  1. Requests from President Donahue a progress report on the formation, role, mission, and membership of BARC by January 17, 2018.