Faulty Senate passes policy on distinguished academic ranks

Results of the Faculty Senate election:

At-Large:

– David Riccio, Psychology

– Rick Feinberg, Anthropology

– Robert Hamilton, Biological Science, Stark

– George Garrison, Pan-African Studies

At-Large Alternates:

– Robin Vande Zande, Art

– Babacar Mbaye, English

– Jean Engohang-Ndong, Biological Science, Tuscarawas

– Kazadi wa Mukuna, Music

– Margarita Benitez, Fashion Design and Merchandising

– Egerton Clarke, Sociology, Salem

– Christopher Williams, Pan-African Studies

Architecture and Environmental Design:

– Terrence Uber

Architecture and Environmental Design Alternate:

– None

Arts and Sciences:

– Stephen Fountain, Psychology

– Donald White, Mathematical Science

Arts and Sciences Alternates:

– Willie Harrell, Jr., English

– Diane Stroup, Chemistry

– Oana Mocioalca, Mathematical Science

Business Administration:

– Kathy Wilson, Economics

Business Administration Alternate:

– Deborah Knapp, Management and Information Systems

Communication and Information:

– Daniel Roland, Library and Information Science

– Barb Hipsman, Journalism and Mass Communication

Technology:

– Roberto Uribe, Applied Engineering

Technology Alternate:

– Lowell Zurbuch, Technology

University Libraries:

– Stephen Paschen

University Libraries Alternate:

– Edith Scarletto

Regional College:

– William Ward III, Computer Technology, Trumbull

Regional College Alternate:

– John Marino, Business Technology, Trumbull

Geauga Campus:

– Jay Jahangiri, Mathematical Science

Geauga Alternate:

– Ralph Lindeman, Technology

Non-Tenure Track:

– Jarrod Tudor, Sociology, Stark

– Richard Mangrum, Aeronautics Technology

NTT Alternates:

– Mary Kellermann, Mathematical Science

– Rozell Duncan, Communication Studies

After more than an hour of discussion and debate, Kent State Faculty Senate voted to pass a new policy regarding distinguished ranks during its meeting Monday.

Faculty Senate voted on the fifth version of the Policy and Procedures Regarding Distinguished Academic Ranks after amending the policy several times before it finally passed. Six amendments were motioned to tweak the policy, one of which was later withdrawn before the policy was taken to vote.

The policy will address the hiring of faculty with special recognition and accomplishments and the promotion of current faculty members with similar honors. The benefits of becoming a “distinguished academic rank” range from being granted tenure to a full professorship title.

Sen. Susan Roxburgh said that this policy has been discussed in Faculty Senate for more than a year, and said she liked that it created lively discussion Monday.

“It’s not normal for this group,” Roxburgh said. “But it’s normal in a democracy that’s vibrant where there are a lot of different perspectives. So to me, it was perfectly appropriate, and it resulted in a better document than the one that was supposed to be to compromise.”

The last Faculty Senate conversation held about this policy in January caused a spirited debate and ultimately led Provost Robert Frank, accompanied by other administrators, to walk out of the senate meeting.

The Provost and Faculty Senators disagreed on the exact procedure of approving distinguished ranks.

While Provost Frank did not stay at Monday’s meeting to hear the results of the vote, the policy will have to pass through his office before it can be shown to the Board of Trustees.

“The important thing is to recognize that the policy itself is in response to a directive in the collective bargaining agreement that expires quite soon,” Roxburgh said. “The reason that it’s in the collective bargaining agreement is because both sides agreed that was something that needed to be remedied. And so various iterations that produced a policy that is what the provost wanted take the teeth out of a new policy for which there was already an agreement that there was a need for it.”

Sen. Paul Farrell said he hopes this will be the end of discussions for this particular policy.

“We’d like to think what we’ve passed will meet his core needs and will still satisfy most of our core needs, too,” Farrell said.

Click here to see what Faculty Senate revised.

Contact Britni Williams at [email protected].